How much gravel?

[Gq2212]

How many lbs of gravel is needed for a 50 gallon?

 

[54seaweed]

you could probably get by with 35lbs but the recommended is 1b per gal . the deeper the gravel more crud can get trapped .

 

[Gq2212]

Ok thanks im asking because i have a 50 gallon that already been running for almost 2 months and i only put 25lbs in it. Can i add more gravel even though its already set up with fish and all ?

 

[stevenht]

You can but it might get messy if your gravel is dusty. I would give it a good rinsing before adding it. Also, do it on a day when you plan on doing a water change. Less water will make it easier to add gravel.

 

[Gq2212]

You can but it might get messy if your gravel is dusty. I would give it a good rinsing before adding it. Also, do it on a day when you plan on doing a water change. Less water will make it easier to add gravel.

Ok thanks ill keep that in mind

 

[stevenht]

Also I wouldn't add it all at once. Try doing it a little at a time to avoid cloudy water too.

 

[Gq2212]

Ok ill do that ! Since i dont want cloudy water no way.. So how much gravel would you put in the 50 gallon ? I have 25 lbs in it.

 

[stevenht]

You can get away with 50lbs total. It really depends on if you have live plants that need deeper substrate for their thick root systems. If you have just fake plants, then you can get away with a lb per gallon. Also if you have fish that like to burrow, then you would want to put a little more in there for them to be able to dig.

 

[Gq2212]

You can get away with 50lbs total. It really depends on if you have live plants that need deeper substrate for their thick root systems. If you have just fake plants, then you can get away with a lb per gallon. Also if you have fish that like to burrow, then you would want to put a little more in there for them to be able to dig.

Ok thanks.., i will put in a extra 25lbs in then again thanks for your time

 

[stevenht]

No problem. If you have anymore questions feel free to post them. I'm sure others will chime in. When you put new gravel in, make sure you clean the crap out of the spot where you plan to add stuff. Don't want all that left over food and poo leaching into your water column. Good luck!

 

[54seaweed]

you could use a 4 or 6 inch diameter pvc pipe to send sand / gravel to bottom with minimal mess a good fish keepers trick lol

 

[Gq2212]

I will no doubt, and ok i will clean the gravel before i add some more.

 

[Gq2212]

you could use a 4 or 6 inch diameter pvc pipe to send sand / gravel to bottom with minimal mess a good fish keepers trick lol

Sounds like a good idea thanks for sharing!