You would've often noticed plantations at the bottom of the aquariums and also many exposed tanks would have caught your eye. This vegetation or material planted at the bottom is known as substrate. It is basically in the form of light material, typically sand and crushed rocks, which layers the aquarium from the bottom. Naked bottoms are not alluring at all and they would be unable to give the overall feel that an aquarium provides.

It is not just beauty and the space occupied that is the main reason for the recommendation of using substrates. These materials are capable of providing a cross-point for the guidance of your fish through which they can direct their way and feel home. A research also shows that effective bottom plantations are capable of reducing the irritation that water creatures feel due to glass tanks. The filtration features of popular substrates such as coarse gravel allow your fish to enjoy fresh waters with proper ventilation and serving as a home for bacteria that are favorable for aquatic animals.

Freshwater fish aquariums require a different kind of substrate, other than the saltwater-filled tanks because their chemical characteristics are quite different and pH numbers can rise to extreme levels if the wrong kind of substrate is used. Thus, it is very important that not any material is to be used with freshwater species and proper tests are conducted first. My preferences to you are that only aqua-approved and sterilized substrate products should be bought and by no means should your fish be welcomed with sea sand without testing on water because it may contain particles of living creatures that might spread a disease in your tank. If you're collecting these on your own, you should have some organic material and pH chemistry knowledge that is bound to help you on the way.

Now that advantages and recommendations are discussed, we might move on to the choices available to be lodged as the best possible substrate. The slightly damp material, peat, can be used to soften the toughness of the freshwater fish aquarium and lower pH levels considerably. The most common matters are gravel and aquarium-safe sand, which would definitely be available in almost all local pet stores. Crushed corals and dolomite are renowned for having an intense pH increase; however materials such as marble elevate the pH level more gently.