Newbie Question: Gravel Depth and Aeration

Guido wrote:
A few questions for you guys today.

I'm setting up a 33 Gal 36" x 12.6" x 18" (Hagen All-Glass A-3023)
tank
soon, and I'm getting all the bits and pieces I need, but I can't
seem
to find an answer to either of these questions through Google.

How deep should me gravel be? This is a freshwater tank, and I know
it
should probably be a darker colour, but an exact depth is never
really
specified anywhere I look. Is 2 inches (average, I know it should be

varied) too much? Also, is there a magic formula I can use so that I

don't end up buying too much extra gravel? Would one 25 pound bag do

the job?

How much gravel depends on whether you are going to be planting
anything in the gravel. If not, just have enough to cover the bottom.
A 25 pound bag is barely enough.

Second question has to do with aeration. In the tank I had when I
was
little, I had an air stone to help with aeration, but no filter for a

long time, so I think we just kept the air stone, because we didn't
know
that a hang-on-back filter could aerate as well. My question is, is
the
filter going to do the trick for aeration, or should I get an air
pump
as well? The filter I'm using is an Aquaclear 200.

It depends on the fish you keep. If the noise doesn't bother you, keep
the air pump on.

Thanks for any info you can provide!

Gord

Question: can you gravel vac using a Python-type cleaner, if you have
Eco-Complete and/or sand as substrate? I am interested in converting
to a planted tank, but my 50-G bowfront seems quite stable and "happy"
with the larger gravel, plastic plants, and using my Python every week
to clean the gunk with 25% water changes. I've never had a good handle
on how one cleans a planted tank . . .

- Lisa in Central Coast, CA

In article .com,
says...
Question: can you gravel vac using a Python-type cleaner, if you have
Eco-Complete and/or sand as substrate? I am interested in converting
to a planted tank, but my 50-G bowfront seems quite stable and "happy"
with the larger gravel, plastic plants, and using my Python every week
to clean the gunk with 25% water changes. I've never had a good handle
on how one cleans a planted tank . . .

How? I don't. Well, my cory cats and otos do :-). I do clip a few
dead leaves from time to time and remove a little algae occasionally.

Stuff doesn't filter down into sand and fine gravel the way it does to
the pet store stuff.

Note that this is advice from a relative newbie - YMMV.


--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

On Wed, 13 Apr 2005 13:13:44 -0700, lgb wrote:

In article .com,
says...
Question: can you gravel vac using a Python-type cleaner, if you have
Eco-Complete and/or sand as substrate? I am interested in converting
to a planted tank, but my 50-G bowfront seems quite stable and "happy"
with the larger gravel, plastic plants, and using my Python every week
to clean the gunk with 25% water changes. I've never had a good handle
on how one cleans a planted tank . . .

How? I don't. Well, my cory cats and otos do :-). I do clip a few
dead leaves from time to time and remove a little algae occasionally.

Same for me, I don't.


Stuff doesn't filter down into sand and fine gravel the way it does to
the pet store stuff.

Note that this is advice from a relative newbie - YMMV.

I change 20% of the tank water, twice weekly. I don't clean anything,
just change water. I have 5 tanks and have followed this procedure
for 2 years. I use the Gravel Vac for the 2 large tanks, 29 and
75gal, and don't have a problem with the chlorine. I just take the
water out of the tank and use the kitchen faucet to mix to the right
temperature and the Gravel Vac to replace the tank water. It works
for me. I figure, the simpler my procedure, the more likely I will
stick to a schedule.

All my tanks have live plants, the gravel varies from fine sand to 1/4
inch diameter gravel. The lights are all in the "low light" ratio
region, so are the plants.

dick