lalboon

Hi Guys
As a complete newbie I was wondering how to add more gravel to my existing tank as in places it appears that there may not be deep enough for plants. How do I wash it and add it without killing my fish?! I suppose knowing the depth needed for plants will be useful too. Currently some of the tank just has enough to cover the bottom, some other areas are 2 inches deep. Happy to add small amounts at a time. Tank is 48 g fresh water with a completed nitro cycle. Sword tails and tetras...also neons

Also have some local rocks from our lake... very pretty. Would like to add but also not sure if this can be done safety. Can someone point me in the right direction.

Thanks Boonie

Fish Addict

Try boiling your rocks, then put them in a bucket of water for a week or two, and test the water. If everything is good then it should be alright... Also, I think as long as you don't just suddenly pour a ton of gravel in, you should be good. Your fish should be smart enough to know to avoid falling gravel. Also, you should have about 2-3 inches opf gravel

04_si

you can either dump it in, or use a bucket or cup to add gravel to various places.

lalboon

I just thought for the gravel I should clean it first before I put it in. We have clorine in our tap water and I though this would kill my fish.... if I cleaned it with tap water and then dumped it in What do you think??

Thanks foor the guidance on depth. Certainly don't have that in places. I will also boil the old rocks and see what I see after a couple of weeks. Thanks

Boonie

04_si

ive never had a problem with rinsing decorations in tap water and throwing them back in the tank. with the gravel im sure if you washed it, then put it in a towel to dry it will be fine

kieley

i gotta say just dumping in the gravel might not work to well, ive definatly crippled a couple tiger barbs one time when i did that.. maybe they were just stupid and deserved to be taken out of the gene pool but im sure in nature they arent used to it raining gravel! i would just take handfuls and drop it where needed. i dont think there will be enough chlorine residue on the gravel to really affect anything

sirdarksol

Or you could just put a bit of dechlorinator in the bucket after you're done rinsing the rocks (or add it directly to the tank).

Definitely rinse the gravel first. The fish may try to eat little bits and end up hurting themselves.
Put a bucket outside or in the laundry-room sink and get water running into it. Once the bucket is overflowing, slowly pour the gravel into the bucket. The running water will pick the little bits up and dump most of them outside of the bucket, while the parts you want will sink into the bucket.
I'd use a cup and slowly lower the gravel into the tank. You don't want a curious fish to get hit by an avalanche, or the little shockwaves to stress your fish out any more than necessary.