{"title":"Substrate \u0026 Soil","description":"\u003cp\u003eShrimp soil and aquarium substrate help anchor plants, shape the scape and create a stable base for a freshwater shrimp tank. Choose active soil for soft, slightly acidic Caridina setups only when it suits your water plan. Prepare each substrate as directed.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"aquario-neo-soil-for-plants","title":"Aquario Neo Soil for Plants","description":"\u003cp\u003eA two-layer volcanic aquasoil that buffers your water gently acidic and feeds root growth straight from the substrate — gives new plantings a solid start without needing liquid ferts (fertilisers) dosed on day one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA \u003cstrong\u003esubstrate\u003c\/strong\u003e is the material covering the tank floor, and an aquasoil is a substrate that actively shapes water chemistry rather than sitting inert. To \u003cstrong\u003ebuffer\u003c\/strong\u003e is to hold water chemistry at a set point — here, gently acidic on the \u003cstrong\u003epH\u003c\/strong\u003e scale (below 7 is acidic, above 7 is alkaline).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAquario Neo Soil for Plants is a volcanic aquasoil built in two layers: a lighter brown core wrapped in a darker, micro-porous outer shell. That outer layer is doing most of the work — its surface hosts beneficial bacteria (the helpful microbes that break down waste) and keeps adsorbing pollutants — making them stick to its surface — for the life of the substrate, rather than just buffering hard for the first few weeks the way some simpler soils do.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt's noticeably lighter than typical soil substrates, which makes it easier to handle and reshape mid-scape (partway through laying out a design). Once it's in the tank it buffers pH toward gently acidic and feeds plant roots directly, so new plantings get a solid start without needing liquid ferts dosed from day one — though as plants establish and mature, most tanks will still want to bring in the liquid Neo Solution range rather than relying on the substrate alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eChoose Normal (a coarser ~3–4mm grain) for general aquascaping (designing and planting the tank's layout) and larger tanks, or Powder (a fine ~1mm grain) if you're after the compact, natural look nano aquascapers — hobbyists who scape very small tanks — go for. Both come in 3L and 8L bags — as a rough guide, weigh up tank footprint and how deep you want the layer before you order, since coverage varies with layer depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo-layer volcanic aquasoil: lighter brown core, dark micro-porous outer shell\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContinuously adsorbs pollutants and hosts beneficial bacteria — not just an initial buffer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuffers pH gently acidic; feeds plant roots directly from the substrate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNormal grain (~3–4mm) for general use; Powder grain (~1mm) for nano aquascapes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 3L and 8L, Normal or Powder\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Aquario","offers":[{"title":"Normal \/ 3L","offer_id":52798363074872,"sku":"D-NEO SOIL PLANT 3L-NORMAL","price":35.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Normal \/ 8L","offer_id":52798363107640,"sku":"D-NEO SOIL PLANT 8L-NORMAL","price":71.25,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Powder \/ 3L","offer_id":52798363140408,"sku":"D-NEO SOIL PLANT 3L-POWDER","price":37.5,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Powder \/ 8L","offer_id":52798363173176,"sku":"D-NEO SOIL PLANT 8L-POWDER","price":78.25,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0971\/3339\/6280\/files\/neo-soil-plants.jpg?v=1786596136"},{"product_id":"aquario-neo-shrimp-soil","title":"Aquario Neo Shrimp Soil","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe shrimp-tuned version of the Neo Soil range — the same two-layer volcanic base, formulated to pull pH and KH down into the soft, acidic range.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA \u003cstrong\u003esubstrate\u003c\/strong\u003e is the material covering the tank floor — an “active” soil like this one deliberately changes water chemistry rather than sitting inert. \u003cstrong\u003epH\u003c\/strong\u003e is the acidity scale (below 7 is acidic, above 7 is alkaline), and \u003cstrong\u003eKH\u003c\/strong\u003e — carbonate hardness — is the water's buffer against pH swings: the lower the KH, the more easily pH moves.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAquario Neo Shrimp Soil shares the two-layer volcanic construction of Neo Soil for Plants: a lighter brown core under a dark, micro-porous outer shell that keeps adsorbing pollutants (making them stick to its surface, rather than adding anything in) and hosting beneficial bacteria — the helpful microbes that break down waste — for the life of the substrate. The difference is the tuning — this version is formulated to pull pH and carbonate hardness down harder, rather than settling at general community-tank conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat that does in a tank:\u003c\/strong\u003e the substrate does the buffering itself (buffering means actively holding water chemistry at a set point), so pH and KH drift downward and hold there without acid buffers dosed on top. How far and how fast depends on your source water, how much soil you've used and how heavily you change water — Aquario doesn't publish figures for this specific soil, so treat your own test kit as the source of truth rather than a number on the bag. Expect the buffering to weaken as the soil ages.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAquario also markets this soil as releasing humic acid (a natural acid from broken-down plant matter, the family that tints wild blackwater streams) and trace elements (minerals living things need in tiny amounts) that support shell formation and colouration in shrimp — that's manufacturer language we haven't independently confirmed, so we're not repeating it as established fact.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs with the Plants version, it comes in Normal (~3–4mm) or Powder (~1mm) grain, in 3L or 8L bags.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo-layer volcanic aquasoil, tuned to pull pH and KH down harder than the Plants version\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEffect in a tank: buffers toward soft, acidic water from the substrate itself — strength varies with source water, soil volume and water-change routine, and fades as the soil ages\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContinuously adsorbs pollutants and hosts beneficial bacteria, not just an initial buffer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManufacturer claims humic acid and microelements aid shell formation and colouration — not independently confirmed by us\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAquario publishes no target pH\/KH figures for this soil — test your own water\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNormal (~3–4mm) or Powder (~1mm) grain; 3L or 8L bags\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Aquario","offers":[{"title":"Normal \/ 3L","offer_id":52798378148152,"sku":"D-NEO SHRIMP SOIL 3L-NORMAL","price":35.25,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Normal \/ 8L","offer_id":52798378180920,"sku":"D-NEO SHRIMP SOIL 8L-NORMAL","price":68.75,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Powder \/ 3L","offer_id":52798378213688,"sku":"D-NEO SHRIMP SOIL 3L-POWDER","price":35.25,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Powder \/ 8L","offer_id":52798378246456,"sku":"D-NEO SHRIMP SOIL 8L-POWDER","price":78.25,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0971\/3339\/6280\/files\/neo-shrimp-soil.jpg?v=1786596346"},{"product_id":"aquario-neo-soil-no-co2","title":"Aquario Neo Soil No CO2","description":"\u003cp\u003eA pelleted volcanic aquasoil built for low-tech tanks running without CO2 injection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants use \u003cstrong\u003eCO2\u003c\/strong\u003e (carbon dioxide) to grow, and “high-tech” planted tanks inject it as a pressurised gas to speed growth up. A \u003cstrong\u003elow-tech\u003c\/strong\u003e tank skips that equipment and relies on the CO2 that occurs naturally. A \u003cstrong\u003esubstrate\u003c\/strong\u003e is the material covering the tank floor, and an aquasoil is one that actively shapes water chemistry rather than sitting inert.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAquario Neo Soil No CO2 is a pelleted volcanic aquasoil aimed squarely at low-tech, no-injection setups — the kind of tank where you're relying on the substrate and good husbandry (day-to-day care and maintenance) to keep plants ticking over rather than a pressurised CO2 system.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAquario markets it as generating a trickle of CO2 within the substrate itself, via bacterial activity in the pellets — that's the manufacturer's marketing language for the mechanism, and we haven't independently verified how it works or how much CO2 it actually contributes; we're passing it on as the stated selling point, not a confirmed fact. What we can say is that as an aquasoil it still does the basics well: buffering (actively holding water chemistry steady), root access for plants, and a substrate bacteria can colonise.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt's a solid pick if you're running a low-tech planted or shrimp-friendly tank and don't want to add a CO2 system, or if you're after an easy substrate upgrade without extra kit. Available in 3L and 8L — this is a genuinely new addition to our range, so if you run it, we'd like to hear how it performs for you.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePelleted volcanic aquasoil for low-tech, no-injection planted tanks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManufacturer states it generates a trickle of in-substrate CO2 via bacterial activity — mechanism not independently confirmed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuffers and feeds roots like our other Neo Soil substrates\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNew to the Shrimp Zone range\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 3L and 8L (single grain option)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Aquario","offers":[{"title":"3L","offer_id":52798386766136,"sku":"D-NEO SOIL NO CO2 3L-NORMAL","price":35.25,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"8L","offer_id":52798386798904,"sku":"D-NEO SOIL NO CO2 8L-NORMAL","price":78.25,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0971\/3339\/6280\/files\/neo-soil-no-co2.jpg?v=1786596349"}],"url":"https:\/\/shrimpzone.com.au\/collections\/substrate.oembed","provider":"Shrimp Zone ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}