Pea Gravel Or Not ?

[Andy100]

Hi everyone, I have just decided keep tropical fish again and am about to start the set up. I have the tank already, so went to a local aquarium shop who advised me use pea gravel as the substrate. I bought the gravel there and then. Problem is I don't seem to be able to get the stuff clean no matter how much I scrub it in the bucket and sieve it with the hose pipe on jet. It still seem a bit cloudy in the bucket! I haven't added it to the tank, but maybe it doesn't completely clear until it is in the tank and run through the filter ? Wondered if anyone has had the same experience or should I use a different type of gravel? Don't want to start off with a water problem because the gravel is not clean, any advice welcome, thanks.

 

[Chad]

My recommendation is to put it in the tank and let it settle. There is some cloudiness expected even after rinsing. At this point you won't have fish in the tank anyway so if it turns out the gravel is somehow bad you can simply remove it and return it. I really don't think there's a problem though. It sounds like you have rinsed it as much as it needs and are ready to proceed.
 
Personally for FW I do like pea gravel. If I'm not using sand or planted substrate, that's what I use, a natural color pea gravel.

 

[Andy100]

Thanks for your comments, I will go ahead and add the gravel and water and yes this is natural pea gravel.

 

[Chad]

A good example is the marine sand I use. It clouds the entire tank for at least 24 hours, sometimes 48, but then clears up.