were removed and kept the gravel wet, you would have carried over much of the system and prolly wouldn't have had to re-cycle the tank, not for just a few guppies anyway. There's not likely an really nasty bacteria or fungus in there anyway. What is there could be just rinsed out.
Fungus, maybe yes, if there was uneaten goldfish pellets. But fungus is just one of nature's ways of cleaning up a mess. Likewise, pockets which have been cut off, could now have anaerobic bacteria breaking "stuff" down. But a rinsing will dilute that.
You probably know this, but if you were to set up an additional filter(s) in your established aquarium (without blowing the residents all over the place) you could move that filter (s) to one of the 60s, in a few days, to speed up the process.
Congratulations on alertly gathering up two 60s. That is a bit of an unusual size. Are they breeder tanks? That is, are they wider than the run-of-the-mill 10s, 20s and 55s? That increased surface space is handy too.
When we figure inches of fish per gallon, maybe the fish would be better served if someone cooked up an ounces of fish per square foot, square half foot, square 10 cm, sq half meter or sq. meter system.
Are your friend's goldfish in a pond deep enough to carry them through the winter? Will she be content to leave then there? Certainly they are easier to feed since feeding stops at 50 something degrees F.
All the best!
unc;e
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