Aquarium gravel
This is our aquarium gravel range: bagged substrate in natural stone tones and bright colour mixes, along with the gravel cleaners you'll want alongside it. Substrate is one of the cheapest ways to change how a tank looks, and one of the easiest things to get wrong on grain size if you buy on colour alone.
Natural vs coloured gravel
Natural blends like the Pettex Aquatic Roman Gravel Natural Lakeland or Natural Alpine mixes use stone in muted browns, greys and tans, which shows off fish colour well and looks close to a wild riverbed. Coloured ranges such as Aquatic Roman Gravel Mediterranean Blue or Rosso Red use dyed stone for a brighter, more decorative tank — cosmetic only, with no difference in how the gravel behaves in the tank.
Either works from a water-quality standpoint as long as it's aquarium-safe gravel rather than garden or building-sand substitutes, which can carry additives that affect water chemistry. Everything in this aisle is sold specifically for aquarium use.
Grain size and how much to buy
Finer gravel packs down more and suits planted tanks where roots need to anchor, while a coarser grade lets water and waste move through more freely, which some keepers prefer for bottom-dwelling fish. As a rough guide, aim for a bed around 4-5cm deep across the base of the tank, which for most standard tank sizes means more than one bag.
A gravel cleaner, like the Marina Gravel Cleaner, is worth buying at the same time rather than as an afterthought — it siphons water out while lifting waste from between the stones during a water change, which is far easier than trying to clean gravel any other way once the tank is set up.
Before it goes in the tank
Rinse new gravel thoroughly in plain water before adding it, even though it's sold clean — bagged gravel picks up fine dust in transit that clouds the water badly if it goes straight in unrinsed. Rinse in small batches under running water until it runs clear, which usually takes longer than people expect.
Add gravel before water, not after, and add water gently over a plate or your hand to avoid disturbing it and clouding the tank again. Fish shouldn't go in until the tank has cycled, which is a separate process from simply adding the substrate.
In this section
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Aquatic Roman Gravel Jet Black
2kg jet black aquarium gravel, inert and colourfast for coldwater, tropical or marine tanks
£3.99
Pettex Aquatic Roman Gravel Natural Lakeland
Natural Lakeland-tone aquarium gravel for coldwater, tropical or saltwater tanks
From£3.99
Marina Gravel Cleaner
A Mini gravel cleaner with a gravel guard, for spot-cleaning smaller aquariums during water changes
£11.89
Pettex Aquatic Roman Gravel Blend Mix
Natural blended-colour aquarium gravel for coldwater, tropical and saltwater tanks
From£3.99
Roman Gravel Jet Black
8kg of natural jet black aquarium gravel for coldwater, tropical and saltwater set-ups
£12.49
Marina Gravel Jelly Pink
Pink decorative aquarium gravel, 2kg, epoxy-coated for freshwater and saltwater tanks
£6.49
Marina Gravel Tri Blue
2kg of epoxy-coated, inert aquarium gravel in Tri-Colour Blue, for fresh or saltwater
£6.49
Roman Gravel Sonic Blue
8kg of blue decorative aquarium gravel, suitable for coldwater, tropical or marine tanks
£12.49
Large Aquarium Maintenance Set
A 48-inch condensation tray, a 22-inch glass scraper, a digital thermometer and 250ml of AquaSafe for a big tank.
£32.49
Supa Aquarium Net
Supa aquarium nets in coarse and fine meshes for fish catching and tank maintenance
From£1.65
Common questions
- Is coloured aquarium gravel safe for fish?
- Yes, gravel sold specifically for aquarium use is safe regardless of colour — the dye is inert and doesn't leach into the water under normal conditions. Avoid substitute gravel bought for gardens or building projects, since that isn't tested or sold for aquarium use.
- How much gravel do I need for my tank?
- Aim for a substrate depth of around 4-5cm across the base of the tank, which for most standard-sized tanks means buying more than one bag. It's easier to check the coverage a specific bag gives on the product page than to guess from tank volume alone.
- Do I need to wash aquarium gravel before using it?
- Yes, even gravel sold as pre-washed carries fine dust from bagging and transport that will cloud the water if added straight from the bag. Rinse it in small batches under running water until the water runs clear before putting it in the tank.
- What's the difference between fine and coarse gravel?
- Fine gravel packs down tighter and suits planted tanks where roots need something to grip, while coarser gravel lets water and debris move through it more freely. Neither is right or wrong generally — it depends on whether you're planting the tank and what fish you're keeping.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.