Choosing Aquarium Gravel/Rocks/Substrate for Your Fish Tank
There are many considerations to look into when putting up your own aquarium. These include the aquarium type, filters, accessories, and the substrate. Substrate choices are widely varied. The choices range from gravel to sand and from aragonite to crushed corals, among others. Among the most popular substrates is aquarium gravel.
Which substrate does your fish tank need?
You need to remember that you just can’t carelessly use some kinds of substrates with certain types of aquariums. If you have a planted aquarium, for example, you should use a nutrient-rich layer for the plants to survive. Aquarium gravel is used by many aquarists, especially those who own tropical and fish-only tanks.
The importance of an aquarium substrate
An aquarium substrate is often chosen for its decorative purpose, as it lends a more natural look to the fish tank. But more than this, choosing the right substrate can make the entire fish tank environment more comfortable for your fish. When light is reflected from overhead into the glass bottom, this can be very uncomfortable for the fish. For fish-only aquariums, the right substrate can also encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria.
Aquarium gravel use and maintenance
Gravel is widely used for many aquariums and is preferred by many aquarists. This is because aquarium gravel is easy to acquire, easy to maintain, safe for extensive use, and does not affect the water quality. Nonetheless, regular maintenance is still necessary.
Fish-only aquariums typically require beneficial bacteria, and aquarium gravel has been known to encourage the presence of such. You can also find coarse gravel types and fine gravel, in sizes ranging from 3mm to 4mm.
If you want to add more spice into your fish tank, you may also go for colored gravel. Nonetheless, painted gravel may lose color eventually. If you use colored gravel, it may difficult for you to recognize if any food particles have been trapped in-between the rocks.
Buying tips for aquarium gravel
Make sure that you maintain the ideal height or depth when placing gravel in your fish tank. Two inches to three inches is enough, since a depth of more than three inches may increase the appearance of hydrogen sulfite due to rotten food particles and other impurities.
Fine gravel is more ideal for bottom dwellers or bottom feeders. If you have a planted aquarium, you will need to use a nutrient-rich layer as the base. Gravel may be used for the upper layer. For fish tanks with crustaceans such as crabs, aquarium gravel is also recommended.
Sean Kerring is an aquarium expert and breeder who has been wirking with and raising fish for over twenty years, when his parents gave him his very first fish tanks. He always uses innovative and unique aquarium lights to change the themes of each of his tanks, including different aquarium substrate compounds.
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