Fluval Bio-Stratum

[Lillypad]

Hi everyone!

I have a question about the Fluval bio stratum. I decided to experiment with it since I have never had plant-specific substrate before, and am getting more plants. I know that when you first put it in the tank, it turns the water dark brown. I tried to cap it with Carib Sea supernatural sand, but it just mixed with the bio stratum. Every time I do water changes m, the tank turns dark brown, and can stay this way for 1-3 days. I don’t think it is harmful for the fish, but any way to stop this? I didn’t rinse this gravel before adding to the tank because it carried live bacteria, and I heard that if you rinse it off, it can kill the bacteria. I did cycle the tank, for about 6 weeks. Until the nitrate reading was 15ppm. It has been cycled for about 1 month now. Also, any ideas on how to cap it with the supernatural sand without them mixing? How to separate them now?

any advice appreciated! 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 7/16/2023 at 10:16 PM, Lillypad said:

Hi everyone!

I have a question about the Fluval bio stratum. I decided to experiment with it since I have never had plant-specific substrate before, and am getting more plants. I know that when you first put it in the tank, it turns the water dark brown. I tried to cap it with Carib Sea supernatural sand, but it just mixed with the bio stratum. Every time I do water changes m, the tank turns dark brown, and can stay this way for 1-3 days. I don’t think it is harmful for the fish, but any way to stop this? I didn’t rinse this gravel before adding to the tank because it carried live bacteria, and I heard that if you rinse it off, it can kill the bacteria. I did cycle the tank, for about 6 weeks. Until the nitrate reading was 15ppm. It has been cycled for about 1 month now. Also, any ideas on how to cap it with the supernatural sand without them mixing? How to separate them now?

any advice appreciated! 

How deep is your sand cap? Should be 2 inches minimum for a cap.

[Lillypad]

I only did one inch cap… but even if I had another inch, it would still mix together, right?

[Lillypad]

And if I add more sand, will I need to re-cycle the tank?

[flyingcow]

I put stratum in mesh bags under my sand cap. Got a little brown water the first time, but then it stopped. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 7/17/2023 at 11:49 AM, Lillypad said:

I only did one inch cap… but even if I had another inch, it would still mix together, right?

It shouldn’t. People that make dirted tanks do a 2” sand cap.

[nabokovfan87]

On 7/17/2023 at 10:27 AM, Lillypad said:

And if I add more sand, will I need to re-cycle the tank?

No, you shouldn't need to start cycling over. There is bacteria on plenty of surfaces, mainly the filtration, as opposed to just the substrate.

[Shadow]

So I had this same issue with my first tank and decided never to go with Stratum again...even in my neocaridina tanks. My early 3 neocaridina breeders I used it and wish I had of used what I use now which is Aqueon, which does not leave all the "dust". Also Stratum is known to drop pH, which it did A LOT, in my first tank. Lesson learned. If it were me, you can get a lot better results from using substrates that are plant specific like ActivFlora and they will not mess with the pH, instant cycle and are great substrates for planted tanks. In this case, you can def add more CaribSea sand to cap it more as 1 inch is def too little of a cap with this substrate. Really I would go 2-3 inches, but depending on the plants you have established my just keep it at nearer to 2 inches. As @nabokovfan87 said, once you cycle your filter...adding more scape, whether sub or hard, shouldn't (un)cycle it. Hope you see some results as I am sure the clouding is becoming irritating.