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Maintaining Aquarium Gravel

Maintaining aquarium gravel is an important part of your overall tank care. In maintaining aquarium gravel, it is vital to mention that you should be careful with the depth of your gravel, or substrate, as it is commonly called. You do not want your gravel to be too deep, because this will prevent oxygen flow in your aquarium. Deep gravel also breeds harmful bacteria. When these bacteria have been in your tank for long enough, and have had a chance to grow, they emit a toxic gas called hydrogen sulfite. In small quantities, this gas goes virtually undetected. It is only after it has formed and developed over a long period of time that it begins to release into the tank. At this point, it becomes deadly to your fish.

To try to prevent this from happening, you should periodically mix the gravel in your tank. This is one of the best things that you can do in maintaining aquarium gravel, as it releases small amounts of the gas before they have a chance to become harmful. You could also put Trumpet Snails in your aquarium, as they act as natural aerators to mix things up at the bottom of your tank.

In maintaining aquarium gravel, it is also important to be especially careful in caring for your substrate, because it is essential to the proper growth and development of any plant life that you may have. In order for plants to grow and survive, they need a sound, healthy substrate and proper lighting. In fact, for optimal plant development, your gravel should have two layers. The bottom layer should be rich in nutrients that release slowly over time to feed your plants. It should be tall enough to cover the roots of your plants. The top layer of gravel should be one and a half to two inches in height.

For the best results in maintaining aquarium gravel, you should avoid any of the painted gravels that are on the market. Painted gravels are hazardous to your fish because the paint tends to flake off and irritate your animals. You should also avoid glass pebbles. Though attractive, glass pebbles will reflect light inside your tank, thus disorienting your fish.

Maintaining aquarium gravel is not quite as complicated as it may initially sound. Simply do your research, be a smart consumer, and you will find that maintaining aquarium gravel is not difficult at all.

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