Aquarium substrate is an essential part of growing and maintaining aquatic plants. Plants require the substrate to be able to meet the plant’s needs in texture, nutrients, and quality. This makes it important to search for an aquarium substrate that is not only going to benefit your plants but also visually please you.
A high-quality aquarium substrate will help your aquatic plants to grow lush and vibrant while giving them the main essential nutrients that they require for proper rooting and healthy growth.
This article will be reviewing some of the best substrates that plants love, while still looking attractive enough to be displayed in your aquarium. Aquarium plants thrive and grow in the right substrate, but some substrates may cloud the water. This makes it important to find a substrate that requires minimal hassle when you are trying to maintain the soil.
The CaribSea Eco-Complete aquarium substrate is the best aquarium substrate for monetary value. You get a 10lbs bag for a more affordable price when compared to other aquarium substrates in this category. The substrate does not have to be rinsed and does not cloud the water for longer than 24 hours. The substrate should be replaced every year because the nutrients leak out after a few months and then the plants will only be rooted in plain soil. If you decide to not change the soil, you can purchase root tabs and plant fertilizers to make up for the lost nutrient value.
The Fluval Live Planted and Shrimp Stratum is a premium choice for those who are looking to grow their aquarium plants. The substrate is rich in minerals that promote fast growth in plants. The roots of the plants can easily penetrate the soil and develop a good rooting system inside of the soil. Fluval has developed this soil to help aquatic plants flourish and the texture allows for delicate roots to easily grow through. This will also stop the plants from being uprooted and moved around by the aquarium’s inhabitants. The only downside is that this substrate does cause clouding if it is not rinsed before use.
The Amazonia Light Soil is formulated from natural soils and provides a great basis for plant growth. The substrate is in the form of granules which maintain their form for a long time. The substrate is great for tropical tanks and mimics natural tropic environments. The colloid particles capture dirt that is floating in the water without the use of any chemical treatments. The substrate lowers the hardness level of the water which can be a downside for some aquatic inhabitants. The substrate greatly lowers the pH of the water to make it suitable for most freshwater plants. This can be a downside for some animals in the aquarium if they require neutral to high levels of pH.
Seachem Flourite Dark is a porous clay that is good for freshwater planted aquariums. The substrate does not have a high nutrient content and does not need to be replaced. The texture of the substrate can start to become compact after a while and trap in debris from the water column. A milky clouded appearance is usually observed in the water if it is not rinsed thoroughly. Some plant roots may find the texture of the substrate hard to penetrate. The substrate is overall good for planted aquariums that are not heavily stocked.
The Aqueon Plant and Shrimp Substrate promote plant growth for a variety of freshwater plants. The substrate is formulated for the use of planted invertebrate enclosures. The sand is good for aquascaping and is made of a clay-based material. The substrate is on the pricier side and comes in small five-pound bags. Aqueon Plant and Shrimp substrate rarely have to be replaced. The downside to this substrate is that the porous clay texture may make it hard for roots to penetrate through, and it creates a murky cloud in the aquarium for a few days.
