Smooth river gravel identification?

[SJG1711]

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]

You are looking for ‘Dorset Pea Gravel’!

 

[G H Nelson]

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

 

[MirandaB]

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.
.View attachment 181516

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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

 

[SJG1711]

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

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!

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!

 

[MirandaB]

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

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!


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

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

 

[SJG1711]

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

 

[MirandaB]

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

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

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

 

[G H Nelson]

This video might interest you!

hoggie

 

[X3NiTH]

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!

 

[zozo]

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

 

[SJG1711]

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!

 

[X3NiTH]

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

Aqua-Substrate Natural Lakeland Gravel.