Jun 22, 2009
Posted by Freshwater Aquariums in FAQ | 8 Comments
What’s The Best Way To Clean Aquarium Gravel?
I'll be spending the holiday weekend taking down and cleaning my aquarium. Does anyone know of a fast method for cleaning out the gravel? The aquarium will not be set up again any time soon, so I am not concerned with preserving the bacteria, etc., I just want to wash out all of the debris and make sure it doesn't smell bad in storage.
All you really need to do is wash it well with hot water and allow it to dry completely before storing it. A plastic kitchen strainer works really well for this. Just rinse until the water runs clear with the hottest water you can stand on your hands and then dry the gravel really well before sealing it in a container. Even with a good washing some bacteria will survive, so allowing it to dry well is important to kill that remaining bacteria and prevent it from becoming foul in storage.
MM
1. If you don’t already have one, purchase a 5 gallon bucket and label it for aquarium use only. Aquarium buckets should never have soap in them.
2. Place a large clean sieve, at least 6 inches across, over the bucket. Fill the sieve half full of gravel.
3. Pour water over the gravel in the sieve, while gently shaking it. Rinsing the gravel over the bucket rather than over a drain, allows gravel that slips through the sieve to be caught instead of going down the drain.
4.Continue pouring water over the gravel until the water runs clear. Several washings are usually required.
5. Once the water runs clear, the gravel is ready to be used. It may be placed directly into the tank or in a clean bucket or container.
6. Repeat steps three through five until you have washed enough gravel to fill the aquarium three inches deep.
When emptying the water vacuum the gravel to get as much debris out, I’d use a kitchen strainer to clean the rest out!
Get a gravel cleaner
its rudimentary but just wash it with your hands, if ther are large rocks..
if they are smaller dry the water out and leave in sun to self dry..smells all gone!!
and u can also try hot water..
dont ever use any cleaning products, any soaps or detergents…the fish will not last in an aquarium cleaned with chemicals
Try putting the gravel into a strainer, run hot water over it while moving the rocks around.