Fluval 12694 Plant and Shrimp Stratum for Freshwater Fish Tanks, 8.8 lbs. – Aquarium Substrate for Strong Plant Growth, Supports Neutral to Slightly Acidic pH

This has become a standard in my substrates, I blend it in with gravel, sand, whatever type I'm setting up. Planted tanks are the only way I roll, fully bioactive, and (virtually) changeless system set-up; soil is vital to plants and plants are vital to the chemistry. I've 2 products from this brand and I'm not inclined to change unless a real good reason manifests to do so. Neither product is what one may call 'cheap,' but it's certainly worth the money, my aquatic plants are so healthy that some specimens are abnormally big and have been a challenge to identify. (some of my seed stock didn't have anything but Chinese on the labels, so I had to wait until they grew to get them identified correctly.) The success I'm having with my tanks seems almost uncanny given I'm still something of a "newbie," these are my first tanks, all are less than a year old, and to have nailed it on the complete and healthy ecosystem model like a pro is testament to how great the science is developed and disseminated - and to the quality of products. Soil is everything, whether in my garden beds, potted plants, or aquatics - same rules apply. As I've said many times already, my water quality tests are always so spot on that it looks like I'm 'cheating,' and this stuff is one of the ingredients achieving all that.

This stuff is great, little pricey but you get what you pay for. I thought it would be messy but the small balls hold up well provided you don't crush them. Shrimp and fish health are not affected by it and boy does it look good in the tank. Plants love it and fish prefer it, especially when compared to bright gravels... The 1st picture was when I first started the tank with the soil and 2nd pic is 3 months later. I've had other tanks with sand/gravel...this soil makes a difference! Big tip: Place a small lid or use a paper towel to block water flow when initially filling up your tank. Minimize your splashing. Also I highly suggest you DO NOT pre-rinse this soil. I know the directions say so but don't do it. Big mess and unnecessary. As long as you don't pour big buckets of water on the soil your tank will clear up quickly. If you are going for a natural planted tank this is your soil.

This is such a nice substrate for fish tanks!! The color is so earthy and looks VERY nice with green and live plants! 💚 There is no weird smell odor that comes from it. It is also very safe for fish because it is very small so they will not get stuck and injured. Overall AWESOME substrate and I would HIGHLY recommend this to all fish keepers!! 💕🐟💚

Highly recommend this. My tank looked a little cloudy when I first set up my tank but in just a few hours I could see it clearing up. I went with some recommendations on not rinsing the substrate and I'm not regretting it. I've never used any substrate like this or attempted to plant a tank but after several decades I thought it would be time to try something different - I've always loved the look of planted tanks but felt to intimidated. However, I grew some balls and just went for it. So far my tank is looking so clear and my overhead plants are growing like crazy, the roots are have reached the bottom where the substrate is and my fish are happy and healthy as ever. Honestly, very pleased with this purchase and it's worth the hefty price. Recommend

This is a good substrate. I have a 20 gallon tank, so I bought one bag because I wasn't sure what kind of soil I wanted to use (yes, I know the soil layer should be much larger, I read all the recommendations). It is stated that this substrate should be washed a little before use, I did so and it turned out to be a huge mess, it was difficult to pour it wet into the tank, it was difficult to put in, all the water became cloudy, next time I will not wash it and leave this job to the filter 😅. It has been over a year and my plants were enough with such a small layer of substrate, but I would recommend buying at least 2 bags for 20 gallons, it would make it easier to plant plants. Now my plants feel good, fish and shrimp have had no problems either, sometimes I use liquid plant supplements, I don't have CO2

First time trying any substrate of this type. Even thought many of the reviews I read here mentioned to rinse this product off with water before putting it in the tank (as I did) and then filling it up due to it clouding up the water. It still clouded the water up pretty bad. I did find out that after rinsing and mixing it with gravel as the first layer and then covering it with one inch or more of sand, that the cloudiness is not a problem as in my other two experimental tanks in which I tested this product. With that, I will state that after the cloudiness was resolved the plants in the tanks have done very good and the growth rate of the plants is impressive. I will also recommend that if you have fish such as Plecos, Banjo catfish, or any other type of fish that digs into the substrate for cover or nest build, that you increase the volume of sand you would normally use, since once they hit the substrate you will get the cloudiness as I did. Other wise it is a good product. The 4 stars is due to the cloudiness.

I have been using normal sand in my nano aquarium from about last 1yr or so but now the plant growth started to reduce. This is the reason why I thought to try a substrate. This fluval is good, plants looks healthy now but nothing very exceptional to say. This pack is too much for my nano tank, i have half of the contents left in the packet.

Recouvert de gravier, ne trouble pas l'eau du tout. Il faut verser l'eau lentement. A voir après au niveau de la pousse des plantes.

Ich bin mit dem Fluval Stratum sehr zufrieden. Der Bodengrund lässt sich leicht einbringen, wirkt natürlich und sorgt für ein hervorragendes Pflanzenwachstum. Die Wurzeln greifen gut, und die Pflanzen entwickeln sich sichtbar kräftiger. Auch das Wasser bleibt klar, und der pH-Wert wird auf einem stabilen, leicht sauren Niveau gehalten – ideal für viele tropische Arten. Optisch wirkt der dunkle Bodengrund sehr edel und bringt die Farben der Pflanzen und Fische richtig schön zur Geltung. Fazit: Hochwertiger, nährstoffreicher Bodengrund – ideal für Aquascaping und bepflanzte Becken. Klare Kaufempfehlung!

👍

Meilleur substrat pour Aquarium