Mesmerizing Explosion Of Colour In Your Freshwater Tank
The incredible variety of fish, plants and invertebrates available to fishkeepers allows an underwater fantasy of colour if you know which species to keep together. Try out some of the combinations below to enjoy a mesmerizing explosion of colour in your freshwater aquarium. A Riot of Reds, Oranges, and Yellows A Symphony of Blues and Purples A Kaleidoscope of Greens A Tropical Sunset: Pinks and Oranges Monochrome Magic: Black and White A Hint of Gold: Yellows and Golds Enchanted Forest: Greens and Browns Ocean-inspired: Cool Blues and Greys A Hint of Royalty: Majestic Purples and Blues Tropical Fiesta: Bright Yellows and Reds Pastel Dreams: Soft Pinks and Blues Aquatic Contrast: Vibrant Oranges and Electric Blues
What Substrate Should I Use?
Over the past few months, I’ve experimented with various substrates. I’ve faced the moment of decision-making when setting up a new tank when I’ve had to decide what substrate is best suited to a particular tank and it’s intended inhabitants. With so many options available, it is good to take a moment to consider the pros and cons of the various substrates available. Take a look at the table below before deciding on what to use for your tank: Substrate Type Pros Cons Best Suited for Gravel Versatile and appealing, suitable for most aquarium setups, easier to clean. Rough texture not ideal for burrowing fish, may require additional anchoring for plants, potential pH fluctuations. Mixed community tanks (tetras, guppies, mollies), cherry shrimp, nerite snails. Sand Ideal for burrowing and bottom-dwelling fish, natural appearance, encourages beneficial bacterial growth. More maintenance required, can compact leading to anaerobic pockets, insufficient support for rooting plants. Corydoras, kuhli loaches, stingrays, Malaysian trumpet snails. Soil Nutrient-rich, mimics a natural environment, compatible with other substrates. May cause cloudy water or algal blooms, requires a ‘capping’ layer, difficult and messy to clean. Heavily planted tanks (neon tetras, otocinclus catfish, celestial pearl danios), amano shrimp, assassin snails. Aquarium Plant Substrates Formulated for planted tanks, encourages robust root development, can be used alone or mixed with other substrates. Generally more expensive, some varieties may be unsuitable for certain fish, regular supplementation required. Planted tanks (rasboras, angelfish, rainbowfish), bamboo shrimp, rabbit snails. Bare Bottom Simplest to clean, ensures excellent water flow and filtration, useful for quarantine or breeding tanks. Less visually appealing, unsuitable for burrowing fish or heavily planted tanks, reduced surface area for beneficial bacteria. Fish that produce a lot of waste (goldfish, large cichlids), hospital or quarantine tanks. Remember, a thriving, healthy tank begins with the right foundation!