25-Pound Rainbow Frost Aquarium Gravel - Natural Decorative Substrate for Fish Tanks, Terrariums & Aquatic Plant Landscaping (Ideal for Betta Fish, Goldfish & Shrimp Habitats)

First thing you should know while considering this substrate is that it is a bunch of rocks spray painted black, you'll find a few rocks that haven't fully been sprayed. However, there's no concern whether they'll be a problem for the look of your aquarium, I don't even notice them or I can't find them in my tank. Upon opening the bag, you'll notice a strong smell of the paint. What you'll need to do is (depending on the amount of rocks purchased) grab a few containers and pour the substrate in them (not so much that you can't stir them), then cover the substrate with super hot water and let them soak. Feel free to stir them around alittle bit to get as much of the access paint off (you'll notice the water will turn filthy black from the paint). Drain and soak, rinse and drain until the water comes out clear after soaking for a few hours (I let them soak for 5 hours while I was at work). Grab a strainer and fill it with the substrate as many times as necessary and rinse them off to get the rest of the access paint off, you can let them soak for longer if you're still not comfortable putting them in your tank.Second thing you should know is that it isn't a solid black color you might be hoping for, while they still look awesome in my tank, they are more of a charcoal black with a hint of grey (not bad looking)I bought three 25lb bags for my 75 gallon tank and I had more than enough, with this substrate, you'll want to consider getting lighter colored props to let your tank pop (lighter colored fish too)Overall, this is an awesome and beautiful looking substrate and would recommend this to anyone looking for a darker colored bed for your aquarium.