Can the Pro-V Waste absorbing crystals be put in betta tank without gravel?

Question

I am pretty much saying that i want to use them as the gravel. I have a cloth plant and i would like to just put the crystals in as gravel to hold down my plants. is this ok?

Answer 1

I believe these are meant to be used by themselves rather than mixing them with other gravel, so you should be okay to use them in the way you want.

Don't rely on these for "waste absorption" though, and think that using them means you won't need to do water changes. All these are is a zeolite (ammonia absorbing compound) which you could buy without the coloring. If you read the manufacturer's instructions, this gravel should be replaced every 30 days, so figure that cost as compared with the one-time cost of regular gravel: http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=8646

Answer 2

Waste absorbing material needs to be replaced - how do you plan on doing this if you use it as gravel without upsetting the whole tank? Instead of wasting money on silly medias like this, just go with regular gravel and let the biological filter and water changes take care of the waste.

Answer 3

Yes you can. I use them in my betta bowl at work. Of course, you still need to do water changes weekly. I've used them for years and have had no problem with them. If you're using them in a big tank though, they may not be worth it as they do need changed out every 30days or less. I change mine twice a month in the bowl.