STEP ONE Pond substrate
Choose your option
• Heavy-duty quality: maximum filtration
• Extra porous for optimal plant growth
• 5L of substrate covers a 25cm x 10cm area ↥
14,95
Price includes VAT, excludingshipping costs
- Shipped the next business day, Shipped choose your own delivery date
Others bought this for their pond
Simons Pond Advice
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• From installation to maintenance
Advantage
POND CARE Maintenance Kit 20,000 L
• All-in-one pond maintenance
• 100% eco-friendly: for 1,000–20,000 L
• Safe for people, plants, and animals
Order 2 packages at once (for spring + fall) and receive a free BLOOM BOOST worth €15
Advantage
Complete Native Pond Kit3.000
• Makes your pond maintenance-free
• 132 plants + supplies
• Installation:1 to100
Clear pond water without a pump or filter?
Make your pond clear and low-maintenance with our 6-step plan.
Simon's advice
Tip: Choose the 20-liter bag Pond substrate. It’s more economical per liter than the 5-liter bucket, and you’ll have more than enough substrate for your pond right away.
Current product
Suggestion
STEP ONE Pond substrate
• Heavy-duty quality: maximum filtration
• Extra porous for optimal plant growth
• 5L of substrate covers a 25cm x 10cm area ↥
STEP ONE Pond substrate
• Heavy-duty quality: maximum filtration
• Extra porous for optimal plant growth
• 20L of substrate covers 0.25 m² at a depth of 10 cm ↥
- Description
Description
Pond Specialist & Aquatic Plant Grower
We like to keep things simple—even when building a pond. Many people are put off by the hassle of pumps and filters. That’s why we’re introducing STEP ONE: a single solution for a healthy pond bottom.
It provides a surface for plants to anchor themselves to, a habitat for bacteria, and natural filtration. Spread it evenly across the bottom of your pond or plant filter, and the plants and bacteria in your pond will do the rest. Plants will take root firmly, bacteria will keep the water clean, and the balance will be restored naturally. STEP ONE Pond substrate a solid foundation for a stable pond. This porous substrate provides natural filtration, promotes healthy root growth, and offers space for beneficial bacteria to settle in the substrate’s porous cavities. Without proper substrate, the pond loses its balance: plants often die after a single season, beneficial bacteria perish within days, and waste accumulates. The excess nutrients will then be absorbed by algae, causing the pond to become unbalanced. STEP ONE a porous, lightweight, and living substrate. Unlike lava rock, which is often too coarse and dense, STEP ONE is STEP ONE open structures where bacteria can easily settle. Gravel does nothing; Lava rock well but does not provide the right environment for pond plants to take root, causing them to fail to grow or die after a season. STEP ONE plants to root just as they would in nature and actively filters, making it the ideal substrate for any pond. 100% natural product, safe for fish, plants, and pets. Sourced directly from our own nursery, packaged in bags made from recycled plastic. Each bag contains 20 liters and is easy to lift, convenient to move, and simple to use. Four bags = 80 liters, perfect for one square meter of pond bottom with a 10 cm layer thickness. 160 liters is perfect for covering one square meter of a plant filter. This provides an ideal foundation for root growth, bacteria, and a balanced pond. STEP ONE pre-cleaned and ready to use. Spread directly onto pond liner or among existing plants. Some of it may float temporarily or cause the water to become slightly cloudy, but this will clear up on its own. For a plant filter, use a double layer of 20 cm, which is eight bags per square meter. After application, add the POND CARE package 2–3 times a year for best results. The substrate provides the foundation; bacteria do the rest.
Simon van der Velde
Pond substrate: A solid foundation for clear water and healthy plants
About this product
What makes this product special
Quality and origin
Practical Information
Here's what our customers have to say!
Excellent 
817 reviews on 
Lina Berger
The water is finally clear
Purchased: Native Pond Kit 1,500–3,000 L
No matter what I tried, the water in my pond just wouldn't clear up. After exchanging a few emails, I decided to order this complete kit, though to be honest, I wasn't very confident it would work.
The delivery was in good condition and the plants looked healthy. Not much changed during the first few weeks, but after about a month, the water slowly began to clear up.
Now the pond is really in perfect balance. The plants are growing well, and I can even see frogs among the leaves again. I'm really glad I gave this a try.
Patrick Müller
Plants are growing much better now, and the water is crystal clear
Purchased: STEP ONE Pond substrate
Last year, I had a landscaper install a plant filter in my swimming pond, and he recommended lava rock and some plants from the local garden center. Unfortunately, it all went wrong; the plants died one by one, and I ended up with an algae infestation.
After contacting vdvelde, I was advised to replace the lava rock with Pond substrate to order some additional plants. Now, a few months later, the plants are growing well, and my filter is finally free of algae.
Fenna Schmidt
My little city pond
Purchased: Pond Kit Red 100-400L
I’d been dreaming of having a small pond in my city garden for a while, but it always seemed like such a hassle. I found a complete kit online and decided to take a chance, even though I was skeptical about the quality of plants sent by mail. But to my surprise, everything arrived neatly and securely packaged. In no time at all, I had set up my little pond. To my delight, I saw the first water lily bloom after just two months, and as the icing on the cake, I discovered salamanders in my pond. No idea how they got there, but it just makes it even more fun. Truly a joy!
Susi Werner
A must-have for anyone with a pond (big or small)
Purchased: Simons Pond Advice
This book has completely met my expectations. It’s a fantastic guide full of great tips on pond construction, pond plants, and design.
I highly recommend buying this.
Great book!
Jules Chabot
Blue lily: beautiful!
Purchased: Blue Water Lily
Thank you very much for the generous shipment of the marsh irisIris blue”.
The new plants have been planted, and I'm curious to see if they'll bloom this year.
There’s good news about theBlue queenwater lily: It blooms in blue here too—and it’s absolutely stunning!
Bart Timmermans
Removing floor debris without a vacuum cleaner
Purchased: POND CARE Maintenance Kit
After years of accumulation caused by fish, a significant amount of silt had built up in my pond.
At first, I was thinking about getting a pond vacuum, but after talking to customer service, I decided to go with the bottom debris removal kit. I was skeptical, especially since the water got cloudy during the first week. But after a month, the sludge has decreased significantly. No hassle with a vacuum, and a great result!
I’m a fan.
Johanna Brink
Water lilies greater biodiversity
Purchased: Native Water Lily Field XL
As plant lovers, we were looking for a sustainable addition to our project. The Water lilies vdvelde turned out to be just what we were looking for. Planting the lilies was also a lot of fun. We had requested different varieties, and that wasn’t a problem at all. The delivery was handled professionally, and everything looked great. Within a week, we already saw leaves emerging above the water, and now several flowers are blooming.
Both we and our client are extremely pleased with the result.
Raphaël Blanchard
Oxygen-producing plants save my fish
Purchased: Oxygenating Plants Package 1,500–3,000 L
My fish were gasping for air, so I looked for an air pump. Then I read that oxygenating plants could solve this problem too. I ordered the package that fits my pond, and now my fish are swimming around carefree again. An added bonus: my pond water is much clearer. Happy fish, happy me!
Greta Schultze
I'm really happy with my little pond
Purchased: Pond Kit Red 25-90L
This handy kit helped me set up my mini pond in no time. It comes with everything you need!
The service and advice were excellent—much better than at the garden center, where nobody really knows anything.
Maria Maes
From maintenance to an organic swimming pond
Purchased: Plant Filter Package 8–12 m²
I was tired of constantly cleaning the pump, so I decided to convert my pond into a natural swimming pond. With the plant filter kit from vdvelde.com, it turned out perfectly! Now I enjoy a beautiful, natural filter and lovely swimming water.