Should I change my gravel ???

Question

All the information are in this question I ask...

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I have my Gravel for a year and 1 year and 2 months...

It use to have algae in the tank and sides of the tank and also on th gravel. Bits of are still on the side of the tank but I could clean that part but the gravel is still stuck in the gravel so I was thinking...should I change my gravel or should I leave it the way it is?

Thx if you can help :D

Answer 1

No just get a gravel cleaner otherwise all the cycling and water changes will have been for nothing and it would be like starting from scratch.

Answer 2

You should invest in a small gravel cleaner, if you insist on having gravel at all. The cleaner will act as a siphon, meaning that you'll have to completely submerge the vacuum in the water, move it up and down until water siphons through the tube, and once it does, you will have to scoop up a bunch of gravel at a time.

What the 'cleaner' does, is when you scoop the gravel into the intake chamber, the debris and dirt and other such nasties are sucked into the tube, while leaving the gravel in the tank.

However, I would HIGHLY recommend not even using gravel. I don't, and my tank is exceptionally clean. True, I don't get some of the beneficial bacteria, but you can add that in with chemicals that are sold at nearly every pet store ever.

Answer 3

Gravel doens't wear out, it's just small rocks, or in your case small dirty rocks.

Get a gravel vacum / syphon and start using it, that will keep your gravel much cleaner.

Ian

Answer 4

never change the gravel ; there is good algae fish require if you do so the fish will die!