JBL base fert use with ADA amazonia

[curahee]

As above, i just setup my tank and notice tat the whole tank extremely clody, lots of base fert stir up despite all cover up by the ADA amazonia substrate, anyone know how to solve this problem? The JBL base fert seems to be able to penetrate out of the ADA amazonia due to its large size gravel and my water current.

[lorba]

how thick is your ada soil and how did you add the water?
Is the currently blowing on the soil?

From my experience, ADA soil has the least of this problem with cloudy water.

[curahee]

how thick is your ada soil and how did you add the water?
Is the currently blowing on the soil?

From my experience, ADA soil has the least of this problem with cloudy water.

Abt 2 inches deep in front at 5 inches deep at the back. The current is blowing against my tank front. Juz now happen to stir up a bit of the ada amazonia while pouring in water, dunno is it the problem. Now still extremely cloudy. Anything i can do??

[|squee|]

Lol, you cannot stir up Aquasoil! You have to add water in very gently.

Nothing you can do but wait I guess. Can try getting water clarifiers like Seachem Clarity to hasten the process.

[lorba]

Abt 2 inches deep in front at 5 inches deep at the back. The current is blowing against my tank front. Juz now happen to stir up a bit of the ada amazonia while pouring in water, dunno is it the problem. Now still extremely cloudy. Anything i can do??

If you think that the fert is stirred up, maybe you would like to do a major water change.

Otherwise, just let the filters run in for a few days. If there is nothing inside, then you do not switch the lights on.

[curahee]

Sianz, morning wake up whole tank still like milo water, check everything liao, all the base fert are thickly cover by the amazonia gravel, dunno why still can seep out, anyway thanks all bro for ur help!

[riccia]

if your ada is 2 inches thick in front & 5 inches behind, i don' think so that the fertilizer would escape from your ada. the amount of ada you have should have "covered" your base fertiliser completely.

i can assume that the cloudy water was because you stir up the ada and maybe also the base fertilizer while pouring in water. you have to pour or add-in water very slowly in the beginning. i used a mug to do it but i takes quite some time. you need patience la......

also check that your water outlet current is not too strong and also not blowing directly on the ada (ada leaflet should have adviced you against doing that).

as suggested by bro loba, you might want to do a major water change to rectify the situation.

Sianz, morning wake up whole tank still like milo water, check everything liao, all the base fert are thickly cover by the amazonia gravel, dunno why still can seep out, anyway thanks all bro for ur help!

[StanChung]

Hi,

Sorry to hear that but you're not supposed to use base fert with Aquasoil. Too late, I know!
Are you using any other stuff from ADA? Their other stuff are suppose to help with the clarifying process.
Ask your LFS. Otherwise can ask me in pm!
Have had this problem with rescaping but not in new setups, it is a soil in granule form after all.

R

Stan

[Justikanz]

To clear up the cloudy water, use a sponge filter, or add new sponge/cotton media in your existing filter. I wrap cotton around the filter inlet when I was transferring my ADA soil just last week... The water cleared up soon...

To get rid of the yellowing/browning, use activated carbon...

[curahee]

Thanks everyone, decided to siphone out my first layer of amazonia soil and remove all my base fert, having nightmare using base fert, decided to use amazonia alone. Tonite gonna be a long tedious night...

[lorba]

Hi,

Sorry to hear that but you're not supposed to use base fert with Aquasoil. Too late, I know!
Are you using any other stuff from ADA? Their other stuff are suppose to help with the clarifying process.
Ask your LFS. Otherwise can ask me in pm!
Have had this problem with rescaping but not in new setups, it is a soil in granule form after all.

R

Stan

Hey Stan, why do you say "not supposed"?

I do put loads of stuff down below the ADA soil, FERKA, Powersand, Multiiron, multibottom, penacW, penacP, Tourmaline BC etc.

[|squee|]

I do that too, I had JBL Aquabasis Plus underneath my Africana back then. No problems.

curahee, imho you'll do more damage if you siphon out the gravel again.

I suggest you drain out all the water till the substrate line and very slowly refill water back in again. The Aquasoil grains should not move at all when the water is being added.

[curahee]

Ok Bro i heed ur expertist advice. Why aquasoil not suppose to be move? Like if one day i wanna change to a new tank, i transfer the aquasoil to anothe r tank tats mean the aquasoil will spoil and damage or lost the effect?

[|squee|]

The more you move Aquasoil around, the more it is going to become real soil (as in ground soil that kind), that's why I recommend that you do not move it now. Aquasoil is very fragile when wet. If you transfer the soil to another tank it'll be alright; you'll just end up with a lot of mush (crushed Aquasoil).

When you filled up the tank with water, you just let the water from the hose hit the Aquasoil directly, right?

[StanChung]

Hi Roland sifu,

Sorry please let me clarify.

Not supposed to use Aquasoil + base fert [especially other brands] because Aquasoil is the soil itself.
Powersand technically is not base fert. it is made for Aquasoil so of course it's recommended!
However, IMHO it's more of a base layer to create aerobic conditions/reduce compacting for the good microorganisms to thrive. It's got some plant booster stuff that doesn't last so that's probably the reason i don't consider it a base fertilizer, not like typical clay/peat/laterite stuff in a tub other makers sell.

Anyway Powersand is a only thin layer only to be used with the 'fab five'-bac 100, clear super, tourmaline, PenacP and W. The multi long bottom is to be added when you feel the plants have used up the soil or about to.
In your case Ferka or other product when you eyeball the plants would be fine too.

Notice over time you will see the soil layer thin?
According to the experts this is due to a few reasons,
1-the plants use up the nutrients,
2-the granules are crumbling,
3-dissolved and washed away.

Easy to fix by adding new and fresh Aquasoil of course!.

Question is why put base fert with Aquasoil?
When it mixes and all the bits and pieces come up to the surface won't that look bad?
'Too late! Too late' as Dame Judi Dench bellows as the Queen in Shakespeare in Love!

Regards

Stan

[StanChung]

Ok Bro i heed ur expertist advice. Why aquasoil not suppose to be move? Like if one day i wanna change to a new tank, i transfer the aquasoil to anothe r tank tats mean the aquasoil will spoil and damage or lost the effect?

Hi Curahee,

Aquasoil is a soil like squee explained. Not like holland/lapis which is sand.
Soil and sand are different. Took me awhile to grasp that too.

So when you move Aquasoil to another tank, you must have some fresh Aquasoil to cover thinly over otherwise hell break loose and you have yellow brown tank. This is the Aquasoil debris/semi dissolve tiny particles. BTW Thomas, this cannot be absorbed by AC. I tried! Not enough carbon for 5ft tank perhaps!

Regards

Stan

[Justikanz]

Stan, maybe my tank is only a 1.5 feet! Anyway, the water is still yellowish... But MUCH better than before using activated carbon!

[curahee]

Hiazz... Den now i can only wait rite? Will it be clear up sooner or later? I notice my tank clearer today...

[|squee|]

It's ok to wait!

I notice I do not have the problem Justikanz does, even when there was obvious mud in my tank at some parts of the substrate. Whenever I messed it up, it will clear by itself over a day. I believe as a tank matures bacteria builds up in the substrate and "binds" the soil particles together (read Diana Walstad's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium)

[curahee]

Thanks everyone, so to conclude,
ADA Amazonia are not suppose to be remove after its used?
If moved, new layer of Amazonia muz be cover on top of the old one?
Base fertliser is not recommended to use with ADA Amazonia?