Gravel

[levic991]

Does the fish tank HAVE to have gravel in the bottom? I have a 20 gal glass tank and am having problems with it and the fish.
PH runs around about 7.6 or higher, can't seem to get it down
Ammonia around 1.0
Nitrate around 10
I now have two female platies, one male platy, one f molly, one m molly, two f guppies, my male guppie just died an hour a ago, and have 6 Neons. I have plastic plants since I don't want snails I have a wheel filter and two air stones. Would plexiglass tank be better? I use TropColor flakes for food.

 

[angela_brown]

You don't have to have gravel.

A lot of breeding tanks are bare bottom with no gravel.

All of my Angel breeding tanks are bare bottom.

 

[LosC519]

I wouldn;t even be worrying about the substrate right now. What you should be worried about is getting the ammonia down to zero where it should be, you're slowly killing your fish. Do a 50% water change/.