Treatment of used aqua soil

[tongyang]

Seeking advice on this, what are the reuse or recycling solutons? And if it is for disposal, how it is done, return it back to nature?

[felix_fx2]

i reuse after i wash off the powdered soil.
You can give to other members as well, they will be very happy to take in most cases.

[tongyang]

With nutrient depleted still can be reused?

[Urban Aquaria]

Yeah, used ADA aquasoil has good use amongst people who want the look of aquasoil in their substrate but not the initial high ammonia release and longer cycling period... usually for those who want to setup tanks which focus more on fishes/shrimps and less on plants, helps to allow for a faster tank start-up (otherwise they have to do many tedious water changes just to flush out the initial excess ammonia, which is abit of a waste of the aquasoil's original benefits).

I usually recycle and keep a few kg of used ADA aquasoil (rinsed in strainer basket and dried) in zip-lock bags for that purpose too.

With nutrient depleted still can be reused?

Yes, if its for a planted tank, then just do more water column fertilizer dosing and putting root tabs in the substrate to replenish the nutrients. ADA aquasoil has very good Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), so even used aquasoil makes for a good base to absorb and release fertilizers.

[bennyc]

Do you think if the previous setup has been affected by algae. The chances of using the recycle soil will increase algae growth. The same for fish disease too.

[felix_fx2]

With nutrient depleted still can be reused?

If you had dosed in water column, chances are the nutrient value should be still pretty ok. If not can always add root fert.

Do you think if the previous setup has been affected by algae. The chances of using the recycle soil will increase algae growth. The same for fish disease too.

eh, algae is always present. like guardsman.. their always "Ready to strike"
IMHO, worse part if substrate from a failed badly setup is reused, is the awful smell.

[sammajor]

I tried used aqua soil in my 1st setup. So far so good. So I went on the use the used aqua soil for my 2nd setup. But this time round, it sparks brownish water despite water change almost 2-4 times a week for almost a month. In the end, revamp by replacing with brand new aqua soil. Setup about a week. Result so far so good. Fertiliser release from the used aqua soil causing algae boom.

[Urban Aquaria]

Do you think if the previous setup has been affected by algae. The chances of using the recycle soil will increase algae growth. The same for fish disease too.

I guess the chances of problems will be higher if the soil was from a tank with persistent algae or disease issues... in that case, better not re-use those ones as a high percentage of spores and pathogens could still be hibernating in the recycled soil.

Dump away those "tainted" soils like they were bio-hazard!

[bennyc]

I guess the chances of problems will be higher if the soil was from a tank with persistent algae or disease issues... in that case, better not re-use those ones as a high percentage of spores and pathogens could still be hibernating in the recycled soil.

Dump away those "tainted" soils like they were bio-hazard!

Yes urban, you manage to put in words what i am trying to say. The point i am trying to drive is, i feel compare to aquarium small stones, the cosmetic small stones can be easily "reset".

[tongyang]

Thanks folks. Perhaps a good reuse alternative is to grow plants in emersed form.

[felix_fx2]

Thanks folks. Perhaps a good reuse alternative is to grow plants in emersed form.

the aquasoil came from a tank that got history of bad algae outbreak? i do suggest you to check for more opnions.

not very good to grow emersed, top layer dry too fast.

@bennyc, ask you ah. do you throw your used aquasoil?

[bennyc]

I do not know why, but my tank has earthworm, maybe be cause i started emerse growing HC so Most of the soil is powered form. Only a thin top layer is still in bead form. The bead form also seems to have BBA. So i think when i rescape, i will become dry land farmer, grow UG. Haha.

On seconds thoughts, maybe i will throw away, i did not buy ADA so i will not have a heart pain when i dump it.

[felix_fx2]

I do not know why, but my tank has earthworm, maybe be cause i started emerse growing HC so Most of the soil is powered form. Only a thin top layer is still in bead form. The bead form also seems to have BBA. So i think when i rescape, i will become dry land farmer, grow UG. Haha.

On seconds thoughts, maybe i will throw away, i did not buy ADA so i will not have a heart pain when i dump it.

Earthworm is good what, i have alot of those guys in most of my tanks.
If it has bba on the aquasoil, it's quite hard to get rid.

It's not ada? whhaha, no wonder all melt and become power/dust.
Just throw or give away, not alot right? Bigger tanks then feel the pain of throwing 4+ packets of ADA.

[bennyc]

Sorry TS, i am going off topic here.

ADA will not become power form? How long will it last?

@ felix, earthworm is not good, the 1 ,fat and big, earthworm turn my aqua soil into power soil in 1 month, have many children. My scape's slope decrease in height. Sigh... so many things went wrong for my first setup, learn so many things.

[tongyang]

Sorry TS, i am going off topic here.

ADA will not become power form? How long will it last?.

Haha no prob. I thought so too that aqua soil will crumble into powder form after prolonged use. Anyway my concern arose when ADA mentioned some time ago that supply of black soil is becoming scarce. Not sure if this is still the case, but makes me wonder if aquarians are increasingly consuming too much without giving 2nd life to used soil, which gave rise to why I ask about reuse and recycling. Wonder how ADA does it whenever they renew their soil.

[bennyc]

Seeing there are so many brands of aqua soil, i am not surprise it will eventually become very scarce. Looking at the price now, i think we are not there yet. At the current price, I do not think it will force hobbists to recycle their soil.

If you see ADA soil, there are quite a few stone and organic material other than soil. Maybe, such contents will increase more and more, marketed as being more "natural" Haha.

The trouble of recycling the soil (washing the soil, sieving out the intact soil) is just too much work.

[Urban Aquaria]

Point to note when storing used ADA aquasoil for future use... try not to dry it until its completely "bone dry", ideally it should still be slightly moist to help retain their shape, or else the dried granules tend to crumble easily when handled or re-submerged in water.

If you look closely at new bags of ADA aquasoil, there is often some condensation in the bags too.

Btw, i have noticed that powder type aquasoil seems to hold its shape alot better than compared to normal type aquasoil, doesn't crumble as easily. I can usually recover 90% of the original volume of powder type when i recycle them from a tank, versus only 70-80% of the original volume for normal type.

[tongyang]

Wow thanks Urban, the details that you know, simply amazing! Didn't realize that the moisture kept in the soil pack was intentional.

[Urban Aquaria]

Wow thanks Urban, the details that you know, simply amazing! Didn't realize that the moisture kept in the soil pack was intentional.

No probs, i also just discover it from trial and error... the result of frequent tank changes/re-scapes.