Quartz sand for an aquarium: varieties, selection and rules of use

Comfort, convenience, and even health of the inhabitants of the aquarium depends on filling the bottom with a specific type of sand. It helps create a suitable biosphere for fish. In this article, we will analyze quartz sand, its features and other nuances.

Speaking about the role that such sand plays, several points can be noted.

• Quartz filler is important for plants, and for some it is simply necessary, but there are those who hate it.
• Layering and exchange of elements in water occurs due to a properly selected filler. This means that a considerable part of the filtration processes occurs precisely with the help of sand!

Like any soil, quartz sand has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is advantageous to choose this option due to the appearance of the filler. With his color palette, he associatively sends us to natural colors, and reminds us of pleasant sailing trips. It also goes well with any aquarium configuration.

The biochemical properties of quartz sand help produce carbon dioxide. An additional characteristic feature of such a filler is its neutrality to any water... It doesn't add anything to the water chemistry, but it nevertheless helps filter out excess iron and manganese. However, there are situations when it is better not to use this type of sand. For example, if there are inhabitants in the aquarium who prefer to bury themselves deep under the ground.

The negative aspects include the following.

• Sand creates additional turbidity in the water.Therefore, use it with caution if you have frogs or other creatures that love "digging". They can dig into the ground and create whole clouds of mud in the water.
• Not all manufacturers offer a quality product.

Quartz sand is an already processed version of the aquarium filler. However, many lovers of the underwater world, in an attempt to get sand filler, simply collect a few scoops at the bottom of the river. You can do this, but it is worth paying attention to the presence of clay and other contaminating elements in the sand. In color, it can be dark, black, and the grains of sand themselves have the shape of a circle.

In most cases, the litter should be rinsed and cleaned before use so that it does not clog the water with turbidity, excess algae and bacteria. If the collected river sand is properly prepared, then it is quite possible to use it.

Purchased quartz filler is a ready-made option. By itself, it is white and completely uniform; in shape, each grain of sand is more like a square.

Fractions are groups of sand that vary in the size of the grains of sand. For different inhabitants of the underwater world, the following options are best suited.

• If your main inhabitants are small fish, which every now and then strive to bury themselves in the ground in order to hide there, your choice is small granules. They can be dusty, and take up no more than 1/10 of a millimeter, or slightly larger, but still easy for fish to dig. The best option for such creatures is quartz sand 0.25 millimeters in size. As a last resort, an option up to 0.5 mm is also suitable.
• For larger fish, the situation is completely reversed.... They have no desire to hide in the ground, they do it in algae and special houses, or do not hide at all. But small grains of sand, especially those with the ability to make the water cloudy, can easily get into the gills and cause various diseases, up to the death of the fish. In this case, use grains of sand at least a millimeter. Better to choose an option of 3-5 mm, you can also river sand.
• The same goes for plants. The larger the grains of sand, the better the roots are washed by water, and the better the greenery feels.

If you think that you will be limited to only one option for coloring the sand, then this is not at all the case. After all, thanks to the imagination of the manufacturers, completely different shades can be used at the bottom of your aquarium. Let's consider them in more detail.

• White perfectly emphasize the natural color of plants, and make them visually more contrasting, and therefore more noticeable on a white background.
• Black sand can perfectly complement the whole range of colors of your fish. The bright colors are wonderfully emphasized by the dark filler of the lower layer of the aquarium. This is why you can successfully use it to create an even greater impression when you see the inhabitants of your home "ocean".
• If you are a connoisseur of the color palette and understand what colors are best to combine with what, then an incredibly diverse spectrum is presented to your attention. the brightest and most colorful sand colors... You can choose your favorite shade or one that goes well with the color of your fish.

Before placing the quartz sand on the bottom of the aquarium, it must be cleaned. It should be noted that there is no need to use any detergents. Whichever option you use, you do not need to wash it with chemicals, it is even harmful.

It is very easy to disinfect quartz filler. You just need to ignite the sand on an iron tray over the fire, or simply boil it in water.

Caring for such a filler does not involve anything complicated. Before filling the bottom with the selected quartz sand of the desired fraction, rinse the aquarium itself and disinfect the sand. After that, fill everything with water that will be most comfortable for the inhabitants of this home biosphere.

As it gets dirty, you will need to pull out the soil and then re-calcify it. This is usually done no more than 2-3 times a year, together with the washing of the container itself. That's all, you can let the tenants in and enjoy the beauty and grace of these beautiful creatures, which will be especially noticeable against the background of the quartz filler.

You can learn how to care for quartz sand in an aquarium by watching the video below.