Aquarium gravel

Covering the bottom of your tank : Aquarium gravel and sand

A common way of covering the bottom of your fish tank is by using gravel. As opposed to light gravel, dark gravel will better bring out the colors in your fish. Gravel is not only pleasing to look at, it will also help to keep the plant life in your fish tank together.

If you have considering using sand to cover the bottom of your tank keep in mind that sand may well clog your filter so you will need to know that the filter you have is compatible with sand! If you don't have a filter yet, remember to ask about this if you have already decided to use sand in your tank.

Choosing the right covering also depends on the types of fish you have/want to have in your aquarium. Some fish - such as Eels - like to bury themselves so sand may well be the best option here. On the other hand, goldfish like to pick up mouthfuls of substrate in their search for food. If you have sand in your aquarium this means that they will pick up mouthfuls of sand as well, which naturally is not healthy for your fish.

If you have a saltwater tank it is recommended that you use dolomite, argonite, or crushed coral rather than gravel because these are calcareous and healthy for the aquarium environment

Some gravel is plastic coated - in that case you should not boil it before putting it in your tank.

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