Fish tank owners and hobbyists, especially those with aquatic floras planted in their aquariums, must keep in mind that the amount of gravel or substrate placed inside the tank is an essential factor for both pets and plants to survive and grow to their best potential. Keeping an aquarium is not that difficult or complicated, even for beginners. However, being equipped with proper knowledge about the types, amount, purpose, and pros and cons of gravel is imperative to successfully maintain the aquarium and its life.
Moreover, gravel has more purpose than just aesthetics. It is essential to keep the aquarium healthy, and it also plays a significant role in the survival of both plants and pets inside it. Furthermore, it establishes depth to the aquarium and provides a home and nutrients for the tank’s plants and pets. Some aquatic animals, such as fish, like to burrow themselves under the gravel. A heavier type of gravel is best to use to prevent situations like this.
How much Gravel do I need to put inside the Tank?
The amount of gravel required for a fish tank depends on the tank’s size. Aside from this, decorations, plants, and animals that hobbyists and tank owners prefer to place inside the tanks also play a significant role. Therefore, if you have a bigger-sized tank, you need much more gravel to serve as the tank’s base. Tank owners can use a calculator to solve the required and recommended amount of gravel placed inside the aquarium. With the help of an aquarium gravel calculator, you can quickly solve the exact quantity that you need with ease and accuracy. Below is a calculator that you may use:
Calculation:
Needed aquarium gravel (lb) = aquarium width (inches) * aquarium length (inches) / 10
Needed aquarium gravel (kg) = aquarium width (inches) * aquarium length (inches) / 10 / 2.2
For starters, at least 2 inches of gravel is best for freshwater aquariums and is the minimum and recommended amount of gravel that is best for the tank’s base. Generally speaking, 1 pound of the substrate must be added per gallon of water which means that for a 5-gallon aquarium, a safe estimation would be 5 pounds of gravel.
Moreover, determining the amount of gravel placed in a fish tank has many things to consider. Applying these considerations will provide an opportunity for the hobbyists and owners to properly take care of their tanks and allow them to maintain their aquariums to their best potential.
Some of these considerations are the fish tank’s size, which types of plant the owners prefer to keep, and what kinds of decorations will be placed inside the tank. These must be kept in mind when owners want to start and build a tank as their hobby or pastime to be successful and meet their goal of maintaining a fish tank in its best condition.
How to calculate and convert the required Amount of Fish Tank Gravel
To successfully and correctly calculate the amount of gravel required for an aquarium, one must be familiar with their fish tank dimensions. Knowing the length and width and the total number of gravel the tank can accommodate is imperative to acquire the correct measurement of gravel required for the tank.
To begin with the calculation, you must first multiply the length and width of the tank (inches). Afterward, the product must be divided by ten, and the answer to this should be converted into kilograms after that. The quotient must be separated by 2.2 to get how many kilograms of gravel is needed. If you don’t divide it by 2.2, you will get the needed weight in lb.
Owners and hobbyists can now establish a good base for the tank using the correct amount of gravel, which provides them with the opportunity to allow their tanks to flourish and reach their best potential and the plants and animals placed inside the tank.
Factors to consider and keep in Mind while Calculating Aquarium Gravel
Many different factors must be considered when deciding the type and the quantity of gravel used in an aquarium. Although it is easy to build a fish tank, owners and hobbyists must keep these considerations in mind to properly maintain an aquarium to flourish and reach its best form.
The Aquarium Fish
One of the considerations is the type of fish that will be placed in the tank since this highly determines the kind and quantity of the gravel that is needed for the tank. Some fish like to play and forage themselves under the gravel, so providing a thicker amount of base and using a more refined type of gravel must be considered by the aquarium owner. Meanwhile, some fish prefer a coarse kind of gravel. Knowing the needs of the desired aquarium fish’s needs also plays a significant role when types of gravel for you to provide the necessary nutrients and support for these animals.
Plants in the Fish Tank
Next is the type of plants that will be placed inside the aquarium. Aquatic floras with no root systems are not bothered by the type and amount of gravel embedded in the fish tank, whereas big rooted plants require a deep layer of gravel since they need all the support and nutrients they can get to thrive. On the other hand, small plants with smaller root systems can easily survive in a shallow gravel layer.
The nutrition of the aquatic plants also depends on the type of gravel used. Sometimes, fertilizers and root tabs are added to the gravel to provide more organic elements and nutrition for the aquarium plants. Moreover, the plants’ growth and development also depend on placing the gravel at the tank’s bottom. Some plants thrive when planted deeply in the gravel, while other plants prefer to be rooted loosely to enhance the spread and root development.
Size and Color
Lastly, the size and decoration preferred to be placed inside the aquarium also play a significant role in determining the amount of gravel needed. The tank’s dimensions and the total number of gallons it can accommodate determine the required thickness of the tank’s base. Hobbyists tend to decorate their tanks heavily to make the gravel colorful and presentable.
It is a no-brainer to think that the bigger the tank, the more gravel it needs. Most people add different decorations to beautify their tanks. Some prefer to place plants, colorful rocks, sand, and seashells; however, some of these decorations are pretty light and need to be anchored down to prevent them from floating when placed underwater, therefore, requiring more amount of gravel.
How often should I change the Gravel in a Fish Tank?
A vital part of taking care of an aquarium is maintenance. Cheaper options tend to give up after a short amount of time, so spending money on high-quality gravel and maintenance equipment is essential to ensure the materials’ durability, quality, and performance.
Gravel substrate does not need to be replaced most of the time. Instead, vacuuming can be done to clean the tank. When placing gravel inside the aquarium, it is better to put the gravel at the tank’s bottom before adding the fish, water, and decorations. Gravel may not sink and stay at the bottom of the tank if it is placed right after adding the aquarium’s water.
Tank owners should also be cautious of preventing food particles from sinking and accumulating at the bottom of the tank since rotting food can produce a toxic substance called hydrogen sulfite, which is not safe for the fish and other living things inside the tank. This poisonous substance may affect their quality of life and survival and hinder their growth if not appropriately maintained.
Can I grow Plants in Aquarium Gravel?
There is a wide variety of aquarium plants that can grow in gravel. However, knowing the type of gravel and the preferred plant’s needs is crucial for them to flourish inside the tank. Different kinds of gravels each serve a different purpose for other species of plants.
Most aquatic floras grow best in small-sized gravel rather than large-sized ones since most aquarium plants belong to the family of small rooted plants. Newly embedded plants must also remain stable to promote growth and root spread inside the tank. Placing the gravel also plays a significant role in the development and survival of aquatic plants. Some plants can best thrive when gravel is deeply compacted together, while some prefer if the substrate is placed loosely at the tank’s bottom.
Conclusion – How much Aquarium Gravel do I need?
To conclude everything, it is essential to be equipped with the necessary information about the tank, such as the length, width, and amount of gravel it can accommodate to measure the amount of gravel required for a tank correctly. The standard and minimum amount of stone recommended for a tank are 2 inches from the aquarium base. However, this may vary depending on the kinds of fish and types of plants to be placed inside the tank, and the types of decorations used to beautify it. Moreover, an aquarium gravel calculator can compute the amount of gravel efficiently required to be placed in the tank.
