1 term related to aquarium & fish keeping, explained in plain English.
What Is Aquarium Substrate?
Substrate is the material lining the base of a fish tank — commonly gravel, sand or specialist planted-tank soil. Beyond looks, it anchors live plants, hosts the beneficial bacteria that break down fish waste, and affects water chemistry; gravel is the easiest to clean and most widely used, while finer sand suits bottom-dwelling fish and specialist soils suit heavily planted tanks.