Rule of thumb for how many lbs of gravel is needed?

[fishfreek]

Is there a rule of thumb for how many lbs of gravel is needed for an aquarium?

Like 2lbs per gal of tank capacity? OR anything like that?

 

[smb]

I always go by a pound and a half per gallon. Depends on if you have an undergravel filter or not also.

 

[fishfreek]

No UGF

 

[smb]

OK. Just makeit about 1 1/2" - 2" deep or so and you should be good. If you had a UGF you could go a bit deeper.

 

[justDIY]

I assume you mean a non planted aquarium?

I'd agree 1.5 to 2" is about all you need

but for planted look at 3 to 4", giving extra room for roots, tubers, runners and whatnot.

 

[fishfreek]

will 1.5lbs per gal give a person 1.5"-2" deep gravel bed?

 

[EMS503]

I never really thought of this in pounds. We always purchased 5 or 6 five pound bags of gravel, Depending on the size of the gravel and if this was going to be a planted tank or not.

 

[fishfreek]

I thought there was some kind of rule of thumb for freshwater tanks. I was going to include it in an article on a different subject.

 

[justDIY]

mm ... 35 lbs gave me about 3.5" in my 30 gallon (36x12)

but that was shultz profile, which are flat square pieces of porus clay ... rounder gravel will take up more space.

i'm not sure there is a lb/gal rule, at least for planted tanks, because different substrates have different densities.

my 29 gallon (30x12) has at least 50 lbs of 'aquarium gravel' in it, and only about 2.5" bed depth

 

[fishgills]

Multiply tank length by the width and divide the result by 10. The answer is the number of pounds needed to cover the bottom to an average depth of 2 inches. I have used this formula and found it to be accurate.

I found this at: http://www.bestfish.com/tips/073098.html