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Thread: Gravel In my aquarium or not?

  1. #1
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    Gravel In my aquarium or not?

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    I've been using gravel for quite some time now but i dont know should i use it or not. While gravel do have benefits let me explain a little more about my dilema.

    Personally if you ask me I dont really like using gravel for my tank simply because when i do water changes, when I pour the water into the tank it causes some kind of weird debri looking thing or dust to fly all over the tank, which makes the fish a little flustered seeing all the debri flying around from the gravel. I never had this issue before the introduction of gravel in my tank, so I'm putting the cause of it on the gravel. Because of this, usually I have to remove the fish and conduct 100% water changes to remove the debri on the gravel and clean the tank.

    However on the other hand I read that gravel traps some beneficial bacteria to tackle fish waste issue and leftover food? I dont have any leftover food in my tank so thats not an issue, but my fish do poop and i dont use siphons to vacuum my gravel hence partly the reason for 100% WC as stated above.

    So for my situation should I use gravel for my aquarium or bare tank? I dont have a proper filter too btw, prolly gonna invest in one soon too, so do recommend a good filter too if u have any in mind! Thanks

  2. #2
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    Re: Gravel In my aquarium or not?

    Gravel has several benefits:

    1) Provides more surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow and live on
    2) Hides unsightly fish poop
    3) Looks more natural

    There's a technique for filling up your tank without disturbing the gravel. From what you described, it seems to be the Aquasoil type. You have your fresh water in a pail, scoop the water out, but don't pour it into the tank like you're washing your car. Gently put the entire scoop into your tank, then slowly tilt it so the water "merges" with the existing water in your tank. It's a slow process, but it won't mess up your gravel.

    100% water changes are a very drastic move and you shouldn't be doing them as often as you are.

    There are several types of filters out there, I'm personally a fan of hang-on or external filters, depending on the size of the tank. A good old Ehiem Liberty is suitable for a small tank, while Ehiem Classic series of external filters are great for tanks 2ft and up.

  3. #3
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    Re: Gravel In my aquarium or not?

    Aesthetics-wise, especially during water change, water seems dirty. But gravel benefits outweigh bare tank, due to biofiltration reasons. All my tanks have gravel in them. There is no need to 'vacuum' your gravel, by doing this, you are removing BB as well as wastes that the BB feeds on. Water will clear up once your WC is over. Parameters for gravel tanks are better than bare tanks.

  4. #4
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    Re: Gravel In my aquarium or not?

    i use airline hose during water change, and i let the water spray onto the tank wall to reduce disturbing the base too much

  5. #5
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    Re: Gravel In my aquarium or not?

    If a gravel is desired, it should not be too thick as to give rise to any anaerobic condition within it. Essential bacteria need a good amount of oxygen to thrive. Anaereobic conditions is what cause tank water to develop a nasty stink over time.
    LIFE IS UNBEARABLE WITHOUT A FISH TANK!!!

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