Nisso Plant Soil Black 1kg – Planted Aquarium Aquasoil

Create a strong foundation for your planted aquarium with Nisso Plant Soil Black 1kg, an active aquasoil designed for freshwater planted tanks and aquascaping.

The porous soil granules provide a suitable rooting medium for aquatic plants while creating a natural dark substrate that helps green and red plants stand out in the aquarium.

Unlike ordinary inert aquarium gravel or sand, Nisso Plant Soil is an active substrate that can influence water chemistry, helping create the softer, slightly acidic conditions commonly used in many planted aquariums and suitable freshwater shrimp setups.

The porous structure also provides additional surface area for beneficial microorganisms, making Nisso Plant Soil a practical choice when establishing a planted freshwater aquarium.

Key features and benefits

• Active planted aquarium substrate – Designed specifically for freshwater planted tanks and aquascaping.
• Supports aquatic plant roots – Porous granules provide a suitable medium for root establishment and development.
• Natural black colour – Creates a dark aquarium floor that provides excellent contrast against green and red aquatic plants.
• Helps create suitable planted-tank conditions – Active soil can influence water chemistry toward softer, slightly acidic conditions.
• Porous structure – Provides additional surface area for beneficial microorganisms within the aquarium.
• Suitable for aquascaping – Easy to use when creating planted layouts, slopes and raised areas.
• Suitable for appropriate shrimp setups – Can be useful where softer, slightly acidic water conditions are desired.
• 1kg pack – Convenient for nano aquariums, smaller planted tanks, foreground areas or topping up an existing aquascape.

Product specifications

Brand: Nisso
Product: Plant Soil
Colour: Black
Pack Size: 1kg
Substrate Type: Active aquasoil
Suitable for: Freshwater planted aquariums, aquascaping and suitable shrimp setups
Water Chemistry: Active substrate – may influence pH and hardness

Why choose Nisso Plant Soil?

The substrate in a planted aquarium does more than provide decoration.

Aquatic plants need a stable medium in which their roots can establish, and substrate choice can also influence the overall conditions within the aquarium.

Nisso Plant Soil is designed specifically for planted freshwater aquariums, providing porous soil granules that create a plant-friendly substrate bed while contributing to the biological environment of the aquarium.

Its black colour is particularly effective in aquascaped tanks, creating contrast against aquatic plants, rocks, driftwood and livestock.

Is Nisso Plant Soil an active substrate?

Yes. Nisso Plant Soil is an active aquarium substrate, meaning it can influence aquarium water chemistry rather than simply remaining inert.

This is an important difference between aquasoil and products such as ordinary quartz sand or inert aquarium gravel.

Active substrates are commonly used in planted aquariums where softer, slightly acidic conditions are desirable.

Because the substrate can affect water parameters, always consider the requirements of the fish, shrimp and other livestock you intend to keep.

Nisso Black Soil vs ordinary aquarium gravel

Ordinary aquarium gravel is generally selected primarily for appearance, particle size and suitability for the fish being kept. Many gravels are relatively inert and have little effect on aquarium water chemistry.

Nisso Plant Soil has a different purpose.

It is designed as a planted aquarium substrate, providing a porous rooting medium while also acting as an active substrate.

If you're building a dedicated planted aquarium or aquascape, an aquasoil such as Nisso can therefore offer advantages over using decorative gravel alone.

Is Nisso Plant Soil suitable for shrimp?

Nisso Plant Soil can be suitable for freshwater shrimp setups where the species being kept benefits from the water conditions created by an active substrate.

Many planted shrimp aquariums use active aquasoils to help maintain softer, slightly acidic conditions.

However, not all shrimp require the same water parameters, so always match the substrate and water chemistry to the particular shrimp species you intend to keep.

How to use Nisso Plant Soil

Place the substrate directly into the aquarium and shape it to suit your aquascape.

A shallower layer can be used toward the front of the aquarium, with greater depth toward the rear to provide additional rooting depth and create visual perspective.

Plant aquatic plants carefully into the substrate, taking care not to crush or unnecessarily disturb the soil granules.

When initially filling the aquarium, add water slowly to minimise disturbance to the substrate bed.

Do not heavily rinse the soil before use unless the manufacturer's instructions supplied with your product specifically direct you to do so.

How deep should Nisso Plant Soil be?

The ideal depth depends on the plants and aquascape.

As a general guide, planted aquariums commonly use approximately 3–5cm or more of substrate, with deeper areas where larger rooted plants are being grown.

Aquascapers often create a slope from front to back, using additional substrate toward the rear of the aquarium to create depth and perspective.

How much Nisso Plant Soil do I need?

The amount required depends on the length and width of your aquarium and the desired substrate depth.

A 1kg pack is particularly useful for:

• Nano planted aquariums
• Smaller aquascapes
• Foreground or feature areas
• Adding additional depth to an existing aquascape
• Smaller shrimp aquariums

Larger aquariums or deeper planted substrate beds may require multiple bags.

Frequently asked questions

What is Nisso Plant Soil?

Nisso Plant Soil is an active aquasoil designed for freshwater planted aquariums and aquascaping. Its porous soil granules provide a rooting medium for aquatic plants while the active substrate can influence aquarium water chemistry.

Does Nisso Plant Soil lower pH?

As an active substrate, Nisso Plant Soil can influence aquarium water chemistry toward softer, slightly acidic conditions. The final pH will also depend on your source water, aquarium setup and other materials in the tank.

Is Nisso Plant Soil suitable for aquarium plants?

Yes. It is specifically intended for planted freshwater aquariums and provides a porous substrate in which aquatic plant roots can establish.

Do I need to rinse Nisso Plant Soil?

Active aquasoils generally should not be heavily rinsed like ordinary aquarium gravel. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the product and fill the aquarium gently to minimise disturbance.

Can I use Nisso Plant Soil in a shrimp tank?

It can be suitable for shrimp species that benefit from the softer, slightly acidic conditions associated with active aquasoil. Always check the water-parameter requirements of the particular shrimp species being kept.

Is Nisso Plant Soil the same as aquarium gravel?

No. Nisso Plant Soil is an active planted aquarium substrate. Ordinary aquarium gravel is generally more inert and does not perform the same role in influencing water chemistry.

Can Nisso Plant Soil be used on its own?

Yes. It can be used as the main substrate bed in a planted freshwater aquarium. The amount required will depend on the aquarium footprint, plant selection and desired substrate depth.

Is the Black or Brown Nisso Plant Soil better?

Both are designed for planted aquarium use. The main practical choice between Black and Brown Nisso Plant Soil is the appearance you want to create in your aquascape. Black provides a darker base and stronger visual contrast, while Brown creates a warmer, more natural earthy appearance.

Need a different substrate?

Aquaholics Online stocks a range of planted aquarium substrates and aquasoils, including active soils, clay-based planted substrates and aquascaping sands.

For decorative gravel, aquarium sand and general freshwater substrates, browse our Aquarium Substrate, Gravel & Sand range.