Description
Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum is the base layer for a planted or shrimp aquarium, not just gravel with a nicer name. It is a volcanic substrate harvested from the mineral rich foothills of Mount Aso in Japan, and its porous granules are built to do two jobs at once: give plant roots something they can actually grow into, and give beneficial nitrifying bacteria an enormous surface area to colonise.
That second point is the one new tank owners underestimate. Those bacteria are what convert toxic ammonia from fish waste into nitrite and then into far less harmful nitrate, and a substrate that houses a large colony of them gives your biological filtration real depth. Stratum also helps hold a neutral to slightly acidic pH, which is the range most live plants, tropical community fish and freshwater shrimp prefer.
Shrimp keepers get a bonus. The porous structure gives newborn shrimp somewhere to shelter from hungry tankmates until they are big enough to fend for themselves.
- Volcanic substrate sourced from Mount Aso, Japan
- Porous granules encourage strong root development
- Large surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonise
- Helps hold a neutral to slightly acidic pH
- Gives newborn shrimp somewhere to hide
- Available in 2kg, 4kg and 8kg bags
No rinsing is needed. Add it to a clean tank and fill slowly to avoid clouding, and monitor KH over time since Stratum can soften water. You can shop all things aquarium for plants and test kits.