Topping ADA soil to current GEX Soil

[zeek_fon]

Hi all,

Need some advice from you all.

Current I have a Apisto tank with GEX soil (Red packet - For plants and Shrimps type). I'm now thinking of topping up ADA soil. Is it ok?? I think ADA will pull down the PH lower than GEX soil. That's why I'm thinking of adding. Or it's ok with GEX soil?? If not, is there any other way I can pull down the PH without adding ADA soil??

Will topping up ADA soil cloud the water?? Must I fish out the Apisto 1st before topping up?? Must I wait after topping up the soil before I introduce the Apisto in?? How many days later??

Hope to get some advice here.

Thanks for your time.

Regards

[ADA SG]

Hi zeek_fon,
may I know which soil you intend to add into the tank?

If you want to reduce a good amount of pH, you can try Africana soil.
Different soil (Amazonia, Amazonia II, Africana and Malaya) all have different properties and undergo different processing chains.

For Africana, because the soil are baked at much higher temperature than the others, they stay compact for longer time compared to the other soils and also have less amount of ammonia in it. And suspending soil particles settle down much faster compared with the other 3 types.

You can lower the water level and make use of a container to slowly pour the soil onto the existing substrate you have. Again because Africana is baked at higher temperature and more compact and less ammonia, it is pretty safe. Moreover, if you already have a mature biological filtration system, any residual ammonia will be broken down by them.

In case you are still worried, you can nab your fish into a temporary holding tank and release it back after a couple of days. The time frame again depends on how mature your filtration system is.

Cheers.

[genes]

Must I fish out the Apisto 1st before topping up?? Must I wait after topping up the soil before I introduce the Apisto in?? How many days later??

Yes! Please please please remove your apisto or other fishes and reintroduce after at least a week later. I have tried with a healthy test fish with newly laid Africana and the fish died within hours. I'm not exactly sure whats the cause of the death but i reckon its the pH fluctuation.

[torque6]

Same as thio, i prefer a temp holding tank. I wouldnt recommend topping up with a different kinda of soil as its properties might differ.

[Fuzzy]

I don't any reason you can't mix soils. But this is liable to trigger a mini cycle in your tank.

Do remove your fauna to a temporary holding tank for a week or more, and don't reintroduce them to the tank until ammonia is back to undetectable levels.

[blue33]

errr... this is 2008 thread...