How does GeX substrate compare against ADA Aquasoil?

[tcy81]

think if you really what to compare which substrate is better, need to setup 2 identical tank with same plants , lighting , co2 & fertilizer dosing.

[Jaws]

Will update on my 4ft tank with Gex soon. Setting up early next month.

[aquanatix]

My gex has no clouding after 2months of usage.
As opposed to what happened in the early stages of setup,all problems raised earlier were now gone. Could age be a influencing factor?

[planted86]

today i went to THAT AQUARIUM(thats the real name) and i saw 3 different GEX packaging... what are the differences??

[EvolutionZ]

green packing - for plants
dark green packing - also for plants
red packing - for shrimps. main point is to lower pH

[illumnae]

to add to Evolutionz's explanation:

Light Green is for planted tanks with larger grain size (think ADA Amazonia)
Dark green is also for planted tanks with smaller grain size (think ADA Amazonia powder)
Red is for shrimp
Blue seems to be biogravel/aquaclay

[EvolutionZ]

was wondering the grain size of the red pack is the same as dark green or light green packing one?

hi guys, heres my view on GeX substrate.
i bought 2kg red pack GeX substrate.
to top up my 9l ADA soil
compare gravel pellet size. GeX is way smaller and darker. the grain size looks like its ADA powder like that. and also not so much "rubbish" mixed together with the soil. i have noticed ada have lots of wood shreds and tend to bubble and float when 1st day of set up. GeX never does that.
i filled up my tank as usual.and tank was crystal clear =)

[heeroyu16]

Hi guys manged to find the Gex's Website
I used google to tranlate it to english

Here's the link http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gex-fp.co.jp%2Ffish%2Fcatalog%2Fsand%2Findex.html%23kawasuna1

Don't expect perfect translation

[torque6]

this is an old thread. basically gex substrate has 2 popular types now. shrimp with fine gravel [green packet+ has a small Crs pic on the right] and the large gravel named shrimp and plants substrate [red], both are good as it doesn't shift PH. I m using the red ones and the moment i scape, the water clears in 2 hours.

[zoombee]

Can see the texture with a close up shot

I just realised that I actually been using the red GEX without my knowledge

Bought it when i just wanted to try out a nano tank without any knowledge.

my comments as a noob are water really clear up fast within 2 hours after i fill my tank.

I have never tried other soil but newly hairgrass seems to be easily uprooted by my shrimps. I have to replant them almost every night. Soil feels loose.

my comment is not really fair because i do not have a chance to compare.

my new setup i will go with ADA for a change due to many good reviews from my friends .. Don't flame me please

[illumnae]

newly planted hairgrass will probably be easily uprooted by shrimp regardless of the substrate if not planted properly (e.g. planted too shallow) i just planted some japanese hairgrass in on sunday, and my yamato/tiger shrimp have only managed to uproot 1 plantlet thus far...probably due to my own carelessness (was planting the grass past midnight)

you're right about the clear water though, that's one of the main selling points of Gex imo...anyhow pour water in also can get clear water in a short time

if you're not into shrimp breeding, you could try the dark green package of Gex soil, which is roughly equivalent to ADA powder form in terms of size, but costs the same as the light green/red package. being smaller in grain size, it looks better and also helps to hold the plants down better

[catohcat]

i just changed my soils to GEX.. the water is amazingly clean just an hour later.. and now it looks even cleaner than before =D

- A happy user of Gex soil -

[aquaX]

Recently i have decided to resetup my 6ft tank (tough job) and taken into account on the reviews on GEX i have decided to changed the soil also.

Its is about 10 hours since i've put in water.

I would say its clear but could still see that it is still abit cloudy, will it improve?

Or it is just bacterial boom?

[jowy_ham]

Can I mix all 3 types of GeX sold together ?

Reason being, I have GeX light green packaging leftover from my previous setup but it is not enough for a 2.5ft cube setup. After reading up here, decided to give the red & dark green packaging a try (since I'm into planted and shrimps). Went to Y618 and bought 4 packs, 2 packs of each (got a very very good price for it )

My thinking is the red packaging is for shrimps and dark green packaging is of small size thus easier to plant smaller plants like HC/glosso.

At the moment, I still have not pour them into my tank but which to get some opinion on whether can I mix them altogether.

[catohcat]

The advantage of the red soils is that the big size prevent stirring up of soilds, which makes water crystal clear & prevents leaking of harmful toxin to the shrimps. The advantage of the red soils is that the small size enable to hold plants.

I'm afraid when you mix them up, you will end up with a "new" product which both stirring up the dirts + too big to hold plants....Why dont you put the green soils at the bottom and red soil on top?

[Goondoo]

The advantage of the red soils is that the big size prevent stirring up of soilds, which makes water crystal clear & prevents leaking of harmful toxin to the shrimps. The advantage of the red soils is that the small size enable to hold plants.

Confused?!?

[illumnae]

i think the 2nd "red soils" refers to the dark green packaging, which has a smaller grain size to allow plants to take root better

[noblespirit]

I using the light green packing too.

Since you intend to keep CRS, the red one is more appropriate. Or maybe the darker green packing which its pellets are fine.

hi,i am using the green pack type light green and dark green ,only difference is the pallet size thats all.both have crs in the tank adult and shrimplets all doing fine.and it bred as well.cheers!!:

[torque6]

My Gex substrate cleared up after 2hrs of new setup. Really good, though i would prefer i had gone for the green instead of the reds.

[illumnae]

mine clears up in 30 minutes even after massive stirring up My opinion is also that it is a better substrate than ADA.

dark and light green are both excellent for plant use. My experience with them is that dark green (small granule) is MUCH easier to plant in, but light green clears up faster and isn't kicked up as easily as the dark green. I use dark green in a planted Apisto tank and since they have bred, the dad and mom love to suddenly dash out from near the substrate to chase away dithers, and their sudden movement will kick up the gravel. After awhile, i see a fine dusting of fine gravel on my rocks and nanas. no such problems with light green. in terms of plant growth, as mentioned earlier, both are excellent. I think the disadvantage of the dark green can be mitigated by keeping bottom dwelling livestock out of the tank till your foreground plant has taken hold.