Review on 🪨 Flourite Dark by Seachem by Erica Shine

I have used a number of different types of Flourite in various plantings over the years. On my last install I used 3 different Flourites including this Flourite Dark. I used it as a "base coat" and applied Flourite Black Sand on top. Flourite Dark is not all black or muddy red like the standard and red varieties. It's a bit like. easy. dark brown/purple I think. Looks good but as I said mine is covered in black sand for a sandier aesthetic. I wanted a coarser gravel bottom to secure the roots and a sandy top for a nicer look. I have a variety of plants in my 55 gallons and all seem to be doing very well. I can't say whether this is directly due to the substrate, but it does its job very well and the plants root strongly in it and grow incredibly fast. Don't expect Flourite to grow plants themselves; Plants need light, CO2 and fertilizer to grow normally. That being said, unless you want a glass box full of muddy water, this stuff definitely needs to be rinsed before use. I don't doubt Seachem's claim that it's pre-washed, but after it's been boxed and shipped a few thousand miles, it turns around in the box and creates even more dust. What I have found most effective about Flourite is that it should be washed in batches in a colander. Basically, if you dump everything in a bucket and hose it down, you're just pushing the dust/dirt to the bottom of the bucket where it can't escape effectively. Use a good strainer and take your time, you only have to do this once (well, unless you have multiple reservoir syndrome).