Aquarium and Pond Care with EcoBio-Block

Aquarium Substrate

When it comes to setting up your aquarium for the first time one of the most important decisions you can make is what type of substrate to use. Many first-time aquarium hobbyists do not even realize that they have a choice beyond natural or colored gravel. While gravel serves its purpose well as an aquarium substrate, there are other options and some of these options have additional benefits for your tank. If you plan to keep live aquarium plants in your tank it is especially important for you to choose a substrate wisely.

Different Types of Substrates

Gravel : As one of the most readily available types of substrate, gravel is also one of the most popular. Not only is gravel easy to find and inexpensive to purchase but it comes in a variety of shapes and sizes which makes it a great option for hobbyists who want to customize their tank. Another benefit of gravel substrate is that it can be relatively easy to clean – you can simply remove it from the tank and rinse it in warm tap water until the water runs clear. Gravel can also serve as a base for the growth of beneficial bacteria but it does not provide any nutrients to support the growth of live aquarium plants.

Sand: Sea sand is not recommended for freshwater aquariums but it is popular for use in marine aquariums. This type of sand often contains impurities which can cloud the water and it may also contain pieces of shell or coral that can raise the pH in the tank. Play sand, however, makes an excellent substrate for freshwater aquariums because it has been sterilized and requires less-frequent cleaning than aquarium gravel. Aragonite is another popular type of sand substrate that is useful in buffering pH levels in saltwater aquariums.

Vermiculate: This substance is a substrate composed of the minerals aluminum, iron and magnesium. This substrate has a high cation exchange rate which helps aquarium plants to utilize nutrients. Vermiculate is an excellent substrate for planted tanks because it releases nutrients over a long period of time which negates the use of fertilizers. The best way to use this substrate is as a lower layer on the bottom of the tank covered or mixed with a layer of gravel.

Laterite: Laterite is a type of porous clay, often reddish in color, which can be used as a substrate in freshwater aquariums. This type of substrate attracts and holds nutrients, storing them until they can be utilized by aquarium plants. Like vermiculate, this substrate is best used as a lower layer in the home aquarium, covered by a layer of sand or gravel.

Tips for Using Aquarium Substrate

Do not think you need to limit yourself to one particular type of substrate. If you have a planted tank it is wise to combine several types of substrate, like vermiculate and laterite, with gravel or another substrate in order to provide the necessary nutrients. In conjunction with the right substrate, introducing an EcoBio-Stone is a great way to keep your tank clean and healthy. EcoBio-Block products are made from porous volcanic cement that has been infused with beneficial bacteria. Once introduced into your tank, these bacteria multiply and help to keep your tank water clear and odor-free which results in less maintenance on your part and a healthier environment for your fish.

Suffice it to say that Old Tank Syndrome is the opposite of New Tank Syndrome. To refresh the memory, let us remember that New Tank Syndrome takes place when an eager newcomer to the aquarium hobby starts to lose fish at about the six-week anniversary of aquarium ownership.

This can happen due to poor water quality, especially elevated ammonia levels because of an unhealthy filtration system. It can also take place because the novice owner is still a bit clumsy at giving the aquarium and fish the proper sort of care.

Old Tank Syndrome has a telltale symptom, and that is a sense of complacency in a long time aquarium owner when it comes to the condition of his or her tank. All of the excitement of having this hobby has passed by this time, and the fish-lover could almost be said to take his aquarium for granted.

The tank is stable, the fish are well fed and in good health. There have been no changes in the aquarium for quite a while now. The fish are fed on schedule most of the time, and no new fish have been added to the aqua community. No water tests for ammonia or nitrites have been done, either. All those partial water changes that were done at the beginning of aquarium ownership have fallen by the wayside as well.

It is about now that the long-time aquarium owner begins to notice that his fish tank seems to be a bit “off”. He or she may decide to do a partial water change to try and rectify things. Alternately, the hobbyist discovers a dead fish, and decides to go and purchase a few new occupants for the aquarium. Either of these scenarios is going to upset the balance of the aquarium.

The present fish are used to the aquarium condition just the way it is. A partial water change could prove to be very stressful, and could even kill the fish. Every seasoned pet fish keeper has heard this tale of woe from a newbie, “We had just changed the water, and then all the fish started to die one by one.”

New fish will also upset the balance in the aquarium, but in a different way. They will create even more ammonia and nitrites, and this will upset the balance that the fish have slowly become used to. Either way, you stand a good chance of losing some fish.

Old tank syndrome can be avoided by maintaining the same schedule of water testing and frequent partial water changes that you did when your tank was brand new. Or, you can take advantage of one of the EcoBio-Block family of products, and spend the time you would have spent maintaining your aquarium admiring your fish! EcoBio-Block Products will keep the water quality in your tank healthy for your fish population as well as maintaining the water in a crystal clear condition.