To establish the right substrate for an aquarium, you should choose a substrate for setting up an aquarium. Fine sand rocks make good sleeping places for fish, not only enhancing the tank's appearance and improving functions. Furthermore, other jagged, gravelly substrates cause less trauma than other substrates. Therefore, gravel is ideal for anchoring aquatic plants. On the other hand, choosing the right gravel for the aquarium is paramount. You need to consider the quality, shape and size before adding gravel to the aquarium. We've covered all of your needs with our top 6 best aquarium gravel for plants and buying guide below.
Here are the best aquarium gravels for plants you can buy in 2025:
- Best Overall: BXI Aquarium Gravel For Plants
- Runner Up: Halatool Aquarium Gravel For Plants
- Best Budget: GloFish 29086 Aquarium Gravel For Plants
- Best Durable: Seachem 3725 Aquarium Gravel For Plants
- Best Convenient: QINJIEJIE Aquarium Gravel For Plants
- High Quality: CNZ Aquarium Gravel For Plants
| 6 Best Aquarium Gravels For Plants | ||
|---|---|---|
Best Overall | BXI Aquarium Gravel For Plants | |
Runner Up | Halatool Aquarium Gravel For Plants | |
Best Budget | GloFish 29086 Aquarium Gravel For Plants | |
Best Durable | Seachem 3725 Aquarium Gravel For Plants | |
Best Convenient | QINJIEJIE Aquarium Gravel For Plants | |
High Quality | CNZ Aquarium Gravel For Plants | |
Best Overall: BXI Aquarium Gravel For Plants
- Mixture color
- Perfect decoration
- Natural materials
- Tiny size
BXI Aquarium Gravel For Plants has a capacity of 1000 grams with material is glass sand. The outside of gravel has colorfast, non-toxic, will not alter the chemistry of the aquarium water.
Perfect decor for fresh and saltwater aquariums, ponds, terrariums, gardens, potted plants, vases, ash trays, crafts, hobbies. Before putting in a fish tank, you have to rinse with water 3-4 times.
| BXI Aquarium Gravel For Plants Specifications | |
|---|---|
Product Dimensions | 7.99 x 5.2 x 2.52 inches |
Weight | 2.2 Pounds |
Color | Mixture |
Material | Glass sand |
Volume | 0.22 gallons |
No chemical and can be used indoor and outdoor
Runner Up: Halatool Aquarium Gravel For Plants
- Multiple functions and sizes
- For decoration
- Easy to clean
- Less coverage
Halatool Aquarium Gravel For Plants polished colorful pebbles and have smooth touch, high hardness, and which have subtle shine when the sunlight hits their polished surface. With the combination shapes and natural color resists fading for long-lasting beauty. The manufacturer will provide different sizes that can meet multiple needs. All pebbles items are naturally polished, so there will be some uneven cracks and small holes on the surface.
Perfect for home decor projects such as home art design, fish tank, micro landscape ecological bottles, glass flower pot, glass containers etc,. Also for aquariums.
It is very suitable for internal or external garden beds, which can not only retain moisture, keep the soil from splashing during watering, but also can make the succulent plants or other plants stand out more.
| Halatool Aquarium Gravel For Plants Specifications | |
|---|---|
Product Dimensions | 8.78 x 6.42 x 2.56 inches |
Weight | 3.98 pounds |
Color | Mainly green |
Material | Natural polished pebbles |
Style | Green Pebbles |
Natural color resists fading and unique feeling
Best Budget: GloFish 29086 Aquarium Gravel For Plants
- Clear the instruction
- Colorful gravel
- Good price
- Low light
- Does not easy to clean
GloFish 29086 Aquarium Gravel For Plants creates a colorful base and a variety of colors to best complement the aquarium décor.
It is used as a substrate or accent, along with GloFish plants and ornaments (sold separately) and create a complete underwater fluorescent experience. The manufacturer shows you the process of using gravel including rinse gravel before using (do not use soap or detergents). Before rinsing gravel, pour gravel into a colander over a clean bucket and add water. You should stir the gravel and repeat until the water stays clear and is free of debris.
| GloFish 29086 Aquarium Gravel For Plants Specifications | |
|---|---|
Product Dimensions | 4 x 5 x 9 inches |
Weight | 5 Pounds |
Color | Black with White Fluorescent |
Target spices | Gold fish |
Range of color and easy to decorate
Best Durable: Seachem 3725 Aquarium Gravel For Plants
- Non chemical smell
- Easy to filter
- For freshwater
- Expensive
Seachem 3725 Aquarium Gravel For Plants is a specially crafted stable porous clay gravel for the natural planted aquarium. It is best suited to planted aquaria, but may be used in any freshwater aquarium environment.
While adding water to the aquarium, fill slowly to avoid disturbing the substrate bed. You should place a bowl in the aquarium and add more water directly to the bowl, then allow water to overflow softly onto the gravel bed. Initial cloudiness is normal, also to remove this simply use mechanical filtration.
It is non chemical coated or treated, thus does not alter the pH of the water.
| Seachem 3725 Aquarium Gravel For Plants Specifications | |
|---|---|
Product Dimensions | 17 x 11.75 x 1.75 inches |
Weight | 2 Pounds |
Color | Black |
Environmental condition | Freshwater |
Remove simply and used any freshwater plants
Best Convenient: QINJIEJIE Aquarium Gravel For Plants
- Multiple colors
- Multi functions
- For small tank
- Small size gravel
QINJIEJIE Aquarium Gravel For Plants Great for chakra cleansing, crystal charge/enhancement, crystal ceremony /array/grid, collection, handmade, so on.
It is a stunning addition to any home to add healing and natural elements and for mini aquariums, succulent plants, mini landscape.
The product has various colors and vitality to the potted plants after covering the dull nutrient soil. It is also not easy to be disturbed by external opinions, effectively improving learning and work efficiency.
Moreover, it is suitable for small fish tanks/containers or cute wishing bottle/succulent decorations.
| QINJIEJIE Aquarium Gravel For Plants Specifications | |
|---|---|
Product Dimensions | 4.8 x 4.33 x 0.63 inches |
Weight | 1.41 ounces |
Material | Natural |
Color | Multi-colored - Fluorite |
Size | 0.55 lbs |
Good for small aquarium and mini fish
High Quality: CNZ Aquarium Gravel For Plants
- High texture
- Great for decoration
- For freshwater
- Smell of chemical
CNZ Aquarium Gravel For Plants Reach high quality polymer coated gravel for use in freshwater aquariums. Perfect for home decor and a creative interior and exterior design. In addtions, use for flower arrangements, vase fillers, walkways, water features, exposed aggregate flooring or walls, swimming pool areas and many other areas. Moreover, it could also be used as an accent to aquariums, etc.
| CNZ Aquarium Gravel For Plants Specifications | |
|---|---|
Product Dimensions | 10.83 x 8.35 x 2.01 inches |
Weight | 4.92 Pounds |
Environmental condition | Freshwater |
Color | Mixed color |
Ideal for decoration and also be used as an accent to aquariums
How To Choose The Best Aquarium Gravel For Plants?
Color
Finding pebbles in every color of the rainbow. However, some experts say that the substrate should only have natural tones, while others argue that lighter colors work because the fish are so adaptable. Therefore, you need to experiment on your pets to see how they adapt to the type of gravel and color.
Pet type
A pet also influences gravel selection, as fish like to borrow, so finer stones would be appropriate.
Or some other pets, gravel can also be used in other projects or tanks like terrariums. Again, you also need to look at the sand-like dimensions that can cause collisions.
Water chemistry
Some aquariums need to be kept at specific pH levels or water chemistry. For shrimp species is a typical example. The choice of gravel will not affect the chemistry or will help keep the water at the right nutritional level.
Bioactive tank
Many people prefer bioactive tanks where everything in the cage lives and is native to the pet's natural environment. Saltwater pools are a great example. In this case, the substrate and gravel used will be very important.
Type of fish tank
Tropical fish come in a wide variety of freshwater and saltwater, and depending on the type of fish you keep, there will be a freshwater or saltwater aquarium.
If the gravel is exposed to the wrong type of water, it is important to verify what type of aquarium the particular gravel is compatible with before purchasing.
If the compatible water type is not stated on the product information, it means that the gravel is universally compatible or only compatible with soft drinks.
Size
The size of each piece of gravel needs to be considered. When aquarium filtration technology was less advanced, gravel size was a bigger problem today as it was very common for gravel particles to get stuck in the filter system causing blockage or even breakage.
Nowadays, filter technology has become more or less problematic.
However, factors such as the type of fish living in the aquarium can affect the size of gravel to use.
Also, if you choose larger stones, make sure they are large enough that they cannot be swallowed or inhaled.
Chemistry
Pay attention to beautiful colored pebbles because they will fly away when in a water environment for a long time. Artificial colors in gravel can have a negative impact on fish health. Most chemical coatings can leach into the water in your aquarium, releasing potentially harmful chemicals. Be sure to choose non-toxic, non-radioactive stones.
Which Brands Make The Best Aquarium Gravel For Plants?
Seachem
Seachem is owned and operated by hobbyists. All of our employees are hobbyists who maintain aquariums at home and at the office. Seachem itself was started because one such passionate hobbyist - Dr. Leo G. Morin (Founder) - recognized that the available solutions to aquarists' problems were wanting. This resulted in Seachem’s very first product: Curaplex™ (today known as Cupramine™). Over thirty years later, Seachem is still approaching old problems in a new way.
GloFish
GloFish® fluorescent fish are exclusively licensed by GloFish LLC. The GloFish Brand was founded in 2001 by Alan Blake and Richard Crockett with the goal of providing the first ever fluorescent fish to the aquarium market. In late 2003, after two and a half years of extensive environmental research and consultation with various Federal and State agencies, as well as leading experts in the field of risk assessment, GloFish® caused quite a “splash” when they became available to the public. Since that time, we have worked tirelessly to make our fish available, and we have been proud to offer them to consumers across the United States.
Conclusion
Investment and selection of gravel should be based on the different types, colors and shapes of gravel available in the market. Aquarium gravel provides an inclined surface for aquatic plants and a temporary refuge for fish. In particular, good quality and non-toxic gravel entering the aquarium will not only brighten and enliven the aquarium look. We hope that the best aquarium gravel for plants article gives you an overview of all types of gravel.
