Mr. Aqua · Active aquasoil
Mr. Aqua Aquasoil
Taiwan · Dark brown · grain 1 to 3 mm
External link to mraqua.com — opens in a new tab.
TL;DR, Mr. Aqua Aquasoil
Mr. Aqua's aquasoil is the nano-tank specialist of the group. The grain is smaller than most aquasoils, which means it tucks into tight scapes around stone and wood without looking chunky. Buffering is mild, ammonia release is light.
Full specs
- Brand
- Mr. Aqua
- Country of origin
- Taiwan
- Category
- Active aquasoil
- Colour
- Dark brown
- Grain size
- 1 to 3 mm
- pH target
- 6.4 to 6.8
- pH effect
- Lowers (gentle)
- KH effect
- Lowers (gentle)
- Ammonia release
- Light
- Nutrient content
- Medium
- Buffering longevity
- 10 to 15 months
- Recommended water
- Tap water tolerable
- Difficulty
- 2 / 5
- Shrimp-safe
- Yes
- Best for
- nano tanks, rimless cube scapes, first-time aquasoil users
How it works
Mr. Aqua's aquasoil is a Taiwanese-manufactured baked clay product with a slightly finer grain than ADA Amazonia. Ammonia release is light rather than strong, so the substrate cycles in two to three weeks. Buffering is mild enough that tap water with moderate hardness still settles into the target range.
Best use cases
Nano tanks (5 to 30 litres), rimless cubes, and any scape where a fine, uniform substrate is the visual goal. Mr. Aqua is also a common choice for first-time aquasoil users in shrimp tanks because the ammonia spike is mild enough to skip the long cycle.
Common mistakes
Buying for a high-tech 200 litre tank. The nutrient content is medium and the buffering is mild, so a large CO2-injected setup will exhaust the substrate inside a year and need root tabs.
Pro tips
The bag includes a thin layer of large pellets at the top, sort or stir before filling so the grain is uniform. Lift Mr. Aqua's bag from the bottom when pouring, the fine grain settles and the top of the bag is mostly pellet skin.
Plants that thrive in this substrate
Hand-curated pairings based on the substrate category, not a relational query.
- Cryptocoryne WendtiiCryptocoryne wendtiiHeavy root feeder, thrives on the strong ammonia and nutrients leaching from new aquasoil.
- Amazon SwordEchinodorus grisebachiiBackground rosette with extensive root system, builds tall on the rich substrate.
- Rotala RotundifoliaRotala rotundifoliaStem plant that colours strongest under low pH + high nutrient soil conditions.
- Monte CarloMicranthemum tweedieiCarpeting plant that pearls quickly when rooted directly into aquasoil with CO2.
- Ludwigia 'Super Red'Ludwigia palustris 'Super Red'Reds deepen on active aquasoil thanks to the consistent micro-nutrient release.
Sources & further reading
Compare against another substrate.
Line up to four substrates side by side. Spec table, pH effect, ammonia release, nutrient content, shrimp safety.
Open the compare tool