Ada (soil/gravel/substrate) ?

[Slan]

Hi there everyone.

I just wonder if there´s any possibility of ordering ada substrate/gravel/soil whatever aaaaaall the way from japan? to Sweden?
I would sure like to have some, or something that have the same effect, though i believe that the gravel is very important.

Can anyone help me with this?

[budak]

Hi,

ADA has a product range called AquaSoil and another called PowerSand. You can substitute PowerSand (which works by providing a substrate for bacterial growth and nutrient sponging) cheaply by using plain pumice. AquaSoil's main use is to create an acidic substrate, so I think if you add a layer (1 inch) of peat beneath plain gravel (or mix it with base fert such as Dennerle/JBL), you will get the same effect.

Anyway, ADA has an European site here

[Slan]

Ok. I see what you mean, but wont the peat? make the water very tinted, like roots have the effect to makethe water, like brown?
and above i think you mean that I could have regular sand etc english stone? gravel i mean.

[juggler]

[quote:1a45cc003d="Slan"]Ok. I see what you mean, but wont the peat? make the water very tinted, like roots have the effect to makethe water, like brown?
and above i think you mean that I could have regular sand etc english stone? gravel i mean.[/quote:1a45cc003d]

I have not tried peat but something similar called cocopeat. The water is very lightly tinted only. Noticeable only if I siphon out into a white pail.

What you can do is to test it out using a small sample of the peat in a small cup. Cover the peat with a layer of sand as you would use it in your aquarium. Top up with water and observe for clarity/tinting over a few days/weeks. Test the water parameters. This can roughly help you decide which base fertiliser would be best.

[Slan]

Good idea. even though i´m not sure if I trust myself enough to test this in the big aquarium at first, after testing it in the bottles as you said, so i guess i´ll test it in another aquarium just to be sure u know. good experiment though, thanks for the tip.

Cocopeat? never heard of.. how does it look? what is it?

I don´t think there´s anything similar to ada soil around here, in the "cold" country, so maybe there´s something that is near like it ? something more easily caught around here? anyone know maybe ?

Have a good one!

[izzat]

hey juggler...

the cocopeat is the 1 use for garden plants izzit?
buy from farmmart huh?
any where cheap?

correct me if i'm wrong...

[mordrake]

cocopeat can be bought from cold storage.. think it's SGD2.00 per pack (enough for 2ft tank)

[Simon]

[quote:4ee069d385="aCe^bOwleRz"]hey juggler...

the cocopeat is the 1 use for garden plants izzit?
buy from farmmart huh?
any where cheap?

correct me if i'm wrong...

[/quote:4ee069d385]

cocopeat can be bought from cold storage.. think it's SGD2.00 per pack (enough for 2ft tank)

guys, Slan is from Sweden

Slan, you could try looking at nurseries or florist[/quote]

[mordrake]

oops sorry about that. was replying to ace.

[Slan]

Hi.
Ok.
Simon, can you tell how to make the "mix" exactly for a square 125*125 aquarium?
i guess this will work better then just having ordinary gravel or sand ? or is thgere something who really works that some of you already have that you could recommend? I know Adasoil,powersand, dennerlegravel and all of that works, but I don´t really have the access to it if you know what i mean. so if there´s anything I could make myself, with different ingredient that will work, please let me know.

Have a good one .
Greetings from Sweden Simon

[Art_Giacosa]

Hi Simon,

If you can't buy the real thing, make it yourself.

Power Sand= 1st inch of substrate- 4 cups pumice to 1/2-1 cup peat, crushed charcoal, small amount of laterite.

Aqua Soil= 2nd to 4th inch of substrate- use akadama, Eco-Complete, RedSea's Florabase.

Sorry about not using the metric system, I'm from the US.

[Slan]

Thanks.
I´m am not really sure of what you mean still though.
I should have all the ingredients of power sand, up to 1inch, then the ingredients of aquasoil up to 5 inches ? those that you said aren´t available here so i guess i´ll have to use ordinary gravel upon the powersand ingredients then ? right ?

The idea of this is to create air so the nutrients can pass by the roots and there can be a biological balance created there ? right ?

Hear from you. Simon

[Plantbrain]

I think SeaChem has UK distributors, onyx or flourite also works well.

No matter what you decide on getting, adding ground peat will help start the tank off very well. Perhaps a handful of peat(you can buy peat at any nursery plant store) per square 25cm.

You should also add "mulm", the detrial dirt that settles on a bucket after you vacuum a tank's gravel. Let the bucket settle for about 5-10minutes, then pour off the clear water and save this mulm on the bottom of the bucket.


Add the mulm to the peat layer. This adds precisely what is missing from an established gravel bed. Live bacteria and organic matter.

Non scented kitty litter (a clay) also works well as a base.

I'd try and get something like Eco complete, Flourite, Onyx sand, Flora base,

There is also Turface and profile(very similar) that they add to baseball field diamond infields here in the USA. It's pretty cheap and is a little light weight, but it's just as good as the pricely material.
Art's suggestion will also work well.

Look around and see what type of $$$$ deals you can get.
Most of these will do great but at least add the peat and mulm to the very bottom, then one of these suggestions if you can get the stuff.

I wonder if Daniel can help you off the APD, he lives there in Sweden and is into plants pretty heavily.

If there's something around, I think he'd know, he has a local Swedish plant forum I believe.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[mervin]

[quote:8e53378a30="Slan"]Hi there everyone.

I just wonder if there´s any possibility of ordering ada substrate/gravel/soil whatever aaaaaall the way from japan? to Sweden?
I would sure like to have some, or something that have the same effect, though i believe that the gravel is very important.

Can anyone help me with this?[/quote:8e53378a30]

hi Slan,
there is no need to get the ADA stuff send from japan.
it will be way too expensive.....i think.

here is a ADA product sales website base in europe.

good luck.
http://www.aquagoods.com/