How does GeX substrate compare against ADA Aquasoil?

[Delwin]

i do have one tank using Gex soil and the other using ADA Amazonia II.
Both tank are set up a few days apart. i found out that the Gex are eazier to plant plants. As for ADA, initially it is hard to make the plants stay on the soil. Gex clear in around three hours, and gex took one whole day to clear. the size of the ADA is hard to grip the root. but after two weeks or so, when i do some rescaping, i find that the root grip more firmly onto ADA than Gex. i never introduced any fertalizer into both of my tanks. i then noticed that the plants grow better on ADA than Gex.
Now for my two and a half tank, i put together two technology into use. ADA Amazonia II as base and Gex on top layer...
While planting, the Gex grip the plants well(the roots system will eventually seach for the nutitents rich ADA).
The Gex will clear faster as the ADA is not disturbed.
During maintenting, or rescaping, i will have almost immediate clear effect of the view of my creation
i like the out come of the two technology put together...covering each other short to perform the best
Cheers,
Delwin.

[Panut]

Very useful information! Cheers
Is it true that using Soil will cause the bottom of the tank(silicon) to have irremovable stain? i have experienced it before, and now my friend has experienced it.

[Delwin]

yap... even my tank with black silicon also have brown stain

[Panut]

Oh no. i Don't want the value of my tank to depreciate because of this
Should i use denerle Quartz or ADA amazonia(II)?
Plants won't grow well if there are no nutrients in it? (denerle Quartz)

[Delwin]

can insert after market fertilzer mah

[illumnae]

very interesting and creative use of both soils to get the best of both worlds delwin

[williamng]

To see which soil is better. Just look at the outcome at the aquascaping forum. See how good is the aquascaping of those using GEX and ADA then do a comparision. The "better" soil will definately make the plant grows very well. Data prove more than words.

[EvolutionZ]

im still decideing to use GeX or ADA for my new set up..
ADA got better plant growth. but the cloudiness caused turned me of..
i tried the bottom ADA and top GeX method before.. when you want to do a rescape.., those plants with long roots will uproot all those ada soil(grey colour) from the bottom.. and ended up you have 2 colour of soil.gex being black and ada being grey.

[StanChung]

To see which soil is better. Just look at the outcome at the aquascaping forum. See how good is the aquascaping of those using GEX and ADA then do a comparision. The "better" soil will definately make the plant grows very well. Data prove more than words.

ADA vs GEX? I don't have both as test but ADA works great for me. As a disclaimer, you need all the other stuff to help plants grow, not just the soil. Is this going to be like a Nikon vs Canon thing? Never ending for for sure.

William, wise words. If objective is instant clear water, then can use black quartz, if objective is to grow plants use baked/soil pellets. [simplistic explanation-don't read too much into it]

If objective is want both, then have to compromise on both. Delwin's method seems to work well for him.

Here's a pic of my tank, almost ready for IAPLC. 90% ADA fert and substrate, you can't see the soil but it's there at the back

[lorba]

i do have one tank using Gex soil and the other using ADA Amazonia II.
Both tank are set up a few days apart. i found out that the Gex are eazier to plant plants. As for ADA, initially it is hard to make the plants stay on the soil.
Delwin.

Hi Delwin,

i think the floating problem could be caused by the plant mass of the particular piece you have. Or you may not have inserted the plants deep enough.

For big specimen, consider remove big and old leaves so that it is less bouyant.

[Jaws]

This photo was taken when I was setting up the tank and taken within 1hr after filling the tank with water.

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...0&d=1209740476

Is this cloudy? ADA soil... picture say a thousand words...

[zyblack]

It was mentioned that ADA Amazonian I will cause cloudiness if your tap water is alkaline in nature. So depending on where your tap water comes from, you may get different results since the pH of tap water is different from area to area in Singapore.

Amazonian II should have less cloudiness since they are made for alkaline water.

[EvolutionZ]

i do agree with that, ada when first set up, i do have totally crystal clear water. but after usage of 2months onwards.. even a slight rescape will cause cloudiness.. but gex is simply those debris..

guess my new scape will go for ADA II.

[Panut]

tried the ADA Amazonia II today. im surprised it doesn't cloud(maybe due to seasoned hands )

Anyway, it is a VAST improvement from Amazonia I. No regrets buying it. In fact, regret buying too little, should have bought more for a deeper substrate

[EvolutionZ]

magic,
how do you know its a VAST improvement when you just used it today?..
i had crystal clear water too when i set up my 2ft using ADA I...

[Verminator]

Question: Is ADA soil and GeX stuff commonly available outside s'pore? I hope so, because i havnt heard of such stuff around myself and i must say i dearly would like some when i start my new tank!

[Panut]

Because for amazonia I, i had cloudy water for the first 3 days
and when i plant, becomes cloudy again. for this one, i planted and planted but the water remained clear. =)

[EvolutionZ]

magic,
really? guess i have no chioce but to try ADA II for my new scape.
thanks

picture of a 10mths old broken down ADA I soil..
looks like mud!

[Verminator]

How does the soil get like this?

Is it just neglect. For someone not used to seeing aquarium soil like this how is this possible. Does it get like this whilst having your aquarium full of water and fish? I'm getting the idea you have to replace ADA soil yearly then? otherwise it gets like this?

Some one care to fill in the gaps on my knowledge of this.

[Verminator]

Ahh so you've just emptied the tank and this is the gunky mess your left with at the bottom, soil with that little bit of water which is impossible to remove.

So its not because the soil is 'spent' so to say, and its perfectly fine to use again. Or will you replace it?