peacemaker92

Hey everyone...

I've been setting up my 55g and just bought the gravel today. The lousy mistake I did was to check if gravel can be mixed with normal substrate for plants. Are they able to mix? The black gravel will go on the bottom while the substrate will fill on top of the gravel.

I really need help because I can't return the gravel or even get a refund!

harpua2002

It will be fine, but don't expect the black to stay on the bottom. The substrates will mix eventually. When I had the planted 55, I used Eco Complete (black substrate for plants) mixed with brown, natural colored gravel. It ended up looking really nice! You can kind of see the substrate in this pic:

alicem

I believe the finer particles will settle to the bottom and the larger
pieces will work thier way to the top.
alicem

ABCDemily

Echoing the other two posters, they can be mixed together, but they won't stay separate due to the weighting of the other within water

peacemaker92

wow! thanks guys! Thanks so much!