Search  for anything...
Ultum Nature Systems

Ultum Nature Systems Controsoil - Aquarium Substrate Soil Gravel for Natural Aquatic Freshwater Planted Fish Tank, Black Extra Fine

  • Based on 387 reviews
Condition: New
Checking for product changes
$22.99 Why this price?

Buy Now, Pay Later

As low as $5 / mo
  • – 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

Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

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.
Fulfilled by Amazon
Arrives Wednesday, Jul 23
Order within 1 hour and 40 minutes
Available payment plans shown during checkout

Recently Viewed

Size: 1 Liter - 2 lbs


Color: Black - Extra Fine


Features

  • Designed For Planted Aquariums - Granule composition and sizes provide optimal oxygen exchange and rich nutrients for aquatic plants.
  • Optimal For Fish And Shrimp - Suitable for all freshwater inhabitants such as tropical fish and shrimp that prefer slightly acidic aquarium water.
  • Low Ammonia Release - Promotes and accelerates beneficial bacteria growth.
  • No Rinsing Required - Helps clarify and detoxify cloudy water by actively absorbing impurities.
  • pH & kH buffering - Buffers water to slightly acidic pH and lowers total water hardness for better aquatic plant nutrient consumption environment.

Description

Ultum Nature Systems has partnered with Marfied to bring you Ultum Nature Controsoil. UNS Controsoil is an andisol based substrate created from the volcanic ash of Mount Aso in Japan. Choosing the right substrate is a vital component for a successful planted aquarium. It allows plants to flourish while buffering the water to optimum levels for certain freshwater livestock. Proper aquarium substrate is paramount to successfully growing healthy aquatic plants. Controsoil absorbs impurities in your water column to provide a healthy environment for livestock. The texture and porosity provide the perfect medium for plant roots to latch onto. This soil is specifically designed for planted aquariums and shrimp keeping without excessive ammonia, which can lead to algae during initial use. Ultum Nature Controsoil does not require any rinsing and won't cloud your water when properly used. For the best results, place your Controsoil into your aquarium prior to adding water. Add water slowly without stirring up the soil For planted tanks, we recommend using UNS Controsoil with UNS Plant Food fertilizers. Directions: Place the substrate in to an empty aquarium. When filling the aquarium with water, place a dish or other item to disburse the water flow and minimize disruption to the substrate layer. How much soil do I need? Length x Width x Desired Substrate Height (in inches), Divided by 60 = Liters of soil needed. Made in Japan. Available in 2 colors: Black and Brown. Available in three granule sizes: Normal (5mm), Fine (3mm), and Extra Fine (1mm). Available in three bag sizes: 1L, 3L, and 10L.

Brand: Ultum Nature Systems


Liquid Volume: 1 Liters, 10 Liters, 3 Liters


Item Form: Granules


Target Species: Shrimp


Manufacturer: Marfied


Item Weight: 1.98 pounds


Manufacturer: Marfied


Is Discontinued By Manufacturer: No


Date First Available: April 12, 2018


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Wednesday, Jul 23

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.

  • Klarna Financing
  • Affirm Pay in 4
  • Affirm Financing
  • Afterpay Financing
  • PayTomorrow Financing
  • Financing through Apple Pay
Leasing options through Acima may also be available during checkout.

Learn more about financing & leasing here.

Similar Products

Top Amazon Reviews

    • Quality substrate at a perfect size
Size: 3 Liters - 6 lbs Color: Black - Extra Fine
Review Image by Ash Ash
The dip-n-dots large sized substrate balls weren’t ever my favorite. Opting for a slightly more natural looking finer substrate, this one is perfect although a little pricey. But to be expected from the UNS brand; you get what you pay for: quality! Would use for my next scape build for sure.
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2024 by Ash Ash
    • Beautiful substrate for a planted tank.
Size: 3 Liters - 6 lbs Color: Brown - Extra Fine
I bought the Xfine Brown and very happy with the color. It appears darker brown, but under water and my ONF Light, the color takes on a lighter tone. This works extremely well with Dragon Stone. It is indeed very fine and so easy to work with. I did NOT rinse it. I placed my hardscape in, then planted into the substrate dry, misting the plants. When I filled the tank, there were floaters, but the moment you placed your fingers on them, they sunk. None of my microsword plants floated to the top, or other plants. The next day, the tank was completely clear, I was astonished actually. In fact, I'm ready to release my Betta as all my numbers are spot on and the temperature is perfect. I highly recommend for its fine texture, ease of planting, no rinsing and finally, it really looks amazing ! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2023 by DirtDiva
    • Great !! exactly what I was looking for
Size: 1 Liter - 2 lbs Color: Brown - Normal
they work great. work as youd expect. looks really clean and is easy to use.
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2024 by Tyler salseg
    • Excellent for lowering pH
Size: 3 Liters - 6 lbs Color: Brown - Extra Fine
Review Image by Turtledragon Turtledragon
Review Image by Turtledragon Turtledragon
Review Image by Turtledragon Turtledragon
I unfortunately have very hard, high pH water, so I got this to help correct the pH in my tanks. I found out through online research that most soil based substrates leach ammonia in the beginning. This one is not too bad, but I would still recommend soaking it in a bucket of treated water for at least a week or two before adding it to an established and occupied tank, especially if you have sensitive organisms like shrimp. When I measured the pH in the bucket after weeks (I had gotten busy with other things), this substrate brought down the pH from 7.6 out of the tap to under 6. It also brought down the GH and Kh. If you set this aside in treated water that has not had the pH adjusted otherwise, you will be able to tell the effect it has on your water (much harder to correct once in your tank). For a pH close to neutral, mix this substrate with substrate that drives the pH the other direction (I noticed that pH-raising substrates take MUCH LESS amount than acidifying substrates by volume to affect the pH, PLUS substrates change the water pH VERY SLOWLY, which is why you want to check at least a week or two after soaking, if not longer, to allow the pH to settle. If you look at the photos, in one tank, it looks like I only have this substrate, but in fact, I have fine gravel deeper down that’s keeping the pH from plummeting. One more tip: if changing out old gravel (I leaned that the substrate’s pH buffering capacities wear out at about 1.5 to 2 years), change it about 1/5 to 1/4 at a time (like starting on one corner of the tank and working your way around the tank with each water change) over weeks, to allow the new substrate time to colonize with nitrifying bacteria (cycle); otherwise, you risk crashing the cycle in your tank and having all your fish die. Finally, this substrate is VERY light. If you’re not careful, it will easily get sucked out when gravel cleaning. On the other hand, it is good for plants with delicate roots, but I’d recommend having at least 1.5 to 2 inches of substrate to make planting a little less challenging. This substrate would be excellent for fish with sensitive barbels (like coridoras) as it is super soft but not prone to getting sucked into gills like sand. It is also of very uniform color, allowing more contrast with the rest of the decor. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2021 by Turtledragon Turtledragon
    • Great for Cory Catfish! Amazing Substrate!!!
Size: 10 Liters - 20 lbs Color: Black - Fine
Amazing substrate! Can’t go wrong with it! The substrate when rinsing it off is very dirty and messy so keep that in mine! It will also make your tank very cloudy but it clears up within around 4 hours (if you have your filter going, in this case I have a sponge filter) or overnight without a filter. The next morning the water was crystal clear, I’ll probably update within a couple of months to see if my plants are doing any better than the gravel they were in but I have high hopes for this soil. This soil does great for bottom feeders! I have cory catfish and a betta in a 10 gallon tank and my cory’s now love to lift their behinds up to dig into the soil because it’s so soft and light weight. I’d highly recommend this for any bottom feeders that aren’t rough with the soil because the pellets CAN break and turn into little crumbles of dust or dirt. UPDATE: Still a really good substrate! I added Ludwigia Repens to my tank and they grew so fast along with the hornwort which I added a couple of weeks ago. My betta fish loves resting on it and weaving through the overgrown plants BUT the only thing is that the darkest shade that it comes in is two or three shades light so black is brown and brown is tan. I got the black/brown and it’s a dirty brown-tan color. It’s perfectly fine because I’ll be topping it off with Fluval but this is a better bang for your buck if you wanted Fluval but wanted a big bag. Update 2023: It’s still going strong and continues to help my aquatic plants thrive! I did realize that you need to wash the soil out a lot and wait a good amount of time for the black to really set in. After a few months the color changed from brown/tan to black with spots of brown throughout. It’s been a minute since I’ve bought this soil and the price has gone down drastically (by $30) so I’ll definitely be buying myself another back to touch up on the old soil. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2019 by Unknown
    • Great substrate for planted aquarium.
Size: 1 Liter - 2 lbs Color: Brown - Fine
First time using this substrate. I covered it with their contra-sand. It looks great. And my plants are thriving. I would definitely use these products again. Highly recommend!
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2024 by David B

Can't find a product?

Find it on Amazon first, then paste the link below.