Encyclopedia - Anaerobic Substrate
The substrate in an aquarium is an area where waste products are collected and broken down by bacteria, for planted tanks this is a beneficial process as it helps to release and store nutrients. If there is a large amount of waste or organic material and a limited flow of water, some areas of the substrate can become anaerobic (lacking in oxygen) when this happens in significant portions of the substrate, the anaerobic bacteria which grow under such conditions will release toxins into the water such as hydrogen sulphide, which can be toxic to plants and fish. Anaerobic substrate can also rot the roots of aquarium plants if the plant is unable to release oxygen to the area around its roots. For planted tanks, it is actually beneficial to have small patches of anaerobic substrate because these small areas will prevent nutrients from becoming oxidised and unusable, acting as 'storage areas' for the plants. The ideal is to have a substrate that has small patches of anaerobic areas or overall low oxygen content but does not become largely anaerobic and toxic. This fine balance can be achieved by choosing the right size substrates, which in turn dictates the amount of water flow through the substrate, and the amount of oxygen available. Substrates such as silver sand are very fine and compact easily, stopping water flow and becoming anaerobic - this can be seen when the sand turns black. When sand is used in the aquarium it must be gently stirred on a weekly basis to avoid toxic areas occurring, some planted tanks incorporate heating cables that create a current of water through the substrate so that stirring is not required. On the other end of the scale, very large substrates allow plenty of oxygen-carrying water to pass through, preventing anaerobic areas but removing nutrients in the process.
Regular gravel cleaning to reduce the amount of debris in the substrate will help to prevent the chance of substrate becoming anaerobic
Regular gravel cleaning to reduce the amount of debris in the substrate will help to prevent the chance of substrate becoming anaerobic
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N
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S
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T
T5s
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Toxins
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U
Ulcers
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Undulate
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V
Valid Name
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W
Water Column
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X
Xenia
Xiphophorus
Y
Yeast
Yellow Water
Yolk Sac
Z
Zebrafish
Zeolite
Zoonosis
Zooplankton
Zooxanthellae
Acclimation
Acidity / Alkalinity / PH
Actinic
Activated Carbon
Aeration
Air Pump
Algae
Allelopathy
Ammonia
Anaerobic Bacteria
Anaerobic Substrate
Antibiotic
Aquascaping
Artemia
Asexual / Sexual Reproduction
Assimilation
B
Bacteria
Bamboo
Barbels
Benthic
Bioload
Biolgical Filtration
Biotope
Blanketweed
Bloodworm
Bogwood
Box Filter
Brackish
Brown Algae
Brush Algae
Bubble Nest
Buffering Capacity
C
Calcareous
Calcification
Carbon Dioxide
Carnivore
Catfish
Caudal Peduncle
Characins
Chelated
Chemical Filtration
Chlorine
Cichlids
Classification
Cold Blooded
Coldwater
Community
Copper
Corals
Corydoras
Courtship
Cyprinids
D
Daphnia
Detritus
Diatom
Disinfectant
Dither Fish
Duckweed
Dwarf Cichlids
E
Ecosystem
Electrolysis
Emergent
Estuary
Euthanasia
Evolution
Excretia
External Filtration
Eye
Feeding
Filamentous Algae
Filtration
Finrot
Fins
Fishless Cycling
Flashing
Flourescent Light
Fluidised Bed Filter
Formalin
Freshwater
Frozen Food
Fry
Fungus
G
Gas Exchange
Gastropod
Genital Papilla
Genus
Gh
Gills
Gonopodium
H
Habitat
Hardness
Head And Lateral Line Erosion
Heating
Herbivore
Hierarchy
Holiday Care
Hybrid
Hydra
Hydrometer
Hydrophilic / Hydrophobic
I
Impellor
Infusoria
Invertebrates
IonExchange
Iron
J
Java Fern
Java Moss
Jawfish
Julidochromis
Juvenile
K
Kalkwasser
KH
Killifish
Knifefishes
Krill
L
Lateral Line
Light Spectrum
Lighting
LiveBearer
Loaches
Lymphocystis
M
Macroalgae / Microalgae
Macronutrients / Micronutrients
Marine
Maturation
Mechanical Filtration
Membrane
Metabolism
Metallic Compounds
Methylene Blue
Mouth
Mouthbrooder
Mucus
Mulm
N
Nauplius
Nematode
Nitrate
Nitrification / Denitrification
Nitrite
Nitrogen Cycle
Nocturnal
Non-return Valve
Nutrients
O
Omnivore
Organic
Osmoregulation
Ovipositor
Oxygen
Ozone
P
Parasite
Parrotfish
PH
PH Scale
Phosphate
Photosynthesis
Pigment
Plankton
Popeye
Power Cuts
Powerhead
Q
Quarantine
R
Rainwater
Rasboras
Redox Potential
Respiration
Reverse Osmosis
Rhizome
S
Salinity
Scales
Sedentary
Shoaling
Silicon Sealant
Siphon
Soluble / Insoluble
Spawning
Sterilisation
Stones
Stress
Substrates For Plants
Sump
Swim Bladder
T
T5s
Temperate
Toxins
Trace Elements
Trickle Filter
Tropical
Tubifex
U
Ulcers
Ultraviolet Steriliser / Clarifier
Undergravel Filtration
Undulate
Unicellular
V
Valid Name
Vegetable Filter
Vegetative Propagation
Velvet Algae
Velvet Disease
Ventral
Venturi
Vertebrate
Viviparous
W
Water Column
Water Quality
Weir
Wet / Dry Filter
Whitespot
Whiteworms
Whorl
X
Xenia
Xiphophorus
Y
Yeast
Yellow Water
Yolk Sac
Z
Zebrafish
Zeolite
Zoonosis
Zooplankton
Zooxanthellae
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