In an aquarium, a terrace is a very important component of interior decoration. How your plants and fish will look, whether the desired effect of visual volume in the aquarium will be created, depends on its shape and method of laying out. Before you start making a terrace, you need a complete understanding of how you want it to be. It is important to have an idea of what decorative items you want to put in the aquarium, what kind of stones you will use, etc.
Forms of laying soil
The first thing to start with is laying the soil. It is important to consider the fact that lifting the soil at the rear of the aquarium improves the appearance of the underwater terrace. Therefore, most often it fits with a slight slope. If you lay out the base of the aquarium in an even layer, it will look flat. You can also use the shape of an amphitheater, this will add sophistication and volume. The terrace can be made in a stepped shape, a certain type of plants can be planted on each step. This will freshen up the aquarium very much and make it look unusual. In general, when making the bottom surface, you can come up with and use various forms of terraces, it already depends on the edge of your imagination.
Soil types
When setting up an aquarium, it is very important to pay attention to the type of soil. The soil is the basis, the foundation of your future living corner, so you need to take seriously its choice.
Aquarium soil consists of two parts: mineral and organomineral. Sand, gravel, pebbles, stones, etc., are all referred to as the mineral part of the soil. With their help, all plants are held, they act as decorative elements in the aquarium.
Laterite, clay materials, organic compounds - the organomineral component of the aquarium. All of these substances support the life of organisms in the aquarium.
Soil thickness
When spreading the ground, do not make it too high. The rear should not be more than 10 cm thick and the front should be more than 2 cm. Typically, the soil at the rear of the aquarium should be 1.5-2 times thicker than the front. This allows the plants to be positioned geometrically correctly. When planting plants, tall ones should be placed in the background, and smaller ones - in the front.
Depending on the size of the substrate particles, the thickness of the soil is different. If the particles are small, spread in a thin layer. This is due to the fact that the finer the particles, the less gas exchange in the soil. For example, when using fine river sand, the layer should not exceed 1, 5 - 2 cm. For coarse river sand, a range of 4-5 cm is permissible. Small pebbles can be poured up to 7 cm high. In rare cases, large pebbles are used, which can be sprinkled up to 12-15 cm high.
When creating a composition, you can use a soil that will differ from the type and color of gravel. In this case, you can play with colors: place a light color on the top layer, and a dark one on the bottom. If you place a dark color at the top, then it will make the overall picture heavier. When using light gravel, the sense of volume will increase.
