# Smooth river gravel identification?



## SJG1711 (2 Feb 2022)

Hi, I'm in the process of rescaping my 60P and have everything but the gravel. I'm looking for something which is ideally on the darker side, though not black. Must be smooth though as I'm going to be housing corys, however they'll have a sandy area also.


The gravel from the scape below is absolutely perfect, however I'm struggling to find what it is exactly.
Corydoras Haven - credit to *dz.tng*

Any ideas? The closest I can find is the *Dennerle Plantahunter River S  *which looks identical when "wet" but judging by the picture on the front of the box looks really white. I don't know how much lighting is playing a role there though.
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## X3NiTH (3 Feb 2022)

You are looking for ‘Dorset Pea Gravel’!


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## GHNelson (3 Feb 2022)

Have a look at the Yukon....this might be suitable!
Usually hard too source at times, though.


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## MirandaB (4 Feb 2022)

SJG1711 said:


> Hi, I'm in the process of rescaping my 60P and have everything but the gravel. I'm looking for something which is ideally on the darker side, though not black. Must be smooth though as I'm going to be housing corys, however they'll have a sandy area also.
> 
> 
> The gravel from the scape below is absolutely perfect, however I'm struggling to find what it is exactly.
> ...


It's darker than it looks on the box,I've got some in the shed so I can take a photo if you'd like


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## SJG1711 (4 Feb 2022)

X3NiTH said:


> You are looking for ‘Dorset Pea Gravel’!


Good eye! I'll have a look up the garden center tomorrow, if not I'll order a small sample 



GHNelson said:


> Have a look at the Yukon....this might be suitable!
> Usually hard too source at times, though.


Yukon would be a perfect fit for the larger detailing gravel. Seems to be more bang for your buck than something like the Prodibio relief series too. I'll keep an eye out!



MirandaB said:


> It's darker than it looks on the box,I've got some in the shed so I can take a photo if you'd like


A pic would be brilliant as I'm struggling to find any in the flesh pictures online, cheers!


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## MirandaB (4 Feb 2022)

SJG1711 said:


> Good eye! I'll have a look up the garden center tomorrow, if not I'll order a small sample
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hmmm looks like it might be quite variable between batches,couldn't find the already opened bag so opened a new one and it's a lot lighter....sorry


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## SJG1711 (4 Feb 2022)

MirandaB said:


> Hmmm looks like it might be quite variable between batches,couldn't find the already opened bag so opened a new one and it's a lot lighter....sorry



Ah yeah, just a little too white for me. Thank you for taking the time though, I really appreciate it! It's so hard finding pictures of how gravels really look in water


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## MirandaB (4 Feb 2022)

SJG1711 said:


> Ah yeah, just a little too white for me. Thank you for taking the time though, I really appreciate it! It's so hard finding pictures of how gravels really look in water


No problem at all....you can rarely rely on stock pictures unfortunately as I recently bought some Rose Garado gravel recently and it's fine for what I want but not really like the photo at all.
Someone must get paid a lot of money to sort through gravels for uniform shape and colour to take the photos lol


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## dw1305 (4 Feb 2022)

Hi all,


MirandaB said:


> Someone must get paid a lot of money to sort through gravels for uniform shape and colour


They usually grade them at the sand pit.

I'd guess that it depends on the source, the lighter coloured gravel looks to have more quartzite and granite in it, and the darker one more basalt or similar.

cheers Darrel


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## GHNelson (4 Feb 2022)

This video might interest you!

hoggie


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## X3NiTH (4 Feb 2022)

Dorset Pea Gravel you can get from Maidenhead Aquatics in big bags and is a fine grade, no big pebbles. Coincidentally it is interesting to note that this type of Gravel is sought after for renovation of Harling on listed buildings up here in Scotland, the builder I spoke to that had been searching for ages and couldn’t find any from aggregate suppliers and this gravel was exactly the right composition and grade to not fall foul of listed building planning laws managed to get him out of a tight spot. After that first Tradesman bought a couple of big bags someone else came in a few days later asking specifically for Dorset Peal Gravel I asked him if perchance he was renovating harling on a listed building, freaked him out thinking I was Psychic, good fun!


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## zozo (8 Feb 2022)

Have a look at this one. 








						Nature's Path
					

Following Roots and Grit, Nature's Path will have a more defined hardscape and hopefully i won't let it be covered to much.  I managed to get my hands on some more ferns and will also change the lighting and go for led.  Equipment :  ° Aquarium : home made, 100x55x45cm  ° Lighting : 6x39w T5...



					www.ukaps.org
				




Soil, sand and gravel : Dennerle Scaper's Soil, Dennerle Plantahunter Burma, Dennerle Plantahunter Rio Xingu


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## SJG1711 (8 Feb 2022)

A quick update. I looked around in a few maidenheads and couldn't seem to find any dorset pea gravel or anything like it unfortunately, so I decided to give up and blind order £70 worth (my mistake) of some "*Wio Cimarron River Sand*", which looked a nice tan online from the pictures, and had a variation of sizes included so I thought looked quite natural and I could mix it with some small darker grey stones. It arrived today and it turns out it's an almost blinding white, the type of "my first fishtank" stuff. Although I've only put a half inch tester bowl in the tank, all the smaller grains have sunk to the bottom so I'll never see them anyway. Bugger! Anyone have any idea how to work with this stuff? Is it for a cm dusting only? I'm sure I'll find a use for it but... bugger!


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## X3NiTH (8 Feb 2022)

SJG1711 said:


> couldn't seem to find any dorset pea gravel or anything like it



Aqua-Substrate Natural Lakeland Gravel.


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