Fluval 12698 Natural Mineral-Rich Volcanic Soil Bio Stratum for Planted Tanks, 17.6 lbs. - Aquarium Substrate for Healthy Plant Development, Growth, and Color
Condition: New
Buy Now, Pay Later
As low as
$11
/ mo
Learn more
- – 4-month term
- – No impact on credit
- – Instant approval decision
- – Secure and straightforward checkout
Ready to go? Add this product to your cart and select a plan during checkout.
Payment plans are offered through our trusted finance partners Klarna, PayTomorrow, Affirm, Afterpay, Apple Pay, and PayPal. No-credit-needed leasing options through Acima may also be available at checkout.
Learn more about financing & leasing here.
Selected Option
Free shipping on this product
30-day returns
Learn more
FREE 30-day refund/replacement
To qualify for a full refund, items must be returned in their original, unused condition. If an item is returned in a used, damaged, or materially different state, you may be granted a partial refund.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
Availability:
In Stock.
Arrives
Saturday, Sep 27
Color: Bio-Stratum
Size: 17.6 Pound (Pack of 1)
Style: Substrate
Features
- Promotes Robust Plant Growth: This aquatic soil helps enrich plant development and fosters vigorous growth with vibrant coloration, ensuring your aquarium thrives with lush foliage
- Activates Beneficial Water Conditions: Infused with dormant nitrifying organisms, our aqua soil activates upon contact with water, swiftly breaking down waste and initiating the nitrogen cycle for a balanced aquatic ecosystem
- Stabilizes Water Conditions: Rapidly reducing ammonia levels, Fluval soil helps stabilize water conditions in new aquariums, ensuring a healthy environment for your aquatic inhabitants
- Enhances Root Penetration: Featuring lightweight 1 mm powder granules, our non-compacting substrate allows delicate roots to effortlessly penetrate and spread, promoting optimal plant growth
- Improves Water Quality: Porous granules facilitate extensive bacterial colonization, serving as an additional biological filtration source, while a potent blend of nutrients and minerals ensures improved water quality for your aquarium ecosystem
Description
Fluval Bio-Stratum features beneficial "bioactives" that efficiently break down waste, jumpstart the nitrogen cycle, and swiftly diminish ammonia levels, ensuring stable water conditions in new aquariums and sustaining health in established ones. Its fine powder granules serve as an extra biological filtration source, fostering enhanced water quality through their porous and non-compacting nature. Explore our range of fish tank accessories, including aquarium filters, filter media, heaters, air pumps, lights, rocks, thermometers, and stands. With a legacy dating back to 1975, Fluval revolutionized the aquarium industry with the world's first 3-stage filter utilizing synchronous motor technology—an innovation still influential today. Our commitment to innovation continues, as we persistently strive to develop cutting-edge aquarium products that set benchmarks in quality, style, and functionality. Fluval's mission transcends product creation; we aim to inspire aquarists of all levels to appreciate and uphold the hobby's beauty and importance for generations to come.
Product Dimensions: 16.93 x 12.6 x 0.2 inches
Item Weight: 17.6 pounds
Manufacturer: Rolf C. Hagen (USA) Corp.
Item model number: 12698
Specific instructions for use: Indoor
Assembly required: No
Batteries required: No
Included Components: All items listed in description.
Frequently asked questions
If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is:
Saturday, Sep 27
Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
- Klarna Financing
- Affirm Pay in 4
- Affirm Financing
- Afterpay Financing
- PayTomorrow Financing
- Financing through Apple Pay
Learn more about financing & leasing here.
Similar Products
Top Amazon Reviews
Color: Stratum
Size: 4.4 Pound (Pack of 1)
Style: Substrate
This has become a standard in my substrates, I blend it in with gravel, sand, whatever type I'm setting up. Planted tanks are the only way I roll, fully bioactive, and (virtually) changeless system set-up; soil is vital to plants and plants are vital to the chemistry. I've 2 products from this brand and I'm not inclined to change unless a real good reason manifests to do so. Neither product is what one may call 'cheap,' but it's certainly worth the money, my aquatic plants are so healthy that some specimens are abnormally big and have been a challenge to identify. (some of my seed stock didn't have anything but Chinese on the labels, so I had to wait until they grew to get them identified correctly.) The success I'm having with my tanks seems almost uncanny given I'm still something of a "newbie," these are my first tanks, all are less than a year old, and to have nailed it on the complete and healthy ecosystem model like a pro is testament to how great the science is developed and disseminated - and to the quality of products. Soil is everything, whether in my garden beds, potted plants, or aquatics - same rules apply. As I've said many times already, my water quality tests are always so spot on that it looks like I'm 'cheating,' and this stuff is one of the ingredients achieving all that.
...
show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2025 by William Axsom
Color: Stratum
Size: 17.6 Pound (Pack of 1)
Style: Substrate
Good stuff. Came highly recommended and now I recommend as well! Plants and fish are doing great. First time with live plants I did not wash before adding to the tank, but waited a week to add plants then a few days more for fish. Water gets real cloudy then clears up. First couple times you disturb it the fine stuff comes up, but after a while it stays clear. Give it enough time. Not supposed to wash it like you wash gravel. Do your research! Good luck!
...
show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2025 by AJW AJW
Color: Stratum
Size: 8.8 Pound (Pack of 1)
Style: Substrate
The product has proven to be quite effective, creating a natural environment that both plants and fish seem to thrive in. The plants adapt well, flourishing beautifully, and the fish seem to appreciate the ecosystem as well. However, I've noticed that when the plants are still small, a strong water flow can easily displace them, causing them to float on the surface of the tank. This issue may stem from not allowing enough time for the plants to establish strong root systems before introducing them to the water flow. Despite this minor setback, I have found this product to exceed my expectations. It doesn’t cloud the water as much as I initially feared, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that any murkiness clears up within a day after the water is added. Overall, this setup creates a very harmonious ecosystem ideal for keeping fish alongside live plants, which really enhance the tank’s appeal. I’ve observed remarkable growth in the plants just four days after introduction, indicating a vibrant and healthy environment.
...
show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2025 by Shad Shad
Color: Stratum
Size: 4.4 Pound (Pack of 1)
Style: Substrate
Fluval Stratum has been amazing for my plant care routine. I use it for seedlings and to rehab plants, and it’s been working perfectly for both. The texture is ideal—it holds moisture well without getting waterlogged, which is great for delicate roots. My seedlings establish quickly in it, and plants I’m rehabbing bounce back faster than with other substrates I’ve tried. It’s easy to work with and feels like a premium product. If you’re looking for a versatile growing medium that’s great for starting new plants or giving struggling ones a second chance, Fluval Stratum is definitely worth it.
...
show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2025 by Edgel
Color: Bio-Stratum
Size: 8.8 Pound (Pack of 1)
Style: Substrate
This is great for planting and is very nice in the tank. If you pour your water in slowly, you do not have to worry about it dusting up and making your tank appear dirty, but I suggest not washing it as that can eliminate the bacteria that makes this product so expensive. Additionally it can affect the ammonia in your tank so be sure to cycle thoroughly. Value for money: Good quality and worth the price Design: Gorgeous in tank Ease of use: Easy to plant in. Plants stay put!
...
show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2025 by D. S. Griswold D. S. Griswold
Color: Stratum
Size: 8.8 Pound (Pack of 1)
Style: Substrate
Using this at first I was scared, the water was getting dark and I get a phobia of water I can’t see. I let the filter run and it cleared overnight. Makes it perfect for decor but it helps your plants thrive and is easy to clean with a water vacuum. Comes in a big bag, definitely worth the price. It’s a nice blown/black color type, doesn’t have a smell. It’s super easy to use, just follow the instructions, I read the bag, and I also ready some reviews online to see what others do for this type of gravel/soil. Makes the tank look so nice, I mixed it with white gravel and it just adds a lovely touch. Let it sit and adjust, have the filter run, I have 3 sponge filters in this tank so it definitely helped a lot and clears, even when cleaning
...
show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2024 by Jillian Jillian
Color: Stratum
Size: 17.6 Pound (Pack of 1)
Style: Substrate
This Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum stuff works pretty well. It's not too hard to put in the tank, which is nice because I was worried about that at first (I once spent like an hour trying to arrange some rocks, but then I realized they were all just going to get moved around by the filter anyway). Anyway, this substrate helps my plants grow good and it seems to keep the water quality decent. My shrimp are definitely happy with it too - they're always hiding in the little crevices and stuff. Makes me wonder if that's where they sleep? (I mean, I know fish sleep kind of differently than humans but still...) Overall, this Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum is a good choice for anyone who wants to keep their plants and shrimp healthy. It's easy to use and it does what it's supposed to do. Plus, the price was really reasonable - I couldn't find anything else that came close in terms of value (maybe because they don't have to ship all the way from overseas or something? who knows).
...
show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2025 by ryross