Aqueon Plant and Shrimp Aquarium Substrate 5 Pounds,Brown

I always steered clear of substrate, because it always seemed to be just a big fat mess. I heard some good stuff about this substrate, and since it was economical and convenient, I thought that it was worth a try.I turned out really good. I have a 40 gallon tank, and mixed three bags of this in with the blue and white gravel. Overall, it is more esthetically pleasing, and I have noticed that my plants are doing better.It also really works with aquascaping (landscaping underwater). These tiny little balls are each about the size of one of those tiny styrofoam balls you get when you break apart styrofoam pieces. They are made of clay, which I guess is good for underwater plants, but since they are clay, they help hold the aquascaping together. So, mounds and valleys will tend to stay put. Adding plants would also help hold the aquascaping in place.

I've been using this small, dark, round aquarium substrate for my tanks, and it's been a fantastic choice. Its small size makes it incredibly easy to clean with a smaller syphon, especially in my smaller tanks. The substrate's dark color adds a beautiful contrast to the vibrant colors of my plants, fish, and invertebrates like snails and shrimp.One of the standout features is its ease of maintenance. With regular cleaning using a small syphon, I can easily remove debris without disturbing my plants or the delicate habitats of my invertebrates. The substrate also provides a stable base for plant roots and promotes a healthy environment for all tank inhabitants.Overall, I'm very impressed with the quality and functionality of this aquarium substrate. It's versatile, aesthetically pleasing, and makes tank maintenance a breeze. Whether you have plants, fish, or invertebrates, this substrate is a great choice for creating a thriving aquatic ecosystem.

I’ve bought this several times. I like it more than the fluval stratum because this one doesn’t cloud my tank like fluval stratum (no matter how gently I add water the fluval aqua soil makes the whole tank a dark dust cloud for days until it settles or gets filtered out).I also like the shape of this aqua soil more than fluval’s as well because it’s uniform and adds a cool circular texture.It’s also cheaper than fluval stratum.It’s my go to when I want aqua soil.I will say that if you are going to cap with sand use lots of sand because it will work its way up on top of sand substrate. I literally have a tank where I capped this aqua soil with some layers of sand and after a few months all the aqua soil balls are sitting on top of the sand.

Wanted to add some dirt substrate to my tank and this looks to be a solid option. The substrate looked solid and clean with minimal cloudiness when rinsing. Only complaint is that the package size was smaller than expected. The weight is correct but the photos could have done a better job showing how small the package is to so i would have known to order more or go larger.

I have a couple small aquariums set up with this for plants and shrimp, with a fine sand over top. Plants and shrimp still get the benefit of this substrate. Plants do much better, and helps with water perimeters for the shrimp. I got more to set up another small tank. You can also use in larger tanks. Its a dark color, finer texture than small gravel, easy to use. This bag is a great value for the price!

The media could not be loaded. I’ve been using Aqueon plant and shrimp substrate for the past four months, and I couldn’t be happier with the results! My anthuriums, alocasias, and Jose Buono propagations are absolutely thriving. The substrate provides excellent aeration and drainage, keeping my plants roots healthy and strong.A little goes a long way—even the small bag has been more than enough for my needs. Another huge plus is how easy it is to clean and reuse, making it a great long-term investment. If you’re looking for a high-quality substrate that promotes strong growth and is hassle-free to maintain, I highly recommend giving Aqueon substrate a try!

The smaller tank is our shrimp tank. The Amazon frogbit in it has thrived so much even it's roots have dove down the 9 or 10 inches it took to get to that aqueon substrate. That tank has had liquid fertilizer put in it twice in it's entire lifetime and everything is growing very well in the substrate.Also the larger tank is a community tank with about 15 or so fish in it right now. The large Amazon sword grew roots as long as is leaves in all directions in the about 4 months since first planting.I really prefer this stuff obviously for the price but also because it's perfect functional as a high end substrate.I'm my experience with using this over the last almost year, I've not seen any fading of color or shape. There has been no need to add soil fert capsules because this soil seems to have good nutritional longevity.

here's a photo of 5 pounds of substrate in my 5 gallon tank, which filled perfectly, leaving enough room to keep plant roots from floating out. the clay balls are a good size, not too big. if you're planning on using this as your main substrate, i'd definitely recommend a pound a gallon, maybe a few extra pounds too for adding some shape to the substrate in the back.the color ends up black once wet, perfect for keeping your tank aesthetics cleancleaning was pretty easy, just rinse a few handfuls of it in a sieve with water for a few, i do a minute or so per handful just to make sure no dust is ongood value too! would reccomend