More Insight on Freshwater Aquarium Substrate

What Is Freshwater Aquarium Substrate?
Substrate refers to the material, usually sand or gravel, which is placed at the bottom of an aquarium. Although you can go with a bare soil, is not very attractive. Using substrates provides a landmark for fish and reduces glare glass, which is known to cause irritation in many invertebrates.
There is a significant difference between the substrates used in a freshwater aquarium and used in saltwater configurations. The chemistry of the water is not the same and the use of coral in fresh water, the pH increase to dangerous levels for most freshwater species.
It is best to see the aquarium approved products are supplied as a sterile, inert materials from local or online store for pets. You can create your own nature to withdraw, but this option is only recommended for people with a good knowledge of organic materials and their impact on the water chemistry.
Under no circumstances should we use sea sand taken from the beach - it contains living organisms and contaminants that pollute your tank. Should you choose to withdraw your own equipment, you need water to perform tests on a few weeks before her huge "surprise" your fish!
What are the advantages of using substrate?
The most significant reason, neglected to use its substrate properties of biological filtration. The use of coarse gravel or sand bottom for your hardware offers tremendous amounts of growth surface for beneficial bacteria colonies to thrive. Size is important not only to the surface, but also for the cooling properties. If the gravel is compacted, as substrates are small tend to do, oxygen-depleted zones will be established to support the development of anaerobes, the smell of rotten eggs to promote. This can kill fish!
As we all know, nothing is perfect. The pH requirements for freshwater fish are the most narrow and pH of your water resource is available may not fit within that range. Some materials can be introduced to your aquarium that can increase or decrease the pH and the levels of water hardness, so you can use tap water, while maintaining good stability in your tank.
What are some of your choices?
Gravel is the most common. The gravel bags in bright colors in the store are usually coated with an epoxy quartz, but there is a growing selection of natural materials from around the world, which is inert, sterile and safe to use in your freshwater aquarium.
The sand is a popular choice. If you do not buy aquarium approved the sand, make sure the sand play, which has been sterilized or explosive media. As noted above, do not use sand ocean!
Aragonite, dolomite and crushed corals are three materials that can be used to the hardness of your water and raise pH. They may have a significant impact, there are others such as marble, which is a milder effect.
Peat is good for lowering (softening) of your hardness of the water and the pH of such plants.
Speaking of plants, using substrates of the proposed special is not necessary, but it certainly enhanced their growth. These materials have a high cation exchange, it suffices to say that they are qualities that enhance their ability to collect and store nutrients for use by plant roots.
Vermiculite and laterite are such that both materials are placed at the bottom of the tank with half layer of gravel or sand placed on top. Other products available, such as fluorite (by Seachem) or Floracor Red (by Activ-Flora) can be used as a single layer.