Does fish deserve to stay in a well-decorated tank? Yes, fish deserve a well-put-together fish tank. Notwithstanding if it is decorated with gravel, sand, crushed marble, soil, and artificial substrate. Fish tanks are mostly known as aquariums. Giving your aquarium a nice decoration makes it very attractive and appealing. Apart from it being attractive, it makes the fish very comfortable. The decorated tank also alleviate stress, thereby improving their immune system and therefore their ability to resist disease and heal. People can’t have a large number of decorative items in a fish tank as they will decrease the swimming space for the fish. They will likewise make the fish feel aggressive because of the confined space. The fish can also get harmed while swimming. It is advisable to keep just a few decorations spread inside the fish tank.

Choosing Aquarium Substrate

Before setting up and decorating an aquarium, considering what kind of substrate to be used is important. One might want to consider going for different options, others might want to consider using something more natural or colorful. We are going to be talking about five(5) aquarium substrates, which include gravel, sand, soil, crushed marble, and artificial substrate.

1. Gravel

Gravel are popular choices for decorating fish tanks. While planning on adding gravel to your tank, it’s essential to wash the rock to eliminate dust and different blemishes that could take over your fish tank water or make your fish sick. Aquarium gravel comes in various shapes, colors, and sizes. People should buy gravel that is huge and coarse enough to permit water flow, however fine to the point of promoting the development of helpful microbes. People should never utilize soap or any cleaners because of the chemicals used to produce it, it could be harmful to the fish. To wash the gravel, it should be rinsed several times with water, afterwards, a dechlorinating agent should be added before putting it in the aquarium tank.

People should carefully put the gravel at the lower part of the tank so that they don’t damage or scratch the aquarium. The gravel should then be spread out with the hands so that it’s an even layer. To make it more beautiful, rocks and plants can be added. The plants should be anchored into the rock so they don’t float to the surface. People can put the stones on the lower part of the tank in the manner they think looks best. They can also add different things like wood or fish tank puppets to give more personality to the aquarium.

2. Sand

One of the major reasons people use sand for their aquarium is to give it a natural appeal and make it brighter. Quality and dirt-free aquarium sand help keep your fish comfortable as most fishes come from a sandy habitat. Different from aquarium rock, sand makes cleaning your aquarium simpler as they don’t easily gather specks of dirt. Sand likewise assists some fish with digesting food better while others tunnel in the sand, representing an organic filtration system to keep the aquarium habitable for fish.

Choosing Sand Type

Picking the right type and size of sand is very important as some might wind up clogging your fish and making them sick. Fortunately, there is a wide assortment of sand accessible in the market. It includes;

●       River Sand (Builder sand): it is a go-to choice for people that are looking for cheap and simple aquarium substrate.
●       Black Quartz Sand: this type of sand can be used without restrictions because it does not alter the parameters of the water. Sand grains’ color comes from magnetite,  ilmenite, or hematite minerals, which are contained in the sand in different proportions.
●       Sea Sand (Beach/Marine Sand): it is best collected deep in the ocean, about 30 to 60 feet down.
●       Coral Sand: it is mostly composed of limestone fragments of marine organisms. It contains lots of calcium.

3. Soil

Many individuals hesitate to spend money on something which they feel is effectively accessible, which brings the choice of soil substrate for aquarium. Utilizing sand, marble, gravel and other substrates don’t easily go well with everybody, particularly for the individuals who like to keep live plants in the aquarium. A soil substrate is made up of microorganisms, mineral particles, inorganic matter precipitated, and organic matter.

Soil substrates utilize crude power already used by nature, and when the water is full, it utilizes the natural cycles and flow. It is attainable with little effort and minimal cost, even though it takes somewhat longer.

Garden Soil

Garden soil is being utilized broadly, but not all garden soil is made equally. When garden soils are used in aquariums, they work differently. This ordinarily implies that they don’t perform so well as an artificial substrate. It is always the soil that is not toxic that gives the best condition for improvement. Garden soils likewise have traces that can be harmful in life for aquatic insecticides and herbicides as well as other substances.

4. Marble

Marbles can be utilized as a substrate for bettas aquarium. Marble is great for enclosures in areas that need high water boundaries. This is the ideal stone to consider for saltwater aquariums. Marble is a good choice to live coral reefs and sedimentary limestone. There are a couple of benefits of utilizing marbles in aquariums. One of the advantages is that people can utilize them as anchors to hold fake plants or accessories into place. Some fish love playing with the plants in the aquarium and digging them. Another advantage of using marbles in your aquarium is that they are so simple to clean when the tank is empty.

Marbles are not noxious however marbles can be a choking hazard. It doesn’t make any difference where people acquire their marbles. People should ensure that the marbles don’t affect the pH levels of the aquarium water. This is the same for anything people wish to put in their tank.

5. Artificial Substrate

The artificial substrate can be artificial plants or imitated gravel which looks natural and it tends to be made of small chunks of blue, green, black, pink, or other colors. In this article, we will talk more about artificial plants. Artificial plants are mostly made of plastic, and some can look almost genuine. At times, an aquarium made with artificial plants might look very beautiful like an aquarium with natural plants. This kind of plant is not difficult to remove and clean and replacement is simple. People can rework their aquarium at whatever point they need.

Siphoning the fish tank is a lot simpler chore when you have fake plants. People don’t need to stress over the root system and they could remove the decorations while cleaning the aquarium. There is likewise no compelling reason to stress over the accumulation of plant material in the substrate. Artificial plants serve similar needs as live plants, giving shelter and a practical habitat.

Adding Rocks To Aquarium

Individuals who keep fish as pets add rocks to their aquarium to ensure that it adds an appeal to the decor. Rocks fit very well in an aquarium and the stones don’t simply look pretty, however, they also have a functional use. These rocks make the water soft, which can be very good for the fish. The other beneficial thing about rocks for aquariums is that the fish eat the algae off the stones which cause the fish to feel like they are in their natural habitat. Whenever fish feel lost and dry in an aquarium they usually stop eating, so adding rock inside the water in the aquarium creates a difference. It ensures that the fish feel less stressed and better.

Why Add Rocks To Aquarium

Aquarium rocks give the aquarium a more appealing look, and these stones are available in a variety of, shapes, colors, and sizes with the goal that the tank resembles a piece of home decor and not just a resting place for fish. Most rocks gather moss or plant matter, and fish can benefit from this, and that maintains the fish.

Rocks can be purchased in shops or can likewise be found in nature. For the rocks bought in a shop, people need to be extremely careful and clean them well before placing them into the aquarium, as they could contain microbes and harmful elements to the fish. There are various types of rock, the most utilized and safest are slates, travertine, basalt, and lava.

Types Of Rocks

There are three known classifications for the types of rocks people can use in their fish tank, which each have their sub-class. They incorporate sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks.

Sedimentary rocks form after many layers of cement, particles, and deposits. These kinds of stones incorporate breccia, marl, conglomerate, limestone, sandstone, and shale.

Igneous rocks are known as crystalline. They are made through cooling and solidifying molten earth. In aquarium settings, Igneous Rocks can incorporate gabbro, dolerite, and basalt.

Metamorphic rock comes after the continuous process of heating and cooling when the stones go through pressure. These rocks incorporate quartzite, marble, dolomite, phyllite, schist, slate, gneiss, and hornfels.

Adding Driftwoods To Aquarium

Driftwood makes for great aquarium decor. In addition to the fact that driftwood looks great, it likewise invigorates and maintains the ecosystem within an aquarium. Driftwood helps boost the immune system of fish. Whenever driftwood is lowered, natural tannins will gradually leech into the aquarium water. These tannins establish an acidic climate that assists with keeping disease-causing bacteria and viruses under control.

Adding driftwood to an aquarium can assist with boosting the natural behavior of your fish. Driftwood almost every stream or lake, is natural which makes fish get attracted to it. Fishes usually use driftwood for reproducing, hiding, or even as food.

What To Consider Before Adding Driftwood To Aquarium

Many kinds of driftwood are sold at pet stores, however, not all are okay for aquarium use. People should ensure they buy driftwood marked for aquarium use, as some driftwoods are sprayed with chemicals or additives that could harm the fish. Regardless of whether collected or bought, driftwood should be sterilized before being used in the aquarium. This process is done to eliminate any poisons, microbes, or spores. People can also boil their driftwood for at minimum an hour and let it cool. Driftwood can be added to the aquarium after the whole sterilizing process.

While picking a piece of driftwood for the aquarium, the wood should be thoroughly examined for any conspicuous signs of fungi or parasites. Also, check that the wood isn’t treated with chemicals and is aquarium safe.

Aquarium Fish Toys

Do you know fish are playful? In case you are not aware, fish are playful pets that like to hide behind aquatic plants and chase each other for fun. Do you also know that adding toys to your aquarium can do wonders for your fish’s habitat and also enhance the decor? Some of the available toys for fish to play with include leaf hammock, floating log, moss balls, aquatic plants, etc. If fishes are feeling slow and lethargic, putting toys in their aquarium helps stimulate them.

While keeping live plants is incredible for aquariums, artificial ones can add an exquisite color. They’re vibrant and small, making them adorable toys for fish to play on. Fishes can swim and bounce over them during playtime.

Individuals ought to constantly pick non-poisonous toys for fish. Even when they are opting for plastic toys or artificial plants, they should ensure they’re safe underwater.

DIY Aquarium

Would you prefer buying an aquarium from a store or building one according to your taste? DIY aquariums have risen over time because of how it allows people to bring their ideas for their ideal aquarium to life. One of the best things about a DIY aquarium is the amazing color, vibrancy, and interest it can bring to people’s homes. Whether one lives in a one-bed flat or a five-bed house, an aquarium makes the ideal talking point, and a great way to feel closer to nature. People can use different items like a picture frame, ceramic coffee mugs, flower vases, ceramic figurines, vinyl stickers, holiday decor, etc.