Colombo Nutri Base 5L

I was worried about disturbing the cap when planting stem plants, but this nutrient base stays put nicely. The open structure seems to let roots spread freely, and everything from my swords to the crypts has responded well in just a few weeks.

My lotus and crypts have taken off since switching to this substrate — the root systems are noticeably denser than what I saw with the previous soil. I capped it with a thin layer of gravel like suggested, and the water stayed clear right from the start.

The 5L bag lasted through two rescapes and my crypts finally stopped melting. I capped it with a thin layer of gravel like the instructions said, and the roots have spread deep without clouding the water.