# Fluval Shrimp Stratum=BAD



## ctaylor3737 (Nov 14, 2013)

crypticmonk said:


> Not sure if this site has a reviews section, but I wanted to leave a review for this product.
> So this is something that is used to lower the pH in shrimp tanks. Fluval seems like a pretty reputable place, so I thought I'd go with it (the price is pretty good too). Some things that attracted me to it were it's color and the fact that is doesn't have fertilizers or leach very much ammonia like some other products out there.
> However, before even putting it in the tank, I can say this is total crap. It produces a TON of silt/dust and melts away to mud very easily (this would most likely be amplified in acidic water). The ONLY time I could see someone using this is if you use it as a bottom substrate with something on top (I'm actually going to buy some black fire glass...I'll let everyone know how that turns out), and you get it set up long before you actually put the shrimp in.
> Personally, I think all of these shrimp substrates out there are a joke. As long as you use an inert substrate and use RO water, you should be fine.


A lot of substrates create dust,and will turn to,mud eventually. This,does help keep it stable, just cap it and it'll be fine. Most people do that

-Chris


----------



## Subtletanks91 (May 29, 2013)

A lot of people will disagree here. Not here to start any issues just giving my honest opinion.

I've never used shrimp stratum, but a lot of people have said it turns to mud quickly. About a year give or take, but the buffering shouldn't wear out.

People use shrimp or buffering substrates simply for that reason, to buffer the water. Ph and kh are the general that get buffered. It's easier to start I a substrate (Amazonia, which I use in both my tanks and my third and 55 when it was running and is by far the best substrate out there) that will buffer your tap water to what ever shrimp, or fish your keeping needs. Say you have cichlids, African, you need a hih ph, and you can't get that with inert substrate. You need to use either crushed coral or a substrate to buffer the ph up. Either way your using a buffering method, why put coral in the tank when you can use a substrate that buffer the ph to where you need it and keeps it stable instead of constant fluctuations. The same for shrimp and lower ph's. IMHO it's better to use a buffering substrate and keep things stable as delicate as shrimp are than to have an inert substrate and have constant ph kh gh fluctuations and kill everything in the tank. 

Every substrate that is sand, clay, dirt, cat litter, safetsorb etc is dusty, you can't get around that fact. Even rinsing them out there is still dust and silt. But this also involves how your adding water. Just dumping water in of course there is going to be a blizzard of debris in the tank, but slow and steady wins the race in many many aspects of this hobby. 

Anyways this is just my opinion.


----------



## crypticmonk (Sep 6, 2012)

Subtletanks91 said:


> A lot of people will disagree here. Not here to start any issues just giving my honest opinion.
> 
> I've never used shrimp stratum, but a lot of people have said it turns to mud quickly. About a year give or take, but the buffering shouldn't wear out.
> 
> ...


No, thanks for your comments...
How does Amazonia compare? I was actually thinking about going with that, but was turned away due to the horror stories about ammonia...
Does it keep its form pretty well? 

Yeah, I agree that active substrates can be good. You don't want to take any risks...I was just upset with this product (plus there are very few TRULY inert substrates out there).
I just think that when you're paying that much for a substrate, you deserve to get your money's worth. Especially with a company like Fluval. I mean, don't they test it before?!


----------



## aluka (Feb 2, 2013)

isn't fluval shrimp stratum pretty much the cheapest buffering substrate? so you are getting what you paid for. Its cheaper than the others, so its messier, but it works and still buffers.


----------



## dru (Mar 9, 2013)

I had great results with FSS. I got away without dosing my tank for ~8 months.










It is not more dusty than any other planted substrate I have used. I wouldn't bash the product just because it didn't work out for you.


----------



## MamaJu (Jun 4, 2013)

I experimented with both Fluval Stratum and ADA Amazonia. I had 2 Fluval EBI's, one with Fluval Stratum and one with ADA Amazonia. 

I had CRS in the Amazonia tank. No issues. Shrimp multiplied and molted fine. Plants did great.

I had red cherry shrimp in the Stratum tank. Shrimp had issues molting and Stratum was so light that I had difficulty planting anything. The Stratum turned to mud quickly and any disturbance of the substrate caused a huge cloudy mess.

Eventually I threw the Stratum out and replaced it with Amazonia. 

Hope that helps. PM if you have any other questions about Stratum vs Amazonia.


----------



## Subtletanks91 (May 29, 2013)

True Amazonia leeches ammonia but it was designed that way to do a fish less cycle in the tank. And to be planted in almost immediately to get ,the plants to absorb the ammonia. I can't say for long term how it holds up but I have heard 3 years if you take care of it and use ro water.

All clay based substrates even sand and gravel will be dusty murky and cause dust clouds. But when I uproot and re plant in Amazonia I never have a dust cloud rise up. And my plants grow like crazy


----------



## werner_eye (Apr 4, 2014)

I have a big bag of Fluval Stratum that I haven't torn into yet. I have an 8 gallon aqueon with threadfins that I would like to put this in. Right now the tank is just bare bottom with driftwood/anubias and some java moss. Jump started the bio filtration process with a sponge from an existing tank. Now I'm kinda iffy on using it since this my first go around trying co2. Maybe cap it?


----------



## markisashrimp (Jan 27, 2014)

Subtletanks91 said:


> A lot of people will disagree here. Not here to start any issues just giving my honest opinion.
> 
> I've never used shrimp stratum, but a lot of people have said it turns to mud quickly. About a year give or take, but the buffering shouldn't wear out.
> 
> ...


Well said!
After reading this makes it a little more easier me to get an idea what I may go with for substrate. I do a agree about having a sub for buffering purposes like reef tanks.


----------

