Soil gives to an aquarium a type of a natural reservoir. He creates a color background for fishes and plants, emphasizes their unique features. Besides decorative qualities, soil performs functions on maintenance of biological balance in an aquarium, defines properties and composition of water. In it there are important processes on processing of waste: excrement of fishes, the uneaten remains of a forage, the died-off leaves of plants. In soil there are bacteria providing a biologicheska cleaning and decomposition of organic matter.
Instruction
1. It is possible to find soil for an aquarium in courses of streams and the rivers, but this very tedious task. Besides, it needs to be processed long, and therefore will be more simply and more conveniently to buy it. Before acquisition of soil it is necessary to find out its origin and also the chemical composition. If it is limestone, it will begin to allocate carbonates in aquarium water that increases its rigidity. Not all plants and small fishes are capable to exist in hard water. To check soil for existence of carbonates, you can pour on it several drops of vinegar. Allocation of vials of gases will speak about presence of carbonates.
2. Soil for an aquarium can be broken into 3 groups on their origin: artificial soil; natural pebble, sand, crushed stone and gravel; soil which is received in the way chemical or machining of natural materials.
3. Coarse-grained sand perfectly is suitable for aquariums which contain plants with a weak root system and the small digging fishes. The large fishes undermining soil also live in those aquariums where there are plants with a powerful root system, as the last pebble will approach better. As for artificial soil: it can be plastic or glass balls.
4. Artificial (glass and plastic) soil is absolutely harmless. It does not allocate in water of substances which are harmful to fishes. However it can be applied only in aquariums with artificial plants or in case living plants grow in pots. Besides, it is necessary to remember that such soil is not suitable for keeping of the digging fishes.
5. It is considered that soil for an aquarium by all means has to be dark tones, not color. Of course, against the background of dark soil of a small fish will look brighter, and greens of plants will look more effectively. But what to do if the aquarium is equipped in the form of a pseudo-reef? In that case the type of dark soil against the background of corals will become absolutely inappropriate. If to be pleasant to you color or light soil - safely buy.
6. The optimum size of particles of soil - 2-8 mm. It can be and a little more, the main thing that all particles were approximately identical size and generally rounded shape. Also soil has to be porous. Hit of small particles between large will lead to the fact that circulation of water in soil will be complicated, in it the stagnant processes capable to become the reason of rotting of roots of plants and also water damage will begin.
7. Irrespective of whether you buy soil or you get independently, it needs to be processed. If as soil sand is applied, it should be sifted through a sieve, deleting smaller particles. It is undesirable to use sand of a reddish shade as it contains a lot of iron which is harmful to some fishes. Pebble needs to be touched too that its particles were approximately identical size.
8. Now soil needs to be washed out carefully. For this purpose place it in some capacity and fill in with water, then mix, and drain water. Repeat such procedure until the drained water does not yuudt absolutely transparent. After washing disinfect soil, having boiled it 15-20 minutes or having calcinated on a baking sheet in an oven.