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Freshwater Aquarium Substrate - Which Is The Best?

26 9:01:04
What Exactly Is Freshwater Aquarium Substrate?

Substrate is the material, generally gravel or sand, which is set on the bottom of aquariums. Substrate provides a reference point for your aquatic friends and reduces glaring reflections from the glass, which is known to cause irritation in numerous aquatic species.

There is a major difference in the substrate used in a freshwater fish tank and those that can be put in saltwater fish tanks. The chemical properties of the waters are poles apart and to use corals in freshwater aquariums will elevate the pH to unsafe levels for nearly all freshwater fish species.

It is highly recommended to use aquatic approved items that are offered as sterilized, inert material from local or internet fish outlets. You can gather your own from nature but that alternative is only recommended for those with suitable knowledge on the subject of organic materials and their impact on your water composition.

Do not ever collect sea sand from ocean shores ?it has living organisms and contaminates that will foul your aquarium. Should you choose to gather your own material, make sure you conduct thorough water tests on it for a few weeks before "springing" it on your fish!

Top Reasons To Use Freshwater Aquarium Substrate.

The the biggest and most overlooked reason for using substrate is for the biological filtration properties. The use of coarse gravel or sand as your bottom material allows for incredible volumes of growth area for the beneficial bacteria colonies to thrive. The size matters not just for the surface area but also for the aeration properties. If the bottom material becomes compacted, as smaller substrates are known to do, oxygen deprived zones will be created promoting the growth of anaerobic bacteria, the ones that create that rotten egg smell. This can prove to be deadly for your aquarium pets!

As everyone learns at some point, nothing is ever perfect. The pH needs for most freshwater fish are very narrow and the pH levels of your available water source may not fit inside that range. Specific compounds can be added to your aquarium that can raise or lower the pH and water hardness levels, enabling you to use your tap water and still maintain a healthy balance in your aquatic eco system.

What Do Most Aquarium Owners Use?

Gravel is most frequently used. The boxes of brightly colored pebbles available to choose from are commonly epoxy covered quartz, although there is an ever increasing offering of organic materials from exotic locations that are inert, sterilized and safe to use in your freshwater ecosystem.

Sand is another popular selection. If you do not source sand approved for aquariums, it must be either play sand, which has been sterilized or sandblast media. As discussed above, do not use ocean sand!

Aragonite, dolomite and crushed corals are safe products that can be used to elevate your water hardness and pH levels. Be aware, these can cause aggressive changes; there are other choices, marble being one that has a gentler effect.

Peat is an excellent choice for lowering (softening) your water hardness and pH and is a great choice for planted tanks.

Regarding plants, making use of the specialized substrates offered for aquatic plants is not a requirement although it certainly improves their growth potential. These special compounds have a high cation exchange rate, simply meaning that they have distinct properties which improves their capacity to gather and store nutrients for use by the plants root systems.

Vermiculite and laterite are two such materials that are put on the bottom of aquariums with additional layers of gravel or sand put on top. Other products on the market, such as Fluorite (by Seachem) or Floracor Red (by Activ-Flora) can be added as one layer.

There are numerous factors to take into account when establishing a freshwater aquarium and all are equally important, however the substrate you choose will set the appearance of your aquarium, so be sure to put some thought into it before choosing.