How much gravel?

[Marinemom]

It really is a matter of personal preferance. Most people like a gravel bed of at least two inches. This is especially true in a planted aquarium where the plants need the substrate to take root. In fact three or four inches is not uncommon in these situations. I think that the worry or concern here is that in time if you do not take proper care of the aquarium with water changes and the like, the gravel bed can become a nitrate factory which is of course very detrimental to the fish causing nitrate poisoning, stunted growth, and more if it goes on for an extended length of time. Keep up with the water changes and using the gravel vac during this, then there should be no reason for serious concern.

Marinemom

 

[ckrause]

I have 1/4 now and I vacuum it with every weekly water change and I don't really get anything from it. I wonder if I'm starving my cory cats? I'll raise it to an inch and see how that goes for the time being.
Feeding has always been a huge issue with me too. Some say feed multiple times a dayothers say once a day and still others will say every other day, which is correct. Maybe I'll post that in another thread.

 

[jessicar613]

I only have an inch or less and it still traps way too much crap for me! I feel like my tank is dirty no matter how much vac'ing I do. My other two tanks have sand and so will this one, when I get my butt and take care of it!

My 4' 55 gallon took a 50 lb bag of pool filter sand, maybe a few pints less, for an inch, inch and a half of substrate.