How much gravel does a 55 gallon aquarium need?

Answer 1

It all depends on the "bio-load" of your tank - Bio-Load is the waste created by the fish and waste removed by the good bacteria in your filter.

If there is only a small amount of fish producing waste you should be safe with a fortnightly gravel vac

If there is a heavy bio-load (10-15 fish) you should be doing part water changes and vacs weekly.

All depends on what waste is produced and removed.

Answer 2

It depends. If you are not using an undergravel filter, then 1.5-2 inches of gravel is sufficient. For a 55 gallon aquarium, 1.5-2 inches is 60-75 pounds of gravel. If you are using an undergravel filter, the recommended height is 2-4 inches (75-100 pounds of gravel). Also, it is best to use gravel that is 2-3 times the size of a pinhead. Do not, however, use fine sand in an aquarium that has an undergravel filter.

Answer 3

"You need enough to make the gravel at least 3 inches deep at the back and slope down to about 1 inch deep at the front".

That's not an answer. For live plants you want about 80 pounds. Without plants any amount is fine unless you are still using under gravel filters. Then you can get by with 50 pounds. Assuming this is a standard 48" long 75 gallon tank.

Answer 4

I would put in 5-11 bags of sand to cover the bottom of the tank. With gravel you could manage to put in less make sure you get the cheapest price cause your gonna need a lot of it.

Answer 5

a good rule is to use a pound of substrate per gallon of water in any aquarium

Answer 6

40 lbs will do.

Answer 7

You need at least 10 lbs of gravel