The size of the gravel is a vital piece of the puzzle for your tank. Having the wrong size of gravel can make owning a fish tank a hassle. This can be easily avoided with a few simple steps. The size of the grave usually depends on your tank and fish.
If the gravel is too big, then the food debris will get stuck in the gravel. When the debris gets stuck in the gravel then it makes it difficult to clean the tank. Also if you have fish such as cichlids, then smaller gravel is highly un-suggested. Cichlids move the gravel consistently, and if the gravel is smaller, the easier it is to move. The bigger gravel makes it a lot harder for the cichlids to dig in.
The drawback to having big gravel is that if you have smaller fish they can get stuck under the rocks. The bigger gravel is easier to clean; buy can grow a lot of algae on because of the surface area. Smaller gravel can get sucked into the filters and clog the filters.
If you have a highly decorated tank then smaller is suggested. The bigger rocks do not hold up decor very well. If you have live plants then smaller gravel is also suggested. Smaller gravel holds the plants upright well. Smaller gravel holds the nutrients for the plants better than big gravel.
My advice is to analyze the situation. If you have fish that like to dig a lot then I would suggest bigger gravel. If you have smaller fish I would suggest smaller gravel. If you have a range of fish than I would suggest medium gravel.
Gravel sizing is simple; a few steps can save you a lot of effort. You only need to ask yourself a few questions. What kind of fish do I have? What size of fish do I have? What kind of algae problems do I have? Is cleaning a tank hard for me? What kind of decor do I have? If you ask all these questions then the gravel you purchase will be perfect for your tank.
Roshan Goodman shows you how to maintain an aquarium an also gives tips on aquarium problems.
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