Using base fertilizer with ADA Aquasoil?

[stephen chung]

Well, it might sounds like a stupid question.

Do you need base fertilizer when you use ADA soil. eg amazonia, malaynian..

[valice]

If you go by what many in the forum will say, then it is no. ADA Aquasoil is compressed soil. So they have some nutrients baked in already. They are great for kick starting a tank because of the nutrients already present. In addition, they are great for getting plants with short roots to start absorbing nutrients from their root system. This being the main reason why some people cannot get APP to grow in lapis sand + base fert combination.

If you have heavy root feeders like Crypt or Echinodorus, you might want to consider the ADA Powersand as well, as they have more nutrients are last longer in terms of nutrients compared with ADA AS.

Again, there are the pro and cons of using Powersand. The roots of these plants will gravitate to the Powersand and stick onto the "rocks" and so when you decides to rip up the plant, the Powersand will naturally come up to the top. But there are ways to work again this problem.

If you go by the arguements that Tom Barr put forth in every forum he is a member in, you can actually ignore Powersand and use the Lushgro fertilisations to provide the nutrients that is in Powersand.

[eddyq]

It is only for shrimp tank only, no stem plant then there no need. I would use their power sand together with amazonia for optimal plant growth. It quite costly for a big tank, but it depend on what you want.

[Aquaculture]

If its for shrimp tank and your purpose is to lower ph. Why not add peat into your filter.

If I remember correctly, Powersand has type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is whitish in colour whereas type 2 is black. If you're afraid of the contast in colours when you uproot plants, you can consider using type 2 with amazonia which are of the same colour.

But using ADA on its own is fine as stated via Valice.

[stephen chung]

Valice,

What is Powersand? and APP?

[Shadow]

APP = Ah Pek Plant = Elatine tiandra

Powersand = ADA brand base fert

[stephen chung]

If you go by what many in the forum will say, then it is no. ADA Aquasoil is compressed soil. So they have some nutrients baked in already. They are great for kick starting a tank because of the nutrients already present. In addition, they are great for getting plants with short roots to start absorbing nutrients from their root system. This being the main reason why some people cannot get APP to grow in lapis sand + base fert combination.

If you have heavy root feeders like Crypt or Echinodorus, you might want to consider the ADA Powersand as well, as they have more nutrients are last longer in terms of nutrients compared with ADA AS.

Again, there are the pro and cons of using Powersand. The roots of these plants will gravitate to the Powersand and stick onto the "rocks" and so when you decides to rip up the plant, the Powersand will naturally come up to the top. But there are ways to work again this problem.

If you go by the arguements that Tom Barr put forth in every forum he is a member in, you can actually ignore Powersand and use the Lushgro fertilisations to provide the nutrients that is in Powersand.

So, you can actually use lapis sand with base fert and just use Lushgro??

[stephen chung]

Guys, thanks for the info man really learn alot.

I was at soon Heng 2 days back and they have this substrate that looks like the ADA soil but is from ocean free and the owner of the shop says it will not cloud the water and no base fertilizer is needed. 1 box of this substrate is about 4-5l and it cost $46. Anybody has come across this?

[Ram]

Guys, thanks for the info man really learn alot.

I was at soon Heng 2 days back and they have this substrate that looks like the ADA soil but is from ocean free and the owner of the shop says it will not cloud the water and no base fertilizer is needed. 1 box of this substrate is about 4-5l and it cost $46. Anybody has come across this?

I am using the brand of Ocean Free soil (ADA look alike!), yes, it won't cloud the water. I am using it because they also come with smaller packing. My plants have been growing well.

[illumnae]

with that brand and the cost, i'd usually choose to err on the side of caution and take ada or gex instead i personally have bad experiences with that particular brand of products (matter of opinion)

[valice]

Guys, thanks for the info man really learn alot.

I was at soon Heng 2 days back and they have this substrate that looks like the ADA soil but is from ocean free and the owner of the shop says it will not cloud the water and no base fertilizer is needed. 1 box of this substrate is about 4-5l and it cost $46. Anybody has come across this?

4-5L for $46? THen may as well get ADA? RRP is like $48 for 9L?
And yes, you can use Lushgro as long as you know what you are doing, what is missing in the setup you working on.

Also, plan on the plants you are going to use. Long term how will the setup be like. Will it be a setup once nice nice, live it, or a setup now, then rescape 6 months down the line.

It is also determine the type of substrate you will use.

And like eddy mentioned, if you have no heavy root feeders, and going to use alot of moss and ferns, then ignore the Powersoil.

So, you can actually use lapis sand with base fert and just use Lushgro??

From the looks of your planning of a 6ft tank, ADA will be one hole in your pocket.

If you don't have heavy root feeders, think you also can don't put base fert. I managed to grow Crypts in a very mature lapis sand substrate supplemented by Ferka Rosette tabs. Potent product.

[stephen chung]

Well, sometimes really don't wish for things. I have wanted to rescape and redo my tank...And finally chances arises, and tank crack....now got chance to do a hard reset liao....

So, keep the suggestion coming.......

Valice,

Yeah...if I am not mistaken is about $46 for 4-5L. The box that the soil is pack in the most is about 4-6L of ADA aquasoil...
Ask RAM he is using it....

[Shadow]

Check with NA how much is 9L ADA, you will forget about 4-5L ocean free

[lorba]

you will still need fertilization and base fertilization for using ADA soil, unless just ferns and moss.

Amazonia soil is nutrient rich but only last for a short while. On top of this, as newly planted plants takes some times to get rooted and start growth, ADA designed STEP 1 which is milder in nutrient load for using in month1-3. STEP 2 and 3 will come after that, when the water clears up and plants rooted and taking in fertilizers. UV is necessary to prevent the so call cloudiness when you use amazonia soil version 1. This is recommended even on the ADA website.

If you have rooted plants, you should always try to have base fertilizers like power sand special and the substrate powders designed for it.

For ferns and moss, you can try using Green Brighty Shade.

[Aquaculture]

Can see that you're a great fan of ADA lorba...your product knowledge is good. Using pure ADA fert on a 6ft setup would really be a deep deep hole in the pocket.

Althought you may want to use ADA as a substrate and there is a lifespan on the fert provided, I'm quite confident that you'll be using liquid fert from say, SeaChem or Lusgrow at the same time (EI method). Therefore there isn't much fear of the fert regime in the tank getting really low. It would also be way cheaper too...

The frustrating thing is the lifespan of ADA which breakdowns between 2 - 5 yrs (depending on how much you play around with the soil)... Are you prepared to redo your 6ft tank 100% when the time comes?

[illumnae]

i'm just curious about why people would use base ferts at all, since like soil the nutrients will be depleted in time and you'll just end up with some useless gunk under your substrate. wouldn't using root tabs right from the start make more sense practically and economically?

[Ram]

Well, sometimes really don't wish for things. I have wanted to rescape and redo my tank...And finally chances arises, and tank crack....now got chance to do a hard reset liao....

So, keep the suggestion coming.......

Valice,

Yeah...if I am not mistaken is about $46 for 4-5L. The box that the soil is pack in the most is about 4-6L of ADA aquasoil...
Ask RAM he is using it....

I bought at $10 for the small pack (forget the qty, may be 1L) at Clementi 328. My 1.4ft tank just need that much. Other ADA sand didn't supply at the small packing.

[David Moses Heng]

I bought at $10 for the small pack (forget the qty, may be 1L) at Clementi 328. My 1.4ft tank just need that much. Other ADA sand didn't supply at the small packing.

ADA soil is available in lose packaging. PM me for them.

[stephen chung]

I bought at $10 for the small pack (forget the qty, may be 1L) at Clementi 328. My 1.4ft tank just need that much. Other ADA sand didn't supply at the small packing.

So, I am right about the pricing...Is very expensive man!!!!

[|squee|]

It used to be more expensive a few years ago. Right now it's cheap imho, for such a good soil.