How to choose substrate sand for a planted tank? Hangtai Aquarium shares selection tips

Aquarium substrate sand is an essential material for keeping aquatic plants; the substrate can provide nutrients for aquatic plant growth, but besides nutrient supply, the beauty of the substrate is also crucial. If colorful substrate sand is placed in the aquarium, it will have a huge impact on the entire aquascape effect, because the editor thinks the most important thing for an aquascape tank is to be beautiful and comfortable, rather than being filled with all kinds of intense colors assaulting the eyes. So if you want to create a beautiful aquarium, the choice of substrate sand is crucial; today let's talk about several key factors in choosing aquascaping substrate sand!

First: the sand at the bottom should not be too fine; sand that is too fine easily causes blockage at the bottom of the aquarium. The diameter of the substrate sand should be at least 1 cm or more.

Second: for aquariums without a heating system, generally use a mixture of silica sand and base fertilizer as the bottom layer, then add double the amount of washed silica sand, with a diameter of 1-2 cm, and the entire bottom layer height of 2-3 cm. Note that the thickness of the bottom layer needs to be limited to ensure water flow and circulation.

Third: for aquariums with a heating system, the height of the bottom layer can reach 3-5 cm, and the substrate sand can also be stone grains with a diameter of 1-2 cm. Of course, before putting them into the tank, they must be washed.

Fourth: if it is an aquascape tank with background paper applied, choose plain-colored substrate sand as much as possible, and you can also lay flesh-colored or white pebbles on the topmost layer.

Below are several common and popular substrate sands for aquascape tanks:

1. Coral sand: has the same effect as coral stone, making the water hard and alkaline. (Suitable for seawater or keeping hard-water fish, African cichlids, etc.).

2. Dark green sand: appears dark green; using this sand makes the water slightly alkaline. When KH and PH are relatively low, it is more suitable to choose.

3. Yilan sand: because it has two colors, black and white, it is relatively beautiful, but the granules are uneven, and it is rarely used in ecological tanks (suitable for: medium and large fish species are all suitable).

4. Philippine sand: similar in effect to coral sand. (Suitable for seawater or keeping hard-water fish, African cichlids, etc.).

I hope today's content above can help everyone, thank you~