| What Is Freshwater Aquarium Substrate? | | | | As we all know, nothing is ever perfect. The pH |
| Substrate refers to the material, typically gravel or | | | | requirements for most freshwater fish are very |
| sand, which is put on the bottom of aquariums. | | | | narrow and the pH levels of your available water |
| Although you can go with a bare bottom, it is not | | | | resource may not fit within that range. Certain |
| very appealing. Using substrate provides an | | | | materials can be introduced to your aquarium that |
| orientation point for your fish and reduces glare from | | | | can raise or lower the pH and water hardness levels, |
| the glass, which is known to cause irritation in many | | | | enabling you to use your tap water and still maintain |
| aquatic animals. | | | | good stability in your aquarium. |
| There is a significant difference between the | | | | What Are Some of Your Choices? |
| substrates used in a freshwater aquarium and those | | | | Gravel is the most common. The bags of brightly |
| used in saltwater setups. The chemical properties of | | | | colored gravels in the store are usually epoxy |
| the waters are not the same and the use of corals in | | | | covered quartz, but there is an ever increasing |
| freshwater will elevate the pH to dangerous levels | | | | selection of natural materials from around the world |
| for most all freshwater species. | | | | that is inert, sterilized and safe to use in your |
| It is best to use aquarium approved products that | | | | freshwater aquarium. |
| are offered as sterilized, inert material from local or | | | | Sand is another popular selection. If you do not buy |
| online pet stores. You can collect your own from | | | | aquarium approved sand, make sure it is either play |
| nature but that option is only recommended for | | | | sand, which has been sterilized or sandblast media. As |
| those with proper knowledge on the subject of | | | | mentioned above, do not use ocean sand! |
| organic materials and their impact on water | | | | Aragonite, dolomite and crushed corals are three |
| chemistry. | | | | materials that can be used to increase your water |
| Under no circumstances should you use sea sand | | | | hardness and pH levels. These can have a significant |
| collected from the beach - it contains living organisms | | | | impact; there are others, such as marble which have |
| and contaminates that will pollute your tank. If you | | | | a gentler effect. |
| do choose to collect your own material, be sure to | | | | Peat is good for lowering (softening) your water |
| conduct extensive water tests on it for several | | | | hardness and pH plus plants like it. |
| weeks before "surprising" your fish! | | | | Speaking of plants, making use of the special |
| What Are the Advantages of Using Substrate? | | | | substrates offered is not necessary but it certainly |
| The most significant and overlooked reason for using | | | | enhances their growth potential. These materials |
| substrate is for its biological filtration properties. Using | | | | have a high cation exchange rate, simply meaning |
| coarse gravel or sand for your bottom material | | | | that they have properties which improve their ability |
| provides immense volumes of growing surface for | | | | to collect and store nutrients for use by the plants |
| the beneficial bacteria colonies to thrive. The size | | | | roots. |
| matters not only for surface area but also for | | | | Vermiculite and laterite are two such materials that |
| aeration properties. If the gravel becomes | | | | are placed on the bottom of aquariums with a |
| compacted, as tiny substrates are prone to do, | | | | second layer of gravel or sand placed on top. Other |
| oxygen depleted zones will be created promoting the | | | | products available, such as Fluorite (by Seachem) or |
| development of anaerobic bacteria, the ones that | | | | Floracor Red (by Activ-Flora) can be used as a single |
| create that rotten egg smell. This can prove to be | | | | layer. |
| deadly for your fish! | | | | |