---
product_id: 7411595
title: "Flourite Dark, 7 kg / 15.4 lbs"
brand: "seachem"
price: "$282.78"
currency: USD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
category: "Seachem"
url: https://www.desertcart.ec/products/7411595-flourite-dark-7-kg-15-4-lbs
store_origin: EC
region: Ecuador
---

# Optimized for planted aquariums No pH alteration, natural & untreated 7 kg stable porous clay gravel Flourite Dark, 7 kg / 15.4 lbs

**Brand:** seachem
**Price:** $282.78
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🌿 Elevate your planted aquarium game with Flourite Dark — where roots thrive and style meets science!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Flourite Dark, 7 kg / 15.4 lbs by seachem
- **How much does it cost?** $282.78 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ec](https://www.desertcart.ec/products/7411595-flourite-dark-7-kg-15-4-lbs)

## Best For

- seachem enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted seachem brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Pure & Natural:** No chemical coatings or laterite needed—just clean, natural substrate
- • **Cloud-Free Clarity:** Pre-washed but rinse well to avoid initial cloudiness and keep water crystal clear
- • **Customizable Layers:** Mix with other gravels or use solo for tailored aquascapes
- • **Deep Layer Advantage:** Use a deep substrate bed to maximize plant health and tank aesthetics
- • **Root-Ready Stability:** Porous clay gravel anchors roots for explosive plant growth

## Overview

Flourite Dark is a 7 kg premium porous clay gravel substrate designed specifically for planted aquariums. It supports vigorous root growth without altering water pH and requires no additional laterite additives. While pre-washed, it needs thorough rinsing to remove transit dust. Its natural dark brown tone enhances aquascape aesthetics and can be used alone or mixed with other gravels for a customized substrate bed.

## Description

Flourite dark is a specially fracted stable porous clay gravel for the natural planted aquarium. Its appearance is best suited to planted aquaria, but may be used in any aquarium environment. Flourite dark is most effective when used alone as an integral substrate bed, but it may be mixed with other gravels. Gravel modifiers such as Laterite are not necessary. Flourite dark is not chemically coated or treated and will not alter the pH of the water. Although it is pre-washed, because Flourite® Dark is a natural product, it will become dusty in transit and require thorough rinsing before use to remove any residual dust ( rinse until water runs clear through substrate). When adding water to aquarium, fill slowly to avoid disturbing Flourite® Dark substrate bed. Place a bowl in the aquarium and add water directly to the bowl, allowing water to overflow softly on to the gravel bed. Initial cloudiness is normal. To remove cloudiness, use mechanical filtration (such as filter floss). Use Clarity™ to accelerate clearing.

Review: A very nice gravel substrate for planted setups - I've used quite a few different Flourite varietes in a handful of different planted setups over the years. My most recent setup I used 3 different Flourites including this Flourite Dark. I used it as a "base layer" and put Flourite Black Sand over the top. The Flourite Dark isn't quite black and it isn't the muddy red that the standard and red varieties are. It's kinda... just... dark brown/mauve, I guess. It looks nice, but like I said, mine is capped with the Black Sand variety for a well, sandier aesthetic on top. I wanted a coarser gravel on the bottom to help anchor roots and a sandy top for a prettier look. I have a large variety of plants in my 55-gallon and all seem to be doing very well. Whether that's a direct result of the substrate, I can't completely say, but it's doing its job very well and the plants are rooting heavily in it and growing at insane rates. Don't expect Flourite to grow plants all on it's own; it takes light, CO2 and fertilizers to get proper plant growth. Having said all that, this stuff absolutely positively needs to be rinsed before use unless you want a glass box of mud water. I don't doubt Seachem's claims that it's pre-rinsed, but after it's been bagged and transported how-knows-how-many thousands of miles it bashes around inside the package and creates a bunch more dust. What I've found most effective with Flourite is that it should be rinsed in a sieve batch by batch. If you toss it all in a bucket and rinse with a hose you'll mostly just push the dust/mud to the bottom of the bucket where it can't escape effectively. Use a nice sieve and take your time, you only have to do it once (well, unless you have Multiple Tank Syndrome).
Review: Great Substrate! - I really like this substrate! I have had great results with growing all sorts of plants. Please know, this is a dusty substrate but this is a very common characteristic with this type of substrate. I have found a wonderful method for giving this a "good rise" without washing away too much of the valuable minerals. If you add the substrate before the water, a good bit of the cloudiness can be suppressed. Make sure you get a nice deep layer, don't skimp on this stuff. If you go with deep rooting plants such as desertcart swords or onion plants, you will want a nice deep layer of substrate for the plant to root. Here is my method for rinsing and adding fluorite to both an empty tank and also a filled tank. The product comes in 2 bags. The original product bag and a bag added for shipping. Carefully open the first bag so you can place the primary bag back into this later. Once removed, take the primary bag and add about 50 small holes to both sides of the bag. Don't go crazy here, just make enough holes to drain once water is added to the bag. And don't make the holes too big. You don't want the substrate to fall through the holes. I do this with the bag standing up on its end. After you have successfully turned the bag into a colander, make a 1 inch slice in the top middle of the bag. Place a garden hose in here and hold the plastic bag around the hose. Turn the hose on about half way. Depending on your pressure, the bag may fill quickly. You want to take your time here with a slow water spray. Use the time to move the substrate around and free up the dust. Once you get the bag about 3/4 full shut off the hose and keep ahold of the bag. Continue to stir up the substrate and you'll see the water get really dirty. Now carefully tip the top of the bag over and let the water drain. Try to get out as much water as possible. Now turn on the hose and repeat the process once more. After draining set this aside standing on its end and let it continue to drain. Give it about 15 minutes or so. Place it back in the first bag and cart this into the house. If the tank is full you may consider draining off a bit of water so it doesn't overflow when you add the substrate. Carefully place the bag into the tank at the desired location. It's important that you hold the plastic bags tightly and avoid stirring up the substrate too badly. Lower the bag to the bottom of the tank. Take a knife or razor and make a slit from end to end along the BOTTOM of the bag. Slowly work with the bag to release the substrate but don't go crazy here. Do this gently and try not to release too much dust. It may still get quite cloudy but this will pass in a day or two. Please note, this is fine stuff so it's expected to get some cloudiness. If the tank is empty, follow the same format for adding the substrate. After you have landscaped, place a small bowl or plate on the substrate. When adding water, do it slowly and let the water fall upon the plate or bowl. This will keep the water churning to a minimum. Once you get plants growing, you'll be very as you watch then flourish from day to day. My biggest recommendations are. 1, don't rinse this too much. The dust will indeed settle. Trust me, be patient and give it a couple of days. 2, landscape a deep layer. For a 46 or 55 gallon tank, you want a MINIMUM of 6 bags. I will certainly buy this product again and encourage anyone who is interested in planted tanks to give this a try!

## Features

- No laterite needed
- Perfect for planted aquariums
- May be mixed with other gravels
- The Premium Substrate For the Planted Aquarium

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B001NTFXHW |
| ASIN  | B001NTFXHW |
| Age Range Description | all |
| Best Sellers Rank | #54,651 in Pet Supplies ( See Top 100 in Pet Supplies ) #213 in Aquarium Décor Plastic Plants |
| Brand Name | Seachem |
| Color | Brown |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,961) |
| Date First Available | June 8, 2005 |
| Date First Available  | June 8, 2005 |
| Directions | Although it is pre-washed, because Flourite® Dark is a natural product, it may become dusty in transit and require rinsing before use to remove any residual dust. When adding water to aquarium, fill slowly to avoid disturbing Flourite® Dark substrate bed. Place a bowl in the aquarium and add water directly to the bowl, allowing water to overflow softly on to the gravel bed. Initial cloudiness is n… |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer  | No |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 17 x 11.75 x 1.75 inches |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 17.52 x 10.75 x 3.35 inches |
| Item Weight | 7 Kilograms |
| Item model number | 3735 |
| Item model number  | 3735 |
| Manufacturer | Seachem Laboratories, Inc. |
| Manufacturer  | Seachem Laboratories, Inc. |
| Material | cotton |
| Model Name | Flourite Dark, 7 kg / 15.4 lbs |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Product Dimensions  | 17 x 11.75 x 1.75 inches; 15.43 Pounds |
| Size | 7 kg |
| Specific Uses for Product | Active |
| Target Audience Keyword | fish |

## Product Details

- **Brand:** Seachem
- **Item Form:** Granules
- **Item Weight:** 7 Kilograms
- **Liquid Volume:** 15.4 Liters
- **Manufacturer:** Seachem Laboratories, Inc.

## Images

![Flourite Dark, 7 kg / 15.4 lbs - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81DMVHNk3LL.jpg)

## Questions & Answers

**Q: How does it taste?**
A: I haven't tasted it myself but my plants seem to really like it.

**Q: How do you clean this stuff on a regular basis?  I read some where not to use the handheld tube vacuum. ??**
A: Tube vacuum should work fine. I’d imagine whom ever wrote that hadn’t rinsed it very well and kicked up a ton of sediment. It’s really just chips of clay, nothing that should interfere with a vac any more than a gravel would!

**Q: Will my plants live with only this substrate?**
A: I have only this substrate in my 29 gallon and it is sufficient to grow plants.  I recommend periodically supplementing with Flourish in order to maximize plant growth, but a decent group of fish will provide enough nutrients for decent plant growth.

**Q: the description for this item reads 7k / 15.4 lbs but the item pictured reads half that 3.5k / 7.7 lbs; which is correct for the item?**
A: The container I received had 15.4 lbs., someone made an error.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A very nice gravel substrate for planted setups
*by C***G on September 25, 2021*

I've used quite a few different Flourite varietes in a handful of different planted setups over the years. My most recent setup I used 3 different Flourites including this Flourite Dark. I used it as a "base layer" and put Flourite Black Sand over the top. The Flourite Dark isn't quite black and it isn't the muddy red that the standard and red varieties are. It's kinda... just... dark brown/mauve, I guess. It looks nice, but like I said, mine is capped with the Black Sand variety for a well, sandier aesthetic on top. I wanted a coarser gravel on the bottom to help anchor roots and a sandy top for a prettier look. I have a large variety of plants in my 55-gallon and all seem to be doing very well. Whether that's a direct result of the substrate, I can't completely say, but it's doing its job very well and the plants are rooting heavily in it and growing at insane rates. Don't expect Flourite to grow plants all on it's own; it takes light, CO2 and fertilizers to get proper plant growth. Having said all that, this stuff absolutely positively needs to be rinsed before use unless you want a glass box of mud water. I don't doubt Seachem's claims that it's pre-rinsed, but after it's been bagged and transported how-knows-how-many thousands of miles it bashes around inside the package and creates a bunch more dust. What I've found most effective with Flourite is that it should be rinsed in a sieve batch by batch. If you toss it all in a bucket and rinse with a hose you'll mostly just push the dust/mud to the bottom of the bucket where it can't escape effectively. Use a nice sieve and take your time, you only have to do it once (well, unless you have Multiple Tank Syndrome).

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Substrate!
*by J***R on February 27, 2012*

I really like this substrate! I have had great results with growing all sorts of plants. Please know, this is a dusty substrate but this is a very common characteristic with this type of substrate. I have found a wonderful method for giving this a "good rise" without washing away too much of the valuable minerals. If you add the substrate before the water, a good bit of the cloudiness can be suppressed. Make sure you get a nice deep layer, don't skimp on this stuff. If you go with deep rooting plants such as amazon swords or onion plants, you will want a nice deep layer of substrate for the plant to root. Here is my method for rinsing and adding fluorite to both an empty tank and also a filled tank. The product comes in 2 bags. The original product bag and a bag added for shipping. Carefully open the first bag so you can place the primary bag back into this later. Once removed, take the primary bag and add about 50 small holes to both sides of the bag. Don't go crazy here, just make enough holes to drain once water is added to the bag. And don't make the holes too big. You don't want the substrate to fall through the holes. I do this with the bag standing up on its end. After you have successfully turned the bag into a colander, make a 1 inch slice in the top middle of the bag. Place a garden hose in here and hold the plastic bag around the hose. Turn the hose on about half way. Depending on your pressure, the bag may fill quickly. You want to take your time here with a slow water spray. Use the time to move the substrate around and free up the dust. Once you get the bag about 3/4 full shut off the hose and keep ahold of the bag. Continue to stir up the substrate and you'll see the water get really dirty. Now carefully tip the top of the bag over and let the water drain. Try to get out as much water as possible. Now turn on the hose and repeat the process once more. After draining set this aside standing on its end and let it continue to drain. Give it about 15 minutes or so. Place it back in the first bag and cart this into the house. If the tank is full you may consider draining off a bit of water so it doesn't overflow when you add the substrate. Carefully place the bag into the tank at the desired location. It's important that you hold the plastic bags tightly and avoid stirring up the substrate too badly. Lower the bag to the bottom of the tank. Take a knife or razor and make a slit from end to end along the BOTTOM of the bag. Slowly work with the bag to release the substrate but don't go crazy here. Do this gently and try not to release too much dust. It may still get quite cloudy but this will pass in a day or two. Please note, this is fine stuff so it's expected to get some cloudiness. If the tank is empty, follow the same format for adding the substrate. After you have landscaped, place a small bowl or plate on the substrate. When adding water, do it slowly and let the water fall upon the plate or bowl. This will keep the water churning to a minimum. Once you get plants growing, you'll be very as you watch then flourish from day to day. My biggest recommendations are. 1, don't rinse this too much. The dust will indeed settle. Trust me, be patient and give it a couple of days. 2, landscape a deep layer. For a 46 or 55 gallon tank, you want a MINIMUM of 6 bags. I will certainly buy this product again and encourage anyone who is interested in planted tanks to give this a try!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Seachem gravel products are the go to for my tanks
*by C***Y on December 12, 2024*

Yes, the product is dusty and you can rinse it or you can put it in your tank and be very careful not to disturb it when you add water. I do both when I set up a new tank. This substrate looks good and is great for fish and plants. It will not alter the PH which is ideal when you have Neocaridina Shrimp, who do not like changes in water parameters. I've been using variations of this product for years without issues.

## Frequently Bought Together

- Flourite Dark, 7 kg / 15.4 lbs
- Fluval 12695 Plant and Shrimp Stratum for Freshwater Fish Tanks, 17.6 lbs. – Aquarium Substrate for Strong Plant Growth, Supports Neutral to Slightly Acidic pH
- Seachem Flourish Tabs Growth Supplement - Aquatic Plant Stimulant 40 ct

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*Product available on Desertcart Ecuador*
*Store origin: EC*
*Last updated: 2026-02-26*