Quick Question On Gravel For A Planted Tank

[OfficialThomas]

Hi!

I am thinking of starting up a planted aquarium at some point and I wanted to ask a question on gravel. I have a 20 gallon cycled aquarium with not much in it at the moment (2 mystery snails). I have 25 pounds of normal black gravel. I don't think it covers 3-4 inches. Should I add more? Is it worth all the hassle? What is the ideal amount? Is normal aquarium gravel a good option if I add root tabs for the plants that need them later?

Thank you so much!

[Fish Folk]

On 7/30/2022 at 6:18 PM, Thomas H said:

Hi!

I am thinking of starting up a planted aquarium at some point and I wanted to ask a question on gravel. I have a 20 gallon cycled aquarium with not much in it at the moment (2 mystery snails). I have 25 pounds of normal black gravel. I don't think it covers 3-4 inches. Should I add more? Is it worth all the hassle? What is the ideal amount? Is normal aquarium gravel a good option if I add root tabs for the plants that need them later?

Thank you so much!

You certainly can grow some lovely plants with normal aquarium gravel. Color, of course is inconsequential to your question.

Certain gravel is designed to hold nutrients in. Others are more or less inert. Sand, for example, will not typically hold a lot . . . and your pea gravel will hold molm . . . but other nutrients can be supplied, as you suggest, via root tabs.

If you're going for an elaborate, fine plant selection, you may run into issues. The pea gravel will hold larger plant roots (e.g. Bronze crypt) but may struggle with smaller plants -- like Rotalla indica, etc.

[OfficialThomas]

On 7/30/2022 at 3:22 PM, Fish Folk said:

You certainly can grow some lovely plants with normal aquarium gravel. Color, of course is inconsequential to your question.

Certain gravel is designed to hold nutrients in. Others are more or less inert. Sand, for example, will not typically hold a lot . . . and your pea gravel will hold molm . . . but other nutrients can be supplied, as you suggest, via root tabs.

If you're going for an elaborate, fine plant selection, you may run into issues. The pea gravel will hold larger plant roots (e.g. Bronze crypt) but may struggle with smaller plants -- like Rotalla indica, etc.

Thank you! So beginner plants should work out fine and the depth is ok?

[Fish Folk]

On 7/30/2022 at 6:25 PM, Thomas H said:

Thank you! So beginner plants should work out fine and the depth is ok?

Here’s a 10 gal of mine with normal aquarium gravel and a $8 shop LED light from Walmart. Photo taken recently…

[FLFishChik]

On 7/30/2022 at 6:25 PM, Thomas H said:

Thank you! So beginner plants should work out fine and the depth is ok?

I have basic natural aquarium gravel in my 29g. I’ve got Water Sprite, Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus and Argentine Sword planted directly in it along with a Red Dwarf Aquarium Lily that’s growing by leaps and bounds. There are Anubias glued to rocks that are beginning to shove roots down into the gravel as well. I do put root tabs next to each rooted plants once a month and dose easy green liquid fertilizer once a week. They are all very happy so far. They are also very beginner friendly.

[OfficialThomas]

On 7/30/2022 at 3:41 PM, Fish Folk said:

Here’s a 10 gal of mine with normal aquarium gravel and a $8 shop LED light from Walmart. Photo taken recently…

How deep is your gravel (inches)?

Thanks so much!

[Fish Folk]

On 7/30/2022 at 7:21 PM, Thomas H said:

How deep is your gravel (inches)?

Thanks so much!

Just a couple of inches deep.

[Villdraine]

I found that the deeper the easier it will be to take care on the long run cause all that gravel or sand will also hold lots of beneficial bacteria.
I usually go for a good 2-3 inches minimum. Try to have different layers of substrate. Sadly I don't have picture.

[Patrick_G]

@Thomas H, there are some other options if you want to try something other than the gravel. 
 

1. Aquasoil such as Fluval Stratum. This stuff has nutrients baked into it. It’s great but expensive. 
2. Eco Complete is crushed lava rock that has a high capacity to hold onto nutrients you add to the water column. It’s mid priced. 
3. Safe-T-Sorb is sold for absorbing spills in a garage/shop situation. It looks great in an aquarium and also holds onto nutrients. It’s very cheap. 

[Brandon p]

You are fine with the gravel, with root tabs. @Patrick_G is correct those are all good I never liked safe-t-sorb. They are also not permanent. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 7/30/2022 at 3:18 PM, Thomas H said:

I don't think it covers 3-4 inches. Should I add more? Is it worth all the hassle? What is the ideal amount? Is normal aquarium gravel a good option if I add root tabs for the plants that need them later?

I would suggest somewhere in the line of 2.5-4" for your substrate, specifically with plants.  Some stem plants go nuts and like thick substrate to have room for those big root structures.  I think you'll do really well with some root tabs and what you have.  Just make sure you pick out plants that thrive in that type of an environment (anubias and stems feed a lot from the WC and RTs, and plants that like RTs specifically will do fine)

 

On 7/30/2022 at 7:10 PM, Patrick_G said:

@Thomas H, there are some other options if you want to try something other than the gravel. 
 

1. Aquasoil such as Fluval Stratum. This stuff has nutrients baked into it. It’s great but expensive. 
2. Eco Complete is crushed lava rock that has a high capacity to hold onto nutrients you add to the water column. It’s mid priced. 
3. Safe-T-Sorb is sold for absorbing spills in a garage/shop situation. It looks great in an aquarium and also holds onto nutrients. It’s very cheap. 

You can also pick one of these too and then cap it with what you have now.

Edited July 31, 2022 by nabokovfan87

[RonBFree]

one inch of eco complete and one inch of pebble gravel works well for me

[lefty o]

my plants seem to do okay in gravel, and on average i have 2.5-3". some places a bit more, some places less.

[Brandon p]

I have a tank going with 3 substrates. One on the far left is old used up porous gravel the middle is black Diamond coal slag(bdbs), and the right is larger pea gravel. I did it to test root grow. But so far I can only measure top growth.  Here is what I have posted so far

So far the middle coal slag is doing the best based on how the plants looked in the beginning. The left  porous black gravel is second. And the large gravel is third. That said I believe the roots are growing better in the large gravel and I think that will lead to the best growth over time. It is only a month old. 

 

 

[OfficialThomas]

On 7/30/2022 at 8:46 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

I would suggest somewhere in the line of 2.5-4" for your substrate, specifically with plants.  Some stem plants go nuts and like thick substrate to have room for those big root structures.  I think you'll do really well with some root tabs and what you have.  Just make sure you pick out plants that thrive in that type of an environment (anubias and stems feed a lot from the WC and RTs, and plants that like RTs specifically will do fine)

 

You can also pick one of these too and then cap it with what you have now.

Wow thank you so much!! But i don't need to get more gravel root tabs would feed the plants as well, right?

[nabokovfan87]

On 8/9/2022 at 7:36 PM, Thomas H said:

But i don't need to get more gravel root tabs would feed the plants as well, right?

Yes. That's all I use. Fish poop and Root Tabs. Easy Green, etc.

[OfficialThomas]

On 8/9/2022 at 7:40 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Yes. That's all I use. Fish poop and Root Tabs. Easy Green, etc.

Got it! Thanks for the quick response!