aquarium gravel

[commodore]

I have leftover freshwater aquarium gravel (pea-sized pebble) that I was thinking about using in a quarantine tank. The bag says it is epoxy coated, non-toxic and intended for aquariums. Any problems using this in a salt water QT tank? Thx

 

[sir_dudeguy]

other than it would trap food and poo in there and cause nitrates, i think you could, but in a qt tank, wouldnt it be better to go bare bottom with no substrate?

 

[schiejr]

I wouldn't; unless it specifically mentions marine aquariums. Sounds like a freshwater product. The coating can wear off and expose the gravel.

On another note, you would be able to keep the QT much cleaner w/o substrate, even if suitable for marine tanks. Also, copper, if you ever need to treat a fish, will bind with calcerous material which reduces effectiveness. This also makes it unsuitable for future use with invertebrates.

 

[finnley10]

i wouldnt use it either because any substrate in a qt tank can help aid the cycle of ich

 

[theatrus]

Its not bad to use, but QT tanks are easier to clean in a bare bottom setup with some PVC elbows for the fish