Onyx and ADA

[michael lai]

Hi Ppl,
I am contemplating to add ADA soil to seachem Onyx, has anyone tried it before? can share some of your observations? Thanking in advance.
Onyx below and ADA on top maybe a thin layer.

[loupgarou]

no issues. using ada on top of fluorite. however, on hindsight, I will not MIX ada with anything. one of the features of ada is its texture. mixing it with something else spoils the effect.

[michael lai]

Thanks Chris, never thought about the look..heehee you're right. I was just thinking like whether onyx and ada will cancell each other out one being soft and the other high calcium..Hmm..

[bclee]

No... I discourage that. Onyx is too high in carbonates to mix with ADA soil. You might end with a runaway KH/GH.

ADA soil contains peat. Peat will produce acids that will react with Onyx to cause the carbonates to dissolve into the water, causing the rise of KH and GH.

It happened to me when I combine Onyx with lots of peat.

BC

[michael lai]

I see, thanks Lee for the heads up if not it would have been a disaster. The reason I'm asking this is because I heard onyx is not very suitable for plants and I have some pricey crypts inside so thinking what can be done besides changing substrate. Any advise....

[joe]

... The reason I'm asking this is because I heard onyx is not very suitable for plants...

Where did you hear this from? See description from Seachem's website

Onyx Sand™ is a specially fracted, stable porous gravel for the natural planted aquarium. Being carbonate rich, Onyx Sand™ provides an advantage to any plants able to utilize bicarbonates. Although ideally suited to planted aquaria, it may be used in any aquarium environment. Onyx Sand™ is most effective when used alone as an integral substrate bed, but it may be mixed with other gravels. Gravel modifiers such as laterite are not necessary

[evolim83]

IAny advise....

Michael, "It's Time"
Sounds familiar?
Haha!
Its time to start a crypts tank!

[Quixotic]

I see, thanks Lee for the heads up if not it would have been a disaster. The reason I'm asking this is because I heard onyx is not very suitable for plants and I have some pricey crypts inside so thinking what can be done besides changing substrate. Any advise....

Are your crypts not doing well such that you want to change "something"? If so, it may not be your substrate but something else that is affecting your crypts.

The tank that bclee is talking about, Onyx sand and lots of crypts...

Cheers.

[michael lai]

Michael, "It's Time"
Sounds familiar?
Haha!
Its time to start a crypts tank!

Dearest Evo,
I decomissioned 2 tanks about 3 months ago and now I have set up 2 new tanks. It's not the time!!! Keke..hahaha, my missus has been nagging,.......but anyway, Joe I did read about Seachem's Onyx but keep hearing about crypt need soft water and blah,blah so kinda got me unsure. Can anybody share more with their experience on this substrate. Thanking in advance.

[joe]

You will be surprised many crypts thrive in high ph environments. In any case, dun worry too much, plants can adapt very well to different environments. Try it and let us know!!!

[Plantbrain]

I've used many things to grow plants and Crypts are my favorites.

Onyx does very well for most aquatic submersed crypts, some of the rare wimpy ones simply do poorly under water, all aquatic substrates tend towards neutral pH's over time. Crypts in emergent moist soil may prefer acidic soil, but water logged soils seldom are acidic over time unless it's a peat bog etc.


I would highly suggest ADA soil, not trhe powersand and the rest of the stuff, just the soil.

It'll lower the pH about 1 unit or so, it'll alos add some NH4, powersand adds NH4, but also adds a lot of NO3. We can add that to the water column and allow the roots to use the NH4.

That's why it works well, not because of the pH, softening the KH if it's hard will help some plants, but not most.

The cost there is likely very similar, onyx sand here is cheap since the shipping is less. It cost 28-36$ for a 20 gallon tnk's worth(9liter bag), vs 2 bags of onyx for the same tank and about 25-35$ and lots of rinsing. ADA soil will never scratch the glass either, hard gravels will. No rinsing at all, I've set up 5 tanks with it and will keep using it.

I add a little peat, mulm and then top with the soil, just like the same deal as the flourite, onyx etc prior.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[michael lai]

Thanks Tom, Joe and Quixotic, for your inputs and reassurance. To be honest, I was ready to tear down everything but for amount of work! OMG!! I have never tried Onyx before so....I think we'll know in a week or two. I have since changed the lights to T5 HO 4x39W and will be installing a chiller in a weeks time, intending to bring down the temperature to 25 degrees. Will keep you guys posted. Thanks,
Err...sorry, forgot. This is a 3 x 1.5 x 2(h) tank project, was previously using 2 x 55w pl and 2 x 25w Fl. With a fan.

[joe]

hi micheal, i just washed 12 packs of onyx sand and poured into my new tank ... u can come view it if u want ... water's not in yet

[michael lai]

hi micheal, i just washed 12 packs of onyx sand and poured into my new tank ... u can come view it if u want ... water's not in yet

Thanks for the offer bro but I think I have enough sand washing for a year. Come to think of it, I think I need to clear some to balance the bank book...Keke

[michael lai]

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The verdict is out! Onyx substrate is.....like what they claimed!! All my crypts survived. The Bulosa has put forth new leaves and so has the Nuri. Even my C. sp 'Sri Lanka' C480 has begun to show really good growth. Was really getting worried there, thanks guys for your inputs.