Any experience with fluval stratum

[Craig Matthews]

Anyone with any experience with this substrate? Pros and cons, pH buffering, I've read it does and doesn't have nutrients, it does and doesn't break down after time, does it cloud water or plants dislodge easily etc...
Thanks,

 

[jcspotless]

I used it to setup my recent tank. I certainly seen an effect on KH / DH from it. Takes my tap water from GH 12 KH 7, to GH 6 and 3 before weekly water change. Too early to say if it will continue (tank setup in Dec). I didn't rinse before use and saw no clouding of water. I don't think it made planting any easier or more difficult compared to gravel. So far so good, I would use again.

Here a link to Journal if you are interested
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/57l-fluval-flex-setup-dec-2018.56275/

 

[X3NiTH]

I used a combination of Plant and Shrimp in my first fully planted tank, it worked very successfully. However I found it to be a nightmare to plant shallow in it as it is a very light medium and high tank flow or fish would easily uproot plants, planting deeper improved the situation. It's a brittle substrate and If it dries out it is extremely friable (think rice crispies) and goes to dust. Even when wet the mechanics of deep planting can easily crush it so you have to be gentle with it.

As for it containing nutrients I can't really say as I was dosing full EI. The water it received was remineralised RO/DI with Bee Shrimp Mineral GH+ to GH6, if any KH went into this tank the substrate scavenged it all so the water always read 0KH on measurement.

I had a lovely S.Repens Carpet in this tank until it experienced Plantmageddon. I made an autodosing mistake in this tank and a month or so of Micro (EDTA chelated trace) ended up in it, I rectified that mistake quickly and performed a large 75%ish water change (it already had a 50% change earlier as the accident happened when I was reintroducing the micro manually and forgot to turn the timer off), I then dismissed this would give me problems as Ian_m always likes to repost his Macro dosing accident anecdote and its ineffect on his tank, it's a good anecdote so no problems right?

Over the course of a few days the tank went to sh*t literally, complete meltdown, I couldn't work out what was wrong. Now I have to say here I use a CO₂ controller, it was working in 0dKH water (200TDS) and I was beginning to think something was going haywire, no change in read pH but the dropchecker was progressively yellowing and fish were starting to gasp at the surface, the plants didn't look happy, something really bad was going on. The controller behaviour was telling me the KH was rising when none was being added (this prompted a bout of unsaid severe paranoia suspecting sodium bicarbonate sabotage, salted tank), I tested the water and the GH was about 14 and the KH about 12, like wtf! It took me a while to work out what had really happened and my conclusion was this, the Micro dosing accident caused the Stratum to disgorge any GH and KH it had stored over time through Cation Exchange and replaced it with the overdosed Micro.

I won't use it again (using JBL shrimp soil and it is a heavier and denser material making it easier to plant in) but that's not saying it's bad, it's got a high CEC so it is a good substrate to use even when dosing EI, just don't make any overdosing mistakes with it especially with Traces.

 

[ian_m]

I use Fluval Statum in my 180litre tank. Can't remember how much but far far more bags full than I initially anticipated/calculated.

Initially I set it up about 2cm of Stratum at the front going to 5cm or more at the back with about 2-3cm gray capping layer of sand. I used plastic milk bottles cut into long strips as "dividers" to keep the slope. That was in 2012. Bought all my Stratum from Zooplus.co.uk. I don't think it is a fertilised substrate, I was dosing EI.

However within a couple of weeks "patches" of Fluval Stratum started appearing in the sand, especially were the x10 (or more) flow rate reduced the sand cover. Once "burst" through was extremely difficult to put back and keep covered with sand. Also the sand slowly moved to the front of the tank, over my plastic dividers, flattening the slope and exposing Stratum at back, despite the "current flow" going in the other direction. 😕

In the end, one evening (finished at 1am or later !!) I hiked it all out, a sieve/colander will let the sand through and keep the stratum. Put sand layer back and covered with about 2-3cm Stratum, no slope this time. It has been like that ever since 2012.

Substrate hasn't crumbled over the years, some sand does break through, but it is easier cover the sand with Stratum that covering Stratum with sand ever was. Reasonably easy to plant in, possible too light as I went to a George Farmer demo and had a play test plant in both JBL and ADA soils and they were slightly denser (and much much more) expensive and appeared to "grip" the plants better when placed. However I haven't had too much trouble keeping the plants planted. Below is a rescape in 2017, you can see HC held in place + a sand patch leaking through.

 

[oscarlloydjohn]

I have used it, as other said it is very light. Mine also exhausted it's buffering capacity within 6 months, although my tap water is very hard. I haven't had any problems with it turning to mud but overall I think there are better products available like tropica soil and ADA aquasoil.

Hope this helps 🙂

Oscar

 

[ian_m]

If I was doing it again, knowing what I know now and knowing how expensive proper substrate is (just buy it !!) and having seen how proper substrate grips the plants:

Use
1. Bite the bullet and use ADA powder and substrates.
or
2. Use JBL volcano as packing/buildup layer (instead of sand) covered with JBL soil. (as used by George Farmer).
http://www.jbl.de/en/products/group/3397/substrate

 

[Craig Matthews]

Thanks for all your replies, I purchased the fluval stratum and im pretty happy with it, I have been used to using 10mm gravel so planting is a breeZe in comparison. Some interesting points about having no nutrients as the bag I purchased specifically said in bold that it packs nutrients from some Japanese volcano mud, I've also been trying to find the CEC rating but I can't find it, does it have a high rating does anyone know? Which brings me to the point of nutrient exhaustion of the soil, if it has a high CEC I ei dose so how effective is ei dosing at charging substrate, enough to keep plants healthy? I also have jbl clay balls will that help charge it when needed? Ian that's a mighty long time you have had your soil, no crumbling, sighns of nutrient defiency from the soil? I've read so many times to change complete substrates yearly but others write and controdict these statements especially Ian m longevity of his soil.

 

[ian_m]

Ian that's a mighty long time you have had your soil, no crumbling, signs of nutrient defiency from the soil?

No nutrient issues with plants or algae. All plants require a weekly trim to stop them escaping around the tank. I am dosing 1 1/2 times EI levels, green going yellow drop checker and 4 T5 tubes on 8 hours a day. Stratum is fine after coming on 6 years. You can crush the Stratum "balls" if you want, but during normal plant fiddling not had any issue with soil breaking up.