fish gravel???

Question

i started out with a light gravel in my tank not realizing that it would get covered in algae and look really bad....is it ok to switch gravel on my fish or i have also seen sand in stores is it ok to use in a freshwater tank...any suggestions greatly appreciated

Answer 1

I personally would suggest a darker colored gravel if for no other reason than the fish are more comfortable with a dark color. They prefer to see dark below them and light above them. The exact color isn't important to them, just light or dark.

I also would suggest you avoid sand, it's more of a pain than gravel by a long shot!

MM

Answer 2

You r question is very vague. You don't mention if these are fresh water,saltwater,large,small,bottom dwellers,etc. You can change the gravel but it is a lot of work to completely undo the tank,take out the fish,etc. Algae dosn't really grow on gravel. You can vacuum the gravel with a syphon or gravel vac. What kind of filter do you have? Will it suck up fine gravel? Undergravel filter? It's too hard to give you a specific answer without more details. FISH EXPERTS IN THE STORES SUGGEST SAND FOR aFRICAN CICHLIDS, THE DRAW BACK BEING GETTING IT SUCKED INTO THE FILTER AND CLEANING.

Answer 3

Yep, you can switch. You can go with a darker gravel, definitely. Just fill your fish bucket with water and put your fish in there while you make the switch.

You CAN use sand, just make sure that it is NOT for saltwater tanks and that it won't alter the water chemistry. Many types of rock (and coral too) will make the water hard and high in pH. You can ask the petstore folks, but you can also test it yourself - put a pinch of sand in some vinegar. If it starts to bubble, it will alter your water chemistry. You can also use pool filter sand from a pool supply store.

The drawbacks with sand is that dirt and algae shows up MUCH better on sand. Cleaning it is also more difficult, because the syphon tube sucks up the sand. You can either just let it suck up and, dump the water in the bucket, and then just put the sand back in, OR just don't go into the sand with the syphon tube.
Either way, you will need to occasionally stir up your sand (with a wooden chopstick) to keep it clean and lose - otherwise toxic gasses can accumulate under hard plaques that form in the sand. You can also get Malaysian Trumpet Snails, which will burrow into the sand and keep it clean. You can probably get those for free from a local hobbiest or petstore.

However, no matter what kind of gravel you have, you will see algae. You should try to get rid of the algae.
Cut back on feeding. Extra food will be food for algae, so ONLY feed what your fish can eat in 30-40 seconds, twice a day.
Also cut back on light. 10 hours of light is enough. Get a timer if you need one.

Answer 4

It is okay to switch gravel. Just be sure to leave a little bit of the old stuff on the very bottom. It contains the good bacteria, and by leaving a little bit in, it will help colonize more quickly.

When you switch gravel, be sure to keep an eye on nitrite levels. By switching, you will be removing most of the bacteria that convert nitrites to nitrates.

During the month after switching gravel, you may need to do additional water changes to keep nitrites in check.

Sand is a total pain in the butt IMO. Its safe for freshwater tanks. Some people like it, but I've had nothing but bad luck with it damaging filters and getting up into the water column where it makes tons of noise any time it contacts something mechanical.
I used the estes brand sand for aquariums & it sucked. i have heard of people using quartz playground sand with success though.

Answer 5

just my opinion, but I wouldn't change the gravel, the beneficial bacteria exist in there.
Get a siphon tank vaccuum and do a 25% change sucking the muck from the rocks..and (depending on the size of your tank) get a chinese algae eater, or a plecustomus (sp) My pleco keeps my gravel very clean.
I had some fish develop some illnesses a while back,so began looking at things I could do that would make my tank healthy...they said to never ever use sand, bad things can grow in there after a while and it is hard to clean out...and not too much gravel, same reason.

Answer 6

It's ok to switch gravel, but your going to end up having the same problem. I would suggest cleaning the rocks that you already have and do more water changes. Overfeeding or direct light/sunlight could be the cause of the algae. Hope this helps :)

Answer 7

you can keep algae down by not feeding your fish so much, make sure you only feed what they eat immediately. Also try changing the water (no more than 30%) and vacuuming the gravel. You can use sand but be careful to turn your filter off if you're going to be vacuuming it so it doesn't clog or ruin your filter impeller.

Answer 8

You need to be very careful with sand substrate. Air can get trapped in it if it isn't moved around enough. Sand can build up pockets of toxic gases that can kill the entire tank when they are uncovered.

Answer 9

getting algae is usual in a fish tank so maybe get a sucker fish. it helps with getting rid of the algae. sand is fine but i think gravel is better for the fish

Answer 10

i use glass rock like man calla beads or flat marbles clean easy and r very pretty u can get them at wal mart or big lots or and craft store