What so special of ADA Soil?

[Star-flog]

I never use ADA soil and thinking of buying (actually someone is offering) and wondering why ADA Soil so special??

It costs more than 4 - 5 times of original pre-wash substrate/sand and it just look black..hope this is not only the 'brand' name that we're all buying into......

Is this worth your money $$$ ??

[BFG]

Well, speaking from experience, most of ADA Aquasoil user like myself use it to keep a certain species of fishes eg apisto which need a ph of around ph6 or lesser. Certain plants like the tonina grow well with Aquasoil.

Just my 2 cents.

[loupgarou]

a) lower ph.
b) texture - soft, will NOT scratch your sapphire glass tank when it gets trapped between your magnetic algae scraper
c) no need base fert.
d) homogenous, uprooting plants isn't that troublesome.
e) plants grow well in it.
f) color looks like soil/ ie: no crystalline appearance.
g) lighter/less dense, to achieve the same substrate height level as other substrates, it weighs less. *but not necessarily cost less*

[Star-flog]

Well, speaking from experience, most of ADA Aquasoil user like myself use it to keep a certain species of fishes eg apisto which need a ph of around ph6 or lesser. Certain plants like the tonina grow well with Aquasoil.

Just my 2 cents.

Thank You.. If I'm not into certain species that prefer lower PH, then it would not be any use. Right?

I've a planned for a tank just to grow mosses (mostly) and Pleco and perhaps some tetras. So it's not necessary for such an expensive soil.

Also, do you know any substrate in black color and I like to the contract between black and green plants. If I ever buy ADA soil, it would be based on the color only. So, not worth (personnel opinion)

[Fei Miao]

Also, do you know any substrate in black color and I like to the contract between black and green plants. If I ever buy ADA soil, it would be based on the color only. So, not worth (personnel opinion)

There's black quartz, It's available at Qian Hu and most good lfs

[Star-flog]

There's black quartz, It's available at Qian Hu and most good lfs

Black quartz, it should make the water very clean. Do you know matt or gloss finishing?

[Star-flog]

a) lower ph.
b) texture - soft, will NOT scratch your sapphire glass tank when it gets trapped between your magnetic algae scraper
c) no need base fert.
d) homogenous, uprooting plants isn't that troublesome.
e) plants grow well in it.
f) color looks like soil/ ie: no crystalline appearance.
g) lighter/less dense, to achieve the same substrate height level as other substrates, it weighs less. *but not necessarily cost less*

Hi loupgarou, your mentioned points are well taken in .

Now my negative opinion on ADA Soil is shaking! . Now can consider already if the price not so expensive. For 2ft x 2ft base, I need at least 3 bags of 9kg packs. Wow, total more than $120.. must think first and do all calculation (short term and long term)

[mordrake]

Hi loupgarou, your mentioned points are well taken in .

Now my negative opinion on ADA Soil is shaking! . Now can consider already if the price not so expensive. For 2ft x 2ft base, I need at least 3 bags of 9kg packs. Wow, total more than $120.. must think first and do all calculation (short term and long term)

if u intend to keep plecs and fishes that like to dig in to the substrate looking for food, i wouldn't recommend ada soil.
there's a very high chance that it'll crumble into dust if the digging is "violent" enough. in the end, you may have a pretty muddy substrate.

[loupgarou]

dunno, I have it in my cory tank (over 100 species) and it certainly hasn't "crumbled" yet

[Star-flog]

if u intend to keep plecs and fishes that like to dig in to the substrate looking for food, i wouldn't recommend ada soil.
there's a very high chance that it'll crumble into dust if the digging is "violent" enough. in the end, you may have a pretty muddy substrate.

Is that true that ADA Aquasoil will be crumble into dust? Then the water will be very milky everywhere. How your guys opinion?

[|squee|]

Aquasoil will crumble to dust over time, and this process is lengthened or shortened depending on how often you do rescaping like pulling up plants, planting new plants, blah blah. This soil is not for you if you do frequent rescapes.

I personally have Aquasoil, and although it's starting to crumble ( because I did quite a few rescapes ) it will not milk up your water, because all the particles manage to settle to the bottom properly. It only appears when you stir the substrate.

Other than it's crumbling disadvantage, another disadvantage is that it renders the pH/kH C02 calculation relationship useless, since it alters the pH and kH of your water.

However, it's a great substrate to grow your plants in. The black look looks natural enough, and I've read about several who used Aquasoil and found that they could grow plants they could never grow previously before.

Include ADA Powersand and your substrate will be excellent. This however is considering that the substrate is only disturbed very infrequently. Otherwise I'd say go for a more "hard" substrate like Seachem's Flourite or Dennerle quartz gravel.

[BFG]

Another opinion based on experience.

Since my 3ft tank leaked a few months ago, I had removed my ADA soil and found that most are still holding their 'pellet' form. Only when I scraped it purposely as I use a small dust pan to remove the left over did the soil disintegrate.

As far as my experience with ADA soil, you need something strong like pinching the 'pellet' to disintegrate it. Though certain fish might be able to crush the soil, I believe only a small amount of soil would get disintegrated. Also, fishes do a side to side motion when they dig and this side to side motion pushes the soil aside rather then pushing it against one another. Maybe a few might disintegrate due to constant digging but that I haven't experience yet.

[Star-flog]

Aquasoil will crumble to dust over time, and this process is lengthened or shortened depending on how often you do rescaping like pulling up plants, planting new plants, blah blah. This soil is not for you if you do frequent rescapes.

I personally have Aquasoil, and although it's starting to crumble ( because I did quite a few rescapes ) it will not milk up your water, because all the particles manage to settle to the bottom properly. It only appears when you stir the substrate.

Other than it's crumbling disadvantage, another disadvantage is that it renders the pH/kH C02 calculation relationship useless, since it alters the pH and kH of your water.

However, it's a great substrate to grow your plants in. The black look looks natural enough, and I've read about several who used Aquasoil and found that they could grow plants they could never grow previously before.

Include ADA Powersand and your substrate will be excellent. This however is considering that the substrate is only disturbed very infrequently. Otherwise I'd say go for a more "hard" substrate like Seachem's Flourite or Dennerle quartz gravel.

So, ADA Aquasoil is not an ideal substrate for fishes that use the bottom a lot?
As for Seachem's Flourite which also come in black but it's still not available in Singapore, isn't it? I believe the price can be quite expensive...

[Star-flog]

Anyone knows where in Singapore sell good range of Dennerle gravel product? How much per pack?

[bleez]

I did a search on flourite few days ago and found that some ppl bought theirs at Plantas and Petmart. Haven't actually enquired at these places personally but I'm rather interested in getting it. So does anyone else know of places which currently stock flourite?

[|squee|]

So, ADA Aquasoil is not an ideal substrate for fishes that use the bottom a lot?
As for Seachem's Flourite which also come in black but it's still not available in Singapore, isn't it? I believe the price can be quite expensive...

I'm not sure since I haven't had bottom dwellers before. But I'd say no. Flourite doesn't come in black, it's a sort of multicoloured gravel. Check out the seachem website. It's available in Singapore, and should cost about the same as Aquasoil.

[mordrake]

i've kept cories in ada soil tanks and even though they do dig and kick up some soil, most of it just settles back down.
what i'm afraid for star-flog are the plecs and cories that think they're ostriches

[Star-flog]

I'm not sure since I haven't had bottom dwellers before. But I'd say no. Flourite doesn't come in black, it's a sort of multicoloured gravel. Check out the seachem website. It's available in Singapore, and should cost about the same as Aquasoil.

Been to Petmart the other day, could not find it. Thanks, anyway. Since it's not black and no longer interested in it. How about Dennerle black gravel, I read someone said Thomas Plaza there is one shop carry full range of Dennerle gravel, right? or may be NA has it too.

[loupgarou]

petmart carries flourite and onyx

fluorite - dark brown

fluorite red - clay red

onyx - slate gray.

there are the "sand" versions as well

[ranmasatome]

If you want black colour and dont want to use ADA amazonia then try Seachem Onyx.. i think it is pretty good..i plan to use the sand form for my next tank. Otherwise you can try Dennerle Quartz gravel...which in my opinion is just quartz gravel with a name tagged price... i mean...whats so special about it compared to other black quartz gravel?