Fluval Plant & Shrimp Stratum 8kg

Suitability:1 8kg bag is 9l worth good for 3-4 cm depth substrate, 90cm (length) x 30cm (width)Quality:highly reputableAppearance:greatGot on Xmas for great price compared to other sellers. Seller is a well known lfs and product brand is well known internationally. I did make a mistake with the substrate calculator and should have referenced 4kg, not 8kg as per this bag (I ended up buying 5 bags instead of just 2-3. But its alright. As per picture, you may want to note that substrate is not suitable for soil diggers nor African and Central American cichlids, which did not come across in my initial research and I was planning to set up my 4ft tank with apistogramma as the showpiece. As I wanted the soil for its low acidic value. Having bought it and read the ... MoreSuitability:1 8kg bag is 9l worth good for 3-4 cm depth substrate, 90cm (length) x 30cm (width)Quality:highly reputableAppearance:greatGot on Xmas for great price compared to other sellers. Seller is a well known lfs and product brand is well known internationally. I did make a mistake with the substrate calculator and should have referenced 4kg, not 8kg as per this bag (I ended up buying 5 bags instead of just 2-3. But its alright. As per picture, you may want to note that substrate is not suitable for soil diggers nor African and Central American cichlids, which did not come across in my initial research and I was planning to set up my 4ft tank with apistogramma as the showpiece. As I wanted the soil for its low acidic value. Having bought it and read the description, I came across a tik toker who topped off the soil with sand while others did not report much issue using the soil for their apistogramma.

I just started to use this Fluval Plant and Stratum Volcanic Soil for my terrariums and aquariums plants and so far my plants are thriving and growing very strong and healthy. This mineral rich soil does not make my aquarium-water cloudy. It promotes neutral to mild acidic PH in the water for my plants and shrimps which I will have in a few days also, it is affordable. I definitely recommend this mineral rich stratum.

I use fluval stratum for my tropical ariod house plants! I like how effective it is to grow nice strong roots on all my plants as well as maintain great hydration and airflow. I typically pair my fluval stratum with perlite to get maximum air flow and it does my plants justice! The price of fluval can be very pricey if you have a large quantity of plants but it’s definitely worth the price if you would like to see your plants flourish! I have never used it for its intended use with is for a planted aquarium but I do highly enjoy and recommend for house plants!

A nice aquasoil for live plants.

This is a nice looking, lightweight aquasoil substrate for live plants. I gave it a light, very gentle rinse and had no problems with water clouding. Your plants may initially be slightly harder to keep in place due to how light this substrate is, but once they grow in their roots they'll be fine. Despite how light it is, I haven't had much trouble with it being displaced during water changes.I did experience a slight ammonia spike the first day or two that the substrate was in the tank. It was easily taken care of with a water change and a dose of Seachem prime. By the third day is was cleared.This substrate also works to buffer the water PH levels. My tap water and other tanks hold a PH of about 8.2, but my tank with Fluval Stratum in it holds a PH of ... MoreThis is a nice looking, lightweight aquasoil substrate for live plants. I gave it a light, very gentle rinse and had no problems with water clouding. Your plants may initially be slightly harder to keep in place due to how light this substrate is, but once they grow in their roots they'll be fine. Despite how light it is, I haven't had much trouble with it being displaced during water changes.I did experience a slight ammonia spike the first day or two that the substrate was in the tank. It was easily taken care of with a water change and a dose of Seachem prime. By the third day is was cleared.This substrate also works to buffer the water PH levels. My tap water and other tanks hold a PH of about 8.2, but my tank with Fluval Stratum in it holds a PH of 7.6.Overall it's a nice planting substrate. I've been using it for a week and already see growth in my swords and crypts. Just be mindful of the possible ammonia spike in the first few days of use.

Fluval stratum plant & shrimp care

Never used dirt in my aquarium before. It's a little messy,I used gravel to top it off. I have a 30 gal. Tank,used one 7pd. Bag. Laid just e nough gravel to cover the fluval. Water was really dirty, so I did a water exchange for about 10 min. Cleared the water enough to put fish back in the aquarium. Don't forget to put your plants in before the water exchange! My plants look great & fish are happy campers.dont let the dirty water get the best of you. It's well worth it. My tank has been crystal clear for 3 weeks without charging the water

High quality potting mix

Too early to tell if this is the holy grail I have been looking for. Most aquarium plants I have had in the past gradually die over a couple of years beginning the day I buy them. With this product I have set up a few plant pots using this substrate as my potting mix with a bit of aquarium gravel on the top to keep it settled (maybe not needed but Im being cautious as this product is new to me). Of course, water quality plays a big part as well but now that I am retired, I hope to make water updates more frequently. It is certainly giving the plants a positive start. My wish is that the plants actually grow and get thicker, and over time, need dividing. Note: I have a cold water tank and have been advised this product is right for me even though the product ... MoreToo early to tell if this is the holy grail I have been looking for. Most aquarium plants I have had in the past gradually die over a couple of years beginning the day I buy them. With this product I have set up a few plant pots using this substrate as my potting mix with a bit of aquarium gravel on the top to keep it settled (maybe not needed but Im being cautious as this product is new to me). Of course, water quality plays a big part as well but now that I am retired, I hope to make water updates more frequently. It is certainly giving the plants a positive start. My wish is that the plants actually grow and get thicker, and over time, need dividing. Note: I have a cold water tank and have been advised this product is right for me even though the product description seems vague as to whether it can be used for cold water. In fact I have been advised it will last longer in cold water. Feeling positive. Only been in for about a month but so far everything looks fresh and healthy For those of you who notice the heater in the tank, I live in a very cold winter climate so during winter, whilst attached to a plug-in Timer, I use a heater just to take the chill off the water temperature. Otherwise it can get so cold, I cant even leave my arm in for very long when cleaning.So the heater changes the temp from painfully icy to just plain cold.

Not for a tank with fish.

I bought this because I wanted a live plant take with Live bearing fish. I'm new to this but I just wasted money on this because it lowers the PH and KH to the point my fish couldn't breathe. I just tossed it all and have a huge project ahead of me and more money spent. Only get this if you know what your doing. It's probably only for shrimp.

Nutrient Rich, Cloudiness solved by sand cap.

I bought this a few year ago. I know people complain a lot about it turning the aquarium water black, but if you let the sediment settle, plant, and cap with sand ( great barrier to keep the sediment trapped) it works great. I don’t mind the cloud because it’s a nice and nutrient rich substrate. Everything else gets snagged in the filter. Really great stuff.

Seems good!

This substrate seems great! smells like dirt, it will make ur aquarium cloudy even if you rinse it. Heres how I went from the first picture to the second picture.First I took everything out of my current aquarium, yes everything including the gravel- you need to start bare with no water. I took an extra metal dog bowl and poured the substrate in gradually and gently rinsed it three-four times with cold water.After this I put it at the bottom of my tank and gently flattened it out with my fingers. Do not press on them, it is dirt in a ball form, it will break, leading to cloudy water.Once I had all the substrate in, I capped it off with black gravel. capping it off will help keep your water clear.After this, I put the dog bowl in the tank to help displace pouring ... MoreThis substrate seems great! smells like dirt, it will make ur aquarium cloudy even if you rinse it. Heres how I went from the first picture to the second picture.First I took everything out of my current aquarium, yes everything including the gravel- you need to start bare with no water. I took an extra metal dog bowl and poured the substrate in gradually and gently rinsed it three-four times with cold water.After this I put it at the bottom of my tank and gently flattened it out with my fingers. Do not press on them, it is dirt in a ball form, it will break, leading to cloudy water.Once I had all the substrate in, I capped it off with black gravel. capping it off will help keep your water clear.After this, I put the dog bowl in the tank to help displace pouring the water in. You don't want to pour it directly on the substrate because it will cause it to cloud up again. After this you should have a decent look, but when you put your plants in it will bring some of that dirt back out from you pushing your fingers into the dirt.What you want to do from this step is get some seachem purigen. It comes in a big bag, but you can cut it and put some of it in an organza bag, then put it in your filter. This stuff is a life saver and will clear up your water within a few hours. I put the substrate in last night, and this morning woke up to a clear tank because of this stuff!Happy aquascaping, I will try to update in the future with plant growth.

The great reviews don't lie!

This is a substrate that I'd heard a lot of good about while watching videos on YouTube from various aquascaping channels, and the hype was not wrong. This has been a fantastic substrate for my plants so far, and seems to be benefiting the health of my tank overall. There's another high review that mentions a potential ammonia spike, and I did experience the same thing. I've also both rinsed and NOT rinsed this substrate, and I'd honestly recommend not rinsing it before placing it in your tank. It's like a dried mud or clay in texture, and does have a way of falling apart as you try to rinse it if you're not gentle. You might also be inclined to overwash it, as there will continuously be sediment in the water regardless of how long you rinse. That's just the nature ... MoreThis is a substrate that I'd heard a lot of good about while watching videos on YouTube from various aquascaping channels, and the hype was not wrong. This has been a fantastic substrate for my plants so far, and seems to be benefiting the health of my tank overall. There's another high review that mentions a potential ammonia spike, and I did experience the same thing. I've also both rinsed and NOT rinsed this substrate, and I'd honestly recommend not rinsing it before placing it in your tank. It's like a dried mud or clay in texture, and does have a way of falling apart as you try to rinse it if you're not gentle. You might also be inclined to overwash it, as there will continuously be sediment in the water regardless of how long you rinse. That's just the nature of the substrate. When I used it without rinsing, I didn't experience a ton of cloudiness. What little I did see cleared up quickly within the hour.As far as volume, the tank I used this bag in is 5.5 gallons. If you only want about an inch, then one bag is likely fine with a tank around my size. Any more than that (or a larger tank), and you'll want more than one bag. It's absolutely worth it though, in my opinion, especially if you plan to have a planted aquarium. If you're gonna invest in quality materials for your tank and aren't sure where that money should go, a solid substrate like this one is a great choice.