Activ-Flora Planted Aquarium Substrate, 20-lb bag

Ordered three bags for my 40 gal substrate arrive emptied and cleaned the aquarium. Installed the substrate and planted the the aquarium waiting for the tank to go through the cycle. Looks great and plants are doing great.

If done correctly this substrate is amazing for your fishtank. However if you do it wrong, as in add it to your tank that already has water in it OR add water to an empty tank with this substrate to quickly the particles in the substrate will float and make the water murky. So drain your fish tank out, add the substrate, then slowly add water back in. Let settle for 2hrs before adding your fish in and your good to go! Love this stuff!!!

I've asked people really into the hobby and they said this one helps their plants a lot as long as you use root tabs and fertilizer, which it does. I also like how nice and natural it looks.

After reading the reviews and not being able to find the substrate I really wanted, I decided to give this a try for my smaller aquarium. I'm so glad I ignored the boneheads who didn't read the instructions and cried about the clouding being an issue. It's perfect for what I needed. It does cause clouding but as long as you follow the instructions on the bag(which also explain this) the clouding will resolve in 1-6 hours. DO NOT rinse this gravel!! It defeats the purpose of the bacteria and the plant nutrients!!... My mild clouding resolved in 2 hours. It would've been less if I didn't need to turn my filtration to the lowest setting to accommodate my fish. It's pretty, very natural looking and After reading the reviews and not being able to find the substrate I really wanted, I decided to give this a try for my smaller aquarium. I'm so glad I ignored the boneheads who didn't read the instructions and cried about the clouding being an issue. It's perfect for what I needed. It does cause clouding but as long as you follow the instructions on the bag(which also explain this) the clouding will resolve in 1-6 hours. DO NOT rinse this gravel!! It defeats the purpose of the bacteria and the plant nutrients!!... My mild clouding resolved in 2 hours. It would've been less if I didn't need to turn my filtration to the lowest setting to accommodate my fish. It's pretty, very natural looking and holds plants in place. I like heavily planted aquariums. A substrate that provides nutrients, allows for healthy rooting and looks natural is perfect! It instantly cycled my aquarium, but I never rely on that just in case the bacteria has died due to heat or time. Instead I buy pure amonium and add bacteria I trust to instantly cycle. You can buy Dr Tims Amonium on Chewy for 3$. A must have for any aquarist. If you don't have fish to add you have to keep feeding your bacteria or it dies. To add this gravel with minimum clouding and WITHOUT RINSING as directed, I laid a towel down next to the aquarium and the bag of gravel down flat on the towel, leaving it in the plastic bag chewy mailed it in as well. I cut a large flap in the middle, enlarging the flap as needed along the way. I took a mason jar and scooped out one section at a time. Using the flap to push the jar against and turn it upside down, draining the extra liquid between each scoop. I laid each scoop close to where it would eventually be flattened or shaped. Repeat process till the bag is empty. I only ended up with a few drops of the fluid on my floor. I took the bags of liquid to the sink(ig you don't you'll probably need more than one towel). Dumped it. Rinsed it a little. Shaped my gavel how I wanted it. Put the original bag over the top of the gavel and then added water(how the professional aqua-scapers add water). When I only needed about 10-20% water to fill it up I added my plants, wood & other items. Topped water off. Added my water treatments/nutrients for plants & animals. Waited for acceptable temperatures to be reached and then acclimated my fish, snails, shrimp etc. Added everyone and turned the lights off(reduces stress when moving aquatic life). In the morning it was gorgeous, everyone was happy and ready to eat! … more

This product has a great color and nice size. However you must rinse it many times to get the water clear. Put in your tank out of the bag causes muddy water and clogged filters. Just know you’ll be rinsing about an hour per bag. Thus the 4 stars

This product says it will make your aquarium cloudy when you add the stones, but that it will clear up in approximately six hours. Not so. I put the stones in my tank over a week ago, and it is still VERY cloudy. I would not dare to put live fish in that muck!

This is a very pretty grey, and the plants seem to be doing quite well so far. I'd recommend it for sure

It's a nice substrate it is larger in circumference but I love the color I chose. my plants are still pretty tiny so I did do a pool filter sand about a half-inch deep underneath this just so when they have got something to help the roots around in. I thought it was a good value.

As advertised, great texture and look. Fish love it. And it looks so natural. Should of started with it from the beginning.

I have not have a single plant be able to root into this gravel. I've had it for two years and that whole time I've never had plants that are able to last. I have a 65 gal aquarium and I bought 6 bags of this gravel to have a thick layer for the plants. Still, no luck.