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I've read stuff about Powersand not being really needed, but it's a real booster for plants at the startup stage.
Hi, I have been a member since I started changing from my 2 ft tank to 4ft x 2ft x 1.5ft last year apirl. I'm using ADA Power Sand (L) x1 (18 liter) and Amazonia Soil ( powder) x 4 (9 liter) with Eheim 2028 with skimmer, 8 x 36w PL Osram light (E-ballast) and 5 litre CO2 injection. All from NA.
After a year, the plants have used up the fertillzer of the power sand and after times of plant pruning and uprooting, what is left are those small sizes stones. They were surfaced and were a big contrast with the amazonia soil making my tank unsightly. (to me)
Now I have to filter out both the power sand and amazonia soil together and seperate them. Throw away the stones and put the soil back again into the tank which in turn causes cloudy water. It is one third done and I during water change. After completion, still have to buy another pack of amazonia soil to fill back the loses of the power sand.
The message is 'Do we really need to use Power Sand? Some said Amazonia Soil is enough!' I have no problem with the growth of my plants but after this stones thingy, the next time when setting up new tank, I will not include Power Sand liao.
What do you all think? Do those using the above facing same problem or ok?
I've read stuff about Powersand not being really needed, but it's a real booster for plants at the startup stage.
That's right! regretted using them! Now have to get rid of the stones.
I am using PS with ADA soil in my small tank (20L). Good plant growth.
I am using ADA soil only in my 2 feet tank, without PS. Good plant growth.
I would say that you can choose not to include PS safely since it becomes quite messy if you do a lot of minor rescaping. With proper dosing of macro and micros, it will compensate for non including PS. and You will save some money on PS.
What I have to say is that, i changed from lapis sand with JBL fert to ADA soil recently. But, i prefer my lapis sand over ADA because in lapis sand, planting is much easier I would say. (IMHO)
I am not too sure, but I think "plantbrain" discusses something on the issue of PS and NO3 that will are dosing. You may wish to do a search on that.
It really depends on the type of plants you intend to have in yr tank. Some of the bros here vouch by Power Sand as it can really make some plants grow alot better when compared with no power sand. It all depends on your liking.
I have been using PS and Amazonia Soil for my 4x2x2ft tank for about 1.5 years now. I am very happy with my plants at initial state as the PS is providing the fertilizer to the root. It was a good lawn of glosso back then
i think it really depends on what plant are you keeping. some plants have preference to take in fert from the root than others. Dosing liquid fert may not as effective as the PS or substitutes after PS loses its fert.
The way i remove a plant is typically leave the root alone (as much as possible) by cuting enough roots away and leave the root inside the soil/sand... my thought is the root will become fertilizer for other rooting plants. in this case i will never need to worry about the white stones on PS to surface up.
For most foreground plants, the root typically will not penertrate so far down.. i assume most of us uses 3-4 in of Soil/gravel. Thus, uprooting should not be a problem as well.
just my 2 cents
Artificial Intelligence
Hi Ernest,
I've been trying out ADA Amazonia without powersand for a few months now and the plants are doing great. Most of the plants are tonina and eriocaulon, if I need some additional booster I just add some Ferka rosetta or stemma or JBL fert balls. I have been getting very good plant growth so I assumed I can't be far off. Just to share.
Something about the water & the fishes that calms me down.
Oh thanks for the advice. Anyway I'm considered new in this hobby as before this 4 ft tank, my 2 ft cannot make it with those DIY CO2, not a single bubble from the plant. They do not grow well and turn yellow. My lighting was not enough. After trying for two years with lots of money, equipment, time and ways to get the plants to grow, finally get a serious set of 4 ft from NA.
The ADA Amazonia Soil attracted me for its colour and never regret using them as substrate. Now that my stone filtering has completed 50% of my tank, I have just bought another pack of Amazonia from NA this afternoon. Will top up after completely filter out the unsightly stones.
The plants that i grow were mostly stem plant. As after purning for some rounds we have to pull out the roots so that the top part of the plant can still grow. Thats why now is the time to clear up the mess for feq purning.
I myself do not like the idea of leaving the roots inside the substrate. Although my tank are not up to standard for completion but I'm enjoying the processing of cultivating the plants I like and learn others.
We did a simple test for PS and AS, they both has the same amounts of NH4, but the main difference was Ps has a lot more NO3.
KNO3 is easy enough to add and the AS, nor pumic and peat will not bind NO3,only cations. Amorphous clays can bind some anions but that's about it.
NO3 is also highly mobile through soil and substrates, it's not staying there for long.
Folks that make the claims about power sand have no control, a tank with just AS etc.
If you neglect a tank and do not add ferts routinely, then more ferts in the substrate will help, that may be good for a LFS's display tank because they often don;t have the time.
But, it is not that hard to add KNO3
Regards,
Tom Barr
Wouldn't the NH4 results in algae growth? Or the plant growth will counteract the effect of it?Originally Posted by Plantbrain
Good plant growth/plant mass at the start of the setup would deal with the little NH4.
Regards
Peter Gwee
Plant Physiology by Taiz and Zeiger
Unilike soil, Jobes, house plant fertilizers, the NH4 in ADA AS is occluded, sandwiched between the clay grains in individual packets.
This prevents the release of NH4 when you trim and uproot or otherwise disturb the substrate and why the rate of release of NH4 is so much slower.
The level of NH4 required to produce a bloom is based on many things, but the lower the rate of NH4 being added, the better.
NH4 is not bad in mopst respects, it's the high rate of NH4 being added is what is the real issue.
Regards,
Tom Barr
hi guys,
i'm pretty new to this.. can you let me know where is this NA place u're talking about? i stay in ang mo kio area. i also heard there's a shop called colourful at balestier. anyone can guide me there?
i'm very interested in ADA soils as well. going to start a nano tank soon. can anyone advice me on the prices of things like amazonia powder and power sand special for my 1 ft nano?
thanks
For ADA stuff, the main distributor is Biotope that is at Ang Mo Kio.
There are also some other shop like Midori at Suntec that carries ADA stuff too.
Nicholas
Newbie en el cichlid enano
Biotope is at AMK 1, plenty of ADA stuff there. If you wanna check price, can logon to www.midori-sg.com for price indication (plus minus)... NA at Balestier also sells ADA soil but not as wide ranging as Biotope
thanks for the reply guys,
how to go to this shop in balestier? want to go check it out. i only know the shop's name is colourful. is it?
Please advice.
thanks.
There are 2 shops there.
One is colourful aquarium. And the other is Nature Aquarium (NA). I believe NA has more ADA stuff.
Look for their information in our LFS List.
I normally walk to both shops from Novena Mrt station. About a 5 to 10 mins walk.
Nicholas
Newbie en el cichlid enano
can someone pls advice where is Biotope at AMK 1.
Thanks
Hi, our address is indicated as below. If you drive, we are in between Ave 6 and Ave 8. If you commute via MRT, please head towards AMK Hub, cross over where the Blk 322 stands and move towards the block's direction. We are 10 min from AMK Hub.
Best regards
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