Did I Take Out Too Much Gravel?

[David J. Braunegg]

I have a 10-gallon tank with Platys and Corydoras. Back in the fall, the
LFS started me out with 15 pounds of gravel, which gave me a depth of around
1.5" in the bottom of the tank. I was having a hard time getting the gravel
clean when vacuuming, so I've taken out a lot of it, leaving only about 1/2"
of gravel in the tank.

Did I take out too much? Do I need to have more gravel to support
biological filtration? I am running a Pengui Mini filter (with biowheel),
but I am not sure how much I am depending on the gravel for additional
biological filtration.

Thanks,
Dave

[Rick]

"David J. Braunegg" > wrote in message
...
> I have a 10-gallon tank with Platys and Corydoras. Back in the fall, the
> LFS started me out with 15 pounds of gravel, which gave me a depth of
around
> 1.5" in the bottom of the tank. I was having a hard time getting the
gravel
> clean when vacuuming, so I've taken out a lot of it, leaving only about
1/2"
> of gravel in the tank.
>
> Did I take out too much? Do I need to have more gravel to support
> biological filtration? I am running a Pengui Mini filter (with biowheel),
> but I am not sure how much I am depending on the gravel for additional
> biological filtration.
>
> Thanks,
> Dave
>
you don't need any gravel for biological filtration. Gravel looks nice and
is a substrate for plants. Some fine gravel or sand is good for the
Corydoras to help prevent fungus but for keeping fish, it is just basically
for appearance sake.

Rick

[Dinky]

"High Flight" > wrote in message
...
| With what are you vacuuming? Something powerful like a Python, or
a
| crummy siphon?
|


Hey! I have a crummy siphon that works pretty darn well!!

<g>

billy, lightly trolling.

[nuchumYussel]

I would add a little more, but that's just me, I like to have enough
to make little hills etc. If you have loaches, mainly a fish that
buries itself under the substrate, I would definitaly add more gravel.

Evan

[David J. Braunegg]

"High Flight" > wrote in message
...
> David J. Braunegg > says...
> > Did I take out too much?
>
> I think you're worrying too much.

Nor worrying, just wondering.

> With what are you vacuuming? Something powerful like a Python, or a
> crummy siphon?

Siphon.

Thanks.

[Geezer From The Freezer]

0.5 inchs is fine. Anymore and you are asking for trouble (mulm and anaerobic
areas possibly).


nuchumYussel wrote:
>
> I would add a little more, but that's just me, I like to have enough
> to make little hills etc. If you have loaches, mainly a fish that
> buries itself under the substrate, I would definitaly add more gravel.
>
> Evan