Question about really small gravel

so the local pet store has this black gravel that looks like sand but it is not its gravel and the granules are bigger but quite small. So my two questions are 1. would this still have the sand problem with bubbles and having to go through the sand periodically so they dont form, and 2. would this be adequate for kuhli loaches

 

Can I get a picture?

 

Can I get a picture?

 

Not 100% sure, but I think its a yes to both questions

 

Not 100% sure, but I think its a yes to both questions

Bummer I was hoping it wouldn’t act like sand, I guess smooth gravel then?

 

It looks like it will be easier to clean tho. The problem with the gasses is pretty rare and you shouldn't have to worry about it that much. If you want to be safe, just take chopsticks or tweezera and poke the "small gravel" durig water changes.

 

It looks like it will be easier to clean tho. The problem with the gasses is pretty rare and you shouldn't have to worry about it that much. If you want to be safe, just take chopsticks or tweezera and poke the "small gravel" durig water changes.

Do you think it would get sucked up by the vacuum or nah?

 

Do you think it would get sucked up by the vacuum or nah?

I have something similar to that and it doesn’t get sucked up, it’s super easy to gravel vac.

 

I have something similar to that and it doesn’t get sucked up, it’s super easy to gravel vac.

That is great to hear, have you had any trouble with the air pockets or anything like sand?

 

That is great to hear, have you had any trouble with the air pockets or anything like sand?

A bit of air does come up when I gravel vacc but it’s not nearly as much as fine sand, and I’ve never had an issue with toxic gasses.

Also, I don’t know much about khuli loaches but my fully grown corys are able to sift through it with their barbels.

 

A bit of air does come up when I gravel vacc but it’s not nearly as much as fine sand, and I’ve never had an issue with toxic gasses.

Also, I don’t know much about khuli loaches but my fully grown corys are able to sift through it with their barbels.

well that is great to know, thank you very much for the help

It looks like it will be easier to clean tho. The problem with the gasses is pretty rare and you shouldn't have to worry about it that much. If you want to be safe, just take chopsticks or tweezera and poke the "small gravel" durig water changes.

A bit of air does come up when I gravel vacc but it’s not nearly as much as fine sand, and I’ve never had an issue with toxic gasses.

Also, I don’t know much about khuli loaches but my fully grown corys are able to sift through it with their barbels.

How long should this take to clean??? We’re running on 2 and a half hours and the water is still black

 

I’ve used that gravel with kuhli loaches before and it was fine.

 

I’ve used that gravel with kuhli loaches before and it was fine.

How long did it take to wash the gravel lol

 

How long did it take to wash the gravel lol

Mine was white but it didn’t take that long, just a couple rinses

 

Mine was white but it didn’t take that long, just a couple rinses

Yeah it’s pretty awful our hands are black we’ve been stirring this stuff for about 3 hours now

 

How long did it take to wash the gravel lol

I seen another poster with this same issue. Maybe try smaller portions? I was thinking of getting the same thing.....maybe I'll pass......Hopefully its not a paint issue or something.

 

I seen another poster with this same issue. Maybe try smaller portions? I was thinking of getting the same thing.....maybe I'll pass......Hopefully its not a paint issue or something.

Yeah I’m not sure we either got a bad bag or bad brand

 

Hopefully it's natural (unpainted) gravel and it's just dust. Some gravels are difficult to rinse clean. Your filter should finish the job but it might take a couple of days.

 

Hopefully it's natural (unpainted) gravel and it's just dust. Some gravels are difficult to rinse clean. Your filter should finish the job but it might take a couple of days.

Top Fin® Black Aquatic Sand | fish Gravel, Sand & Stones | PetSmart

This is it, not sure if it’s painted, butknowing my luck it probably is

 

are Pigments coming off the gravel? If not I think it’ll be fine

 

Yeah I’m not sure we either got a bad bag or bad brand

Yeah sorry I don't remember if it ever stopped being black or not. I think it is painted GlennO I saw some today at Petsmart.

 

are Pigments coming off the gravel? If not I think it’ll be fine

So the first two pics are when we don’t mix it, the second 2 pics are when we do mix it in the water. When we don’t mix the gravel around the water is pretty clear, when we do it’s black

 

Yep passing on the TopFin gravel/sand....

 

Yep passing on the TopFin gravel/sand....

I just wanted to update this thread and say we put the gravel in shortly after the last post I made and the water looks great, a little cloudy but not black