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Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum, For Fish Tanks, 4.4 lbs., 12693?
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i use seachem fluorite black for my substrate, and i live in regret of this choice almost every day
it’s great for my plants sure, but all it takes it slightly disturbing it and it turns my water black. i rinsed it like a maniac before i first put it in my tank and it barely helped.
fluval makes a good substrate that people on this sub seem to like fluval substrate
Fluval stratum is the one I use, they have it on Amazon or at petsmart for the same price, I’m sure any other aquarium store will have it too
I am using fluval stratum substrate. It does say that it slightly lowers the PH but I have had this setup for a month and a half now and only recently have I seen the PH taking a dive like this.
My first response is hold on, whats this about organic soil in the fish tank?? Why not just use a substrate designed for plants and fish/shrimp like fluval stratum?? Link here: Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum, For Fish Tanks, 4.4 lbs., 12693 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JGQIY48/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_4VADT9NHJ8GDJ5PTZFVR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I personally really like dwarf hairgrass because it's so soft but also rosette swords, hornwort, and anubias. Just do your research and get a couple planted that you like, most aquatic plants are extremely easy to propagate so you can make more plants from the ones you already have. Also remember a ten gallon isn't super deep and some aquatic plants get decently tall, so dwarf or shorter varieties might work better for you. I highly recommend the r/aquaswap for finding people selling plants.
I know, I know, i said “one last question”…..that wasnt true😂. Would https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Plant-Shrimp-Stratum-8-8-Pound/dp/B00JGQIY48/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=7HA5VK9B0GZ0&keywords=fluval%2Bstratum&qid=1644166190&sprefix=Flubal%2Bst%2Caps%2C102&sr=8-1&th=1&psc=1. Be what you were talking about?
Good to know thank you! I didn’t have a specific product in mind I’d just seen aquarium soils in the ball form like this one and wondered about them. The reason I ask is that I’m planning to build a tank, I’d like to use soil as the substrate since they can sift through it and glean a decent amount of nutrients through that and seem happiest in soil. But at the same time I was going to use gravel since they can’t dig in that, so if I have a gravel tank with a small box of sand, they only lay eggs in the sand box which is way easier to just remove and dry out between generations instead of tearing down the whole tank. So I was hoping these soil balls would be the best of both worlds but maybe I’ll look into the Eco Complete stuff instead
looks pretty good to me besides the spongebob house, kinda throws off the vibe I guess. If you’re looking for good substrate to keep plants alive, I’d recommend this java ferns and anubias nanas are good hardy plants too, they’ll definitely help with ammonia until you get a bigger tank.
Just some fluval plant and shrimp stratum.
Some people recommend using pills for nutritional reasons for the plants, but I didn’t use any and rinsed out the stratum with warm water before placing in the tank.
This is my first tank, so not sure of how to deal with algae... I have read somewhere that I should reduce the amount of time the lights are on each day, but since I don't know what kind of algae this is, I'm not sure on any other more specific treatments. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!
I checked water parameters earlier today using the API freshwater master kit and everything seemed fine, the readings were:
pH: 6.6
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 5.0
Tank is heated (78-80F) and filtered. It is a 9 gallon tank and the only inhabitant is a male betta. The substrate is a top layer of heavy aquarium gravel with a layer of lighter Fluval Stratum underneath. I have had the tank for ~1 month, but only started observing algae growth when I bought the plants ~2 weeks ago. I didn't know it was algae at first, but it has been multiplying pretty fast and seems more obvious now.
hiya, please remove the tag from the amazon link (else someone profits from our users using that link). easiest is to just post a clean link (remove everything after the articlecode, like this: https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Plant-Shrimp-Stratum-4-4-Pound/dp/B00JGQIY48)
If you do shrimp I would get a small bag of a shrimp safe substrate (not sure if they make smaller bags) and plant it. Leave it set up for a month to a few months before you add anything to it. Most shrimp need a well established aquarium with biofilm and algae build up. If you have tanks already you could put some cycled media in it and feed it a small pinch once a week to speed up the process.
There are a number of aquarium all-in-one soils and I recommend you go with one of those.
This is the most common one I can think of: https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Plant-Shrimp-Stratum-4-4-Pound/dp/B00JGQIY48
Other than making your water slightly more acidic that stuff does nothing but make your tank more stable. If you want to use fertilizers with it go ahead, if you want to never add a fertilizer, go ahead.
I'm using the Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum substrate (link), chosen because of it's 'mineral rich' qualities and supposedly helping to stimulate plant growth. I may have to pick up some root tabs; are there any brands you suggest?
I'm going to pick up some Flourish Excel on Amazon right now. What would you say besides Flourish/Flourish Excel are the ultra necessary Seachem products I should dose into the tank per that schedule?
Thanks so much again for all of your help. I appreciate it more than you know!
Also you can use some of this substrate to help lower your ph naturally: Fluval Plant & Shrimp Stratum Aquarium Planting Substrate, 2.02999999999999 kg https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JGQIY48/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2WbHFbMKWYK5X
It’s great for plants too :)
What type of substrate should I be looking for if I want plants in it. I see "for shrimp" on some of them. Does it really matter or is it really safer for shrimp for that special type of substrate.
For example, here is one that is volcanic in nature for shrimp https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00JGQIY48/ref=twister_B01NCK0R4S?_encoding=UTF8&th=1
The picture shows the 10 gallon (top) with 1 betta, 1 Nertile snail, and 6 pygmy corydoras; and the 27 gallon (bottom).
I'm hoping to move all of the fish from the 10 gallon to the 27 gallon, transfer the existing banana plant and Amazon sword plants. I am planning on using the following substrate since my fish are already used to it:
Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum, 4.4-Pound https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JGQIY48/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_t-dbDb25BJMJ8
I want to add fish, and I'm thinking if a school and maybe more bottom feeders. Let me know what you think!!
You mean this stuff, right?:
https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Plant-Shrimp-Stratum-4-4-Pound/dp/B00JGQIY48
I was looking at that, but ultimately, potting soil has more nutrients in it (and it's what I'm used to using in all other aspects of my life), and I just prefer the idea of roots going into real soil.
So with that in mind, would you suggest the stratum as a cap? Or is that too light for a cap?
I’m not sure about the crushed shell, but I would be wary of it because it seems like a rough substrate.
However, gravel and sand are all inert substrates, meaning they don’t add any nutrients for plants. You can get away with this by buying root tabs and pushing them deep under the substrate. You only need to replace them like once every month or so.
I use sand in all of my planted tank and they are fine with root tabs. If you’re looking for nutrient rich substrate, I know a lot of people use Fluval Stratum, but I have no experience with this.
Hmm, I don't think I've ever encountered a substrate guide like that, but based on the plants and fish you want to stock, you'll have success with either aquasoil, or sand+RootTabs.
If you weren't looking for a dark sand I would suggest going to your local hardware store and picking up Pool filter sand, but unfortunately it's usually white.
I've heard great things from Black Diamond blasting sand, but I'm not sure if it's available in Canada.
If you go to any of the pet stores near you, you'll probably be able to find "CaribSea Super Naturals" sand, which works well and it pretty commonly available.
For soil, I used Fluval Aquasoil for my first heavily planted tank, and it worked well. It's a bit expensive, but since you're setting up such a small tank I don't think it'll be too bad. I'm guessing a 4.4lb bag will be enough, but please double check!
It depends on what pants you want to add to the tank. Things like anubias and java fern don't need to have a great substrate because they take their nutrients from the water column directly.
If you're going for more rooted plants like swords or carpeting plants you should add a nutrient rich substrate. Things like Fluval plant and shrimp stratum or Seachem flourite are great and I have used both with success. I recently used CaribSea Eco Complete and loved it. It has the benefit of also having beneficial bacteria to help cycle the tank.
I think you should change to a clay-based aquarium soil. I suggest using Fluval Stratum
https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Plant-Shrimp-Stratum-4-4-Pound/dp/B00JGQIY48/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=aqua+soil&qid=1611110434&sr=8-1 this is the link on amazon its very nutrient rich it will do the trick. I used it for my 3 Gallon Nano tank
Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum... here is an amazon link if you want it :) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JGQIY48/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_EE3TCb3DY0BV5
I'd definitely switch to another substrate first thing. The two options I would suggest are either Fluval Stratum or Eco-Complete depending on what you want. The main difference between them is that Stratum is an active substrate (more like soil, has nutrients, will break down overtime and need to be replaced) and Eco-Complete is an inert substrate (very porous rock that will soak up nutrients added to it, doesn't break down). Both will be great for planted tanks, but the stratum will be better for Caridina shrimp (vs Neocaridina) because it helps lower pH, where as eco-complete doesn't effect pH.
Next thing to think about is what kind of plants you want in there. If you're going to keep the built in light you'll want to stick with easy low light plants such as Java Fern, Anubias, Cryptocoryne, Amazon Sword, or various mosses. I'd recommend some floating plants like Amazon Frogbit or Salvinia Minima too, they soak up nitrates and shrimp love grazing on the roots. If you're interested in upgrading your lighting (which I would recommend) let me know and I can help point you in the right direction.
Decor is really up to your own discretion, but I'm a proponent of only using natural components in aquascapes. A nice spindly piece of drift wood or a good little rock formation would look nice in there. Arranging the substrate to make high and low elevations goes a long way towards creating a sense of depth in the tank. Aquascaping is a whole can of worms that I'm honestly not that great at, so I'd recommend doing some research if you feel inclined! That all being said though, it's your tank and if you like the way a specific decoration looks then use it! Don't let some rando on the internet (like me) tell you how your tank should look.
The last thing I'd suggest is using an aquarium specific ammonia to dose while cycling the tank. I tried the fish food method with my first tank and it was super inconsistent, but once I tried using actual ammonia I never went back. One bottle will last you forever and you won't get nearly as many worms from food breaking down in the tank. Be wary of the instructions on the bottle though, they are pretty heavy on the dose. Best way to do it is try like 1/4th to 1/2th the dose it recommends, wait 15 minutes, then test your water to see how much there is in the tank and add more as needed. It can take a little bit of testing, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Substrate for live plants
Or gravel (good for some plants but not others)
Definitely, if you want the dark substrate I got I got this, you can plant live plants directly into it too! And if you wanted the soft sand I got this. Remember to rinse it before putting into the tank!
I am using fluval stratum substrate
I have a mishmash of stuff. I started with Fluval plant and shrimp stratum, but I needed a bit more, so I added Aqueon Plant & Shrimp substrate.
I added lava rocks to the back of the tank to give it a hill and depth. You can't really tell, at all.. When i started pouring water in, everything fell between the cracks, haha.. and now it's so planted, it's difficult to see. But I was trying to create layers by adding in hills. I wanted to get a strong bacterial colony as well, so I tried bulking up on the substrate and porous lava rock for bacteria surface area.
I added a $5 powerhead for water movement, and also superglued a sponge to the bottom of it so baby shrimp wouldn't get destroyed. I figured I'd see if I could get some more surface area in there too. I'm considering sewing some moss to the sponge filter, to see if I can make it blend in more.
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/aqueon-plant-and-shrimp-aquarium-substrate
https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Plant-Shrimp-Stratum-4-4-Pound/dp/B00JGQIY48
Thanks! Its Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum amazon was the first link I picked but I get it from my LFS
What you’ll need to start a hobby in fish keeping! :) at least for a 10 gallon: Strongly recommended- $16 Fluval Stratum Aquatic plants- $25 Kit, comes with multiple for a REALLY good deal Seachem prime (best water conditioner out there)- $4.50 The 100mL
If you want to keep shrimp or betta, I strongly recommend a sponge filter instead of the filter that hangs on the back because it’s safer and has less flow. Although I don’t know much about those types of filters, I do recommend this YouTuber: Girl Talks Fish
Other than that, good luck! :) and please research ANY fish before getting them for the 10 gallon. Some personal favorites I recommend for a 10 gallon are- betta fish pea puffer fish Pygmy corydora (not to be confused with ANY other corydora) freshwater crab a LARGE school of chili rasbora (not to be confused with other rasboras, but galaxy rasboras can be kept in a 10 gallon too) Freshwater shrimp (Cardinia and Neocaridina) African dwarf frogs (not to be confused with African CLAWED frogs) Small school of White Cloud Mountain Minnows Etc, etc. the list goes on. Be mindful though, that these fish and other aquatic animals, need the 10 gallon to THEMSELVES, they cannot be mixed with other fish/species of animals! If you need any further help I’m always here to help :)
Hijacking your top post for some questions I see asked:
@/u/ringofire888 The substrate is 2 bags of 2kg Fluval Stratum
@/u/floydly The marimo moss ball and the moss are held inside by 2 glass plant holders
@/u/clichenoir The aquarium itself is a Superfish Qubiq 30 Pro
Some details if you want to buy this:
-the Pro version has 223 Par high power LED lighting over the non-pro lowlight <strong>LED</strong> version, getting the Pro version is essential for good plantgrowth
-It comes with a built in filter including space in it to put a 50w heater
-I cut the standard onlyrough mechanical media in the cartridge and use small layers of rough to finer mechanical, some carbon, a thin layer of scrubber and 1/3rd ceramic for biological culture in it instead.
-I do not us CO2, when I first started planting I did use a couple of parted root tabs though.
Stocking: the aquarium houses a single dumbo ear Betta female, a small group of pygmy corydoras and unknown amount of cherry shrimp. The pump is only 200l/h and the aquarium is 30L, the rim doesnt close and leaves about a 1cm gam from which fish could jump out so not jumperfriendly.
Future: Planning on upgrading the filter to an external Eden 511/521 or Oase filter+heater combo and later the aquarium to a Qubiq pro 60 as this one has been a big success.
History: I have been keeping rooms full of aquariums in the tropics and breeding all kinds of fish since I was a toddler so I have quite some XP in setups.
Plant selection depends on a few things. Light levels, hardscape, substrate choice, fertilizers, and c02 all effect what you can use.
I'm not at all familiar with C02, so I'll recommend plants that don't require it.
You don't have to take my word as gospel, pick and choose interesting plants, research them yourself, and look for them at local fish stores before ordering them online. Local fish stores will also be (usually) more knowledgeable about these plants needs, and will also have a larger variety of rarer plants.
5-10 Hardscaped
- I'd go with no carpeting plants
- A few Java Fern or any small Anubias on the driftwood. Java moss is also a must for shrimp. Plant it in cracks of the driftwood, and use fishing line to tie it down if needed.
- A centerpiece Amazon Sword.
20-55 Hardscaped
- I'd recommend up to a dozen (assorted or homogenous) Java Fern and/or multiple types of anubias planted in the hardscape. Java moss tied to driftwood.
- For a foreground carpeting plant, Dwarf hairgrass (medium-high light), or Dwarf Chain Sword if you want a looser carpet look.
- For a middleground plant, Amazon swords, Red Melon Swords, Red Flame Swords, and any Crypts. Scarlet Temple is also a good medium-back plant.
- For background, Water Sprite, Pogostemon Stellatus, and Valisneria are are good options, however if you can find a large sword, it can be a great background plant in even a 55 gallon.
55 or larger I wouldn't recommend for a beginner shrimp tank. Frogbit works well with any of these plants, so long as they don't require high light.
For fertilization, I recommend Easy Green All-In-One. Root tabs aren't necessary if you're using fluval stratum for something similar, but are required with gravel. If you want heavy plant cover, I recommend against sand entirely.
For hardscaping, I usually stick with Spiderwood and Ohko "Dragon" Stone. Don't buy these online, unless absolutely necessary.
On where to buy these, avoid petco/petsmart. Their plants and fish are usually diseased or infested with pests, and their hardscaping options are ridiculously overpriced. An LFS will sell natural driftwood and rocks for much cheaper. Sometimes driftwood will be sold in variety petstores as bird toys. Driftwood needs to be soaked at least a week (usually in something like a bucket of water, but once I had a piece so big I had to use a bathtub). Shrimp also love catappa leaves.
Some advice on hardscaping. Don't think of an idea that involves a specific rock shape and a certain size of driftwood to look perfect. Instead, go to the store, grab what you think will look good, and then come up with an idea from there. It will save you so much time, I promise.
What tank size are you thinking of getting? If you any follow-up questions about anything else, feel free to ask. Sorry for the long post, there's so much to do in the aquarium hobby, especially for a beginner, and I'm not the best at staying concise.
I'm no expert with plants but I'm trying. I started a 20 gallon with bigger pebbles at substrate. I have some duckweed on top and put random plants in the gravel. I am having trouble getting them to stay alive. I added Seachem Excel, Flourish and API leaf zone. I even added a small CO2 setup to it, I also removed a lot of duckweed thinking the light may not be getting down to the other plants. I'm also starting to think the light isn't high enough watts or I put too many plants.
I just got a 20 gallon long and added https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Plant-Shrimp-Stratum-4-4-Pound/dp/B00JGQIY48 for my substrate, I added some plants, rocks and drift wood to it. It hasn't been up long to tell if this tank will be better for plants, it's almost done cycling. This may or may not help but what I've gone through so far to get my plants to flourish.
I have used fluval with great success. https://www.amazon.ca/Fluval-Plant-Shrimp-Stratum-4-4/dp/B00JGQIY48
Now if only my geophagus would let the plants take root 😀
You should get some pearlweed and some sort of rich substrate (if you have the funds of course, ik it can be difficult sometimes, but you could probably find a local hobbyist willing to give you trimmings, or buy it off of a lot of websites for real cheap) if you get that stuff under a simple nicrews light and any fluval stratum it'll carpet really well and could look pretty cool. This is just an idea of course, but could be a nice introduction into the realm of planted tanks. It also might give all your snails a little something to munch on all day long
Substrate: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JGQIY48/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_XOV4Fb9PQ9VF4
Nicrew: https://www.amazon.com/NICREW-ClassicLED-Aquarium-Spectrum-Freshwater/dp/B07F7391M2
Happy birthday!
Anything on my list is welcome but I am working on setting up a planted aquarium so this substrate would be helpful right now. Surprise!
I believe it is this one Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JGQIY48/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KBniFbYXFMCZ5, but I bought it from Petco.
Oh i used the fluval stratum https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Plant-Shrimp-Stratum-8-8-Pound/dp/B00JGQIY48?th=1
Thoughts between these two substrates? Also do you put gravel or anything else on top?
Fluval Stratum is what in this tank.
I'm starting a new shrimp tank and want it to be well planted. What suggestions to you have? I think I'll get a glass square cut and 3D print mounts and maybe buy a larger light. Any suggestions on plants? I don't want to pump in CO2.
Substrate: Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum, 4.4-Pound https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JGQIY48/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_Ly8FzbWTZZ8CG
Tank (4 Gal): Vepotek AQUARIUM FISH TANK NANO Kit 4 Gallons w/LED light and filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AGVYASU/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_YE8Fzb1JCXHA1
Looks like Fluval Shrimp and Plant Stratum
So, ADA doesn't seem to be on Amazon. I found Aquasoil, and its a huge bag and kinda pricey. Would fluval plant media be comparable or is it worth the larger investment?
Could use this substrate. Good for plants too.
Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum, 4.4-Pound https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JGQIY48/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gRT-CbY1WFGNQ
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