Bare bottom (no substrate)
Also known as: Bare bottom, Glass bottom
Properties
| pH effect | not applicable |
|---|---|
| KH (carbonate hardness) | not applicable |
| GH (general hardness) | not applicable |
| Nutrient load | none |
| Ammonia release initially | No |
| Longevity | indefinite |
| Cost tier | free / DIY |
How it affects the tank
- Maximum visibility of detritus: anything that drops to the glass is obvious and easy to siphon, which makes it the choice for breeders, shrimp colonies and species that benefit from extreme cleanliness (discus, fry-raising tanks)
- Forces plant choice toward epiphytes (anubias, java fern, mosses) mounted on hardscape, or floating plants
- No anaerobic substrate zones to manage and nothing to vacuum during water changes
- Bottom-foraging fish such as Corydoras catfish prefer a soft sand bed to root through with their barbels and tend to become reclusive or stressed on bare glass
Care notes
Standard practice in discus breeding tanks, shrimp colony setups and quarantine tanks; breeding-tank guides commonly specify a bare bottom for hygiene. It is aesthetically divisive, working well with planted hardscape (wood, epiphytes and moss) but feeling clinical with fish alone, and floor reflection can stress some species, so a thin sand patch or a moss mat helps. Bottom-dwellers like Corydoras genuinely prefer a soft substrate to forage in.
Plants that work in bare bottom (no substrate)
21 aquarium plants in the catalog list this substrate as compatible.
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