HighBackRTG;4432644; said:
I have a 29 gallon tank with measurements of 30x12x18. It's bare bottom atm and very lack luster. I plan to put in some jet black gravel but I'm not sure how many pounds will be needed to to evenly cover the bottom? I don't want too much gravel as that would be a hassle to vac during wcs. However if I order too little I'll have bald spots and will have to order more + pay more shipping. Would 10 lbs be about right? Or do I need more?
HighBackRTG:
The general rule for calculating the amount of gravel for ANY tank is:
If you want 1 inch of substrate: 1 lb. of gravel per gallon;
1 lb. x 29 gal. = 29 lbs of gravel which will give you 1 inch of substrate.
If you want 2 inches of substrate: 2 lbs. of gravel per gallon;
2 lbs. x 29 gal. = 58 lbs of gravel which will give you 2 inches of substrate.
Using sand:
If you want 1 inch of substrate: 1.5 lbs of sand per gallon;
1.5 lbs. x 29 gal. = 43.5 lbs. of sand which will give you 1 inch of substrate.
If you want 2 inches of substrate: 3 lbs. of sand per gallon;
3.0 lbs. x 29 gal. = 87.0 lbs of sand which will give you 2 inches of substrate.
These calculations are mainly used if you are going to be planting live plants in your tank, usually. If you're not going to be planting live plants and will be using artificial plants or no plants at all, 1 inch of substrate should be enough. I hope this information helps with your decission.