Which to layer first? Old Sea Mud Powder or ADA - Substrate Base Combi?

**ralliart12** · 6th Nov 2011, 18:21

Hi fellows. May I know when using Mosura Old Sea Mud Power in conjunction with ADA - Substrate Base Combi (which composes of ADA - Bacter 100, ADA - Clear Super, ADA - Tourmaline BC, ADA - Penac P, ADA - Penac W), which should be applied first, i.e. lowest layer?

Another question: are some of the "ingredients" inside ADA Power Sand Special, simply a repeat of their substrate additives combi?

**edw7636** · 6th Nov 2011, 18:53

If im not wrong, those with bacter 100,clear super should be at the very bottom.

Sorry, never used Sea mud before so not sure what kind of substrate is that.haha.

**ralliart12** · 6th Nov 2011, 21:55

Originally Posted by edw7636

...Sorry, never used Sea mud before so not sure what kind of substrate is that.haha.

According to a website, here's a description of it:

Mosura Old Sea Mud Powder is a safe and natural product which enhances water quality, replenishes and enhances minerals and trace elements in your tank water that has been depleted, either by your local utilities, water changes or by excessive filteration, and remove certain harmful substance like decomposed organic carbon, amines and glysxerols from your water, itis also capable of removing heavy metals, free radicals and pesticides in the water.
Use of Old Sea Mud is very popular in Japan, and almost all pro shrimp keepers use them.
We select high quality mineral rock to be used in our breeding tank and that explains why Mosura Old Sea Mud Powder contains very high portion of trace element, that is close to 3% by weight and close to 70 different trace minerals and compounds have been identified, making it very suitable to remineralize your tank.
This product is used in our new tank setups as the lowest level of the gravel or regular adminstrations into water column. Mosura Old Sea Mud Powder is capable of polishing the water by attracting impurities in the water, your aquarium water get clearer after Mosura Old Sea Mud Powder is used in water column. For first time usage, the tank may take longer time to clear up, however, for subsequent usages, clear up time should reduce as an indication of improving water quality.
This product can not only improve the well mean of fauna and also improve the growth rate of of flora because of the concentration of trace elements in it.
We recommend to use this product: - during tank setup - dose it regular into your tank water column if you have not use it as a base - after 6 months dose it into water column if Mosura Old Sea Mud Powder has been used as a base
In summary, it has these functions: - Increasing good bacterial activities - Improving water quality by removing toxic such heavy metal and free radicals. - Deodorizing unwanted smells - Reducing the number of water changes - Re-mineralization of tank water for shrimp, fish and planted tanks.

**ailnaz** · 7th Nov 2011, 00:32

If i am not wrong, it should be used as a base. Well I maybe wrong but I myself used it partially as a base before putting in and scaping the ada substrate. Hope it helps.

**ralliart12** · 7th Nov 2011, 01:02

Originally Posted by ailnaz

If i am not wrong, it should be used as a base. Well I maybe wrong but I myself used it partially as a base before putting in and scaping the ada substrate. Hope it helps.

So, from bottom to top, Old Sea Mud Powder, then ADA Power Sand Special, then ADA Aqua Soil? Btw, I'm beginning to get a feeling the set of "ADA - Substrate Base Combi" need not be used if Power Sand Special is used, i.e. seems like the "Special" in Power Sand Special is the substrate combi; anybody can confirm this?

**marimo** · 11th Nov 2011, 19:01

i used the old sea mud powder as base then soil. I think the reason it used as base because its powder form .. if use as base is 6 month life before dosing more as maintenance
the powder just stays below undisturbed even if you do big water change thus constantly releasing mineral to replicate lake water

Some time i also spray new old sea mud water when i do PWC.. does that hurt?

**ZackZhou** · 11th Nov 2011, 19:38

Originally Posted by marimo

i used the old sea mud powder as base then soil. I think the reason it used as base because its powder form .. if use as base is 6 month life before dosing more as maintenance
the powder just stays below undisturbed even if you do big water change thus constantly releasing mineral to replicate lake water

Some time i also spray new old sea mud water when i do PWC.. does that hurt?

Bro, you are not addressing TS's questions. He is asking about old sea mud powder and Ada substrate system(penac w,p etc).

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**ZackZhou** · 11th Nov 2011, 19:42

Hi TS, I used all of the above you stated in the tank before.
My sequence will be Ada powersand, old seamud and Ada substrate system lay on top of powersand together and followed by Ada soil.

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**Darylyap** · 16th Nov 2011, 10:48

i think zack has a gd point of old sea mud at 2nd lowest level of substrate (if i read it correctly) bcos the substrate is at least 4" deep.

i've seen videos showing 1st layer is old sea mud.

i think can conclude old sea mud is one of the 1st (if not 2nd) thing to put into the substrate, both shd be acceptable imo.

**Darylyap** · 16th Nov 2011, 11:27

may i knw to add old sea mud for regular maintenance, do we just mix with water, then add into tank?
or do we just dump the correct amount into the water will do?

**ralliart12** · 8th Dec 2011, 18:12

Originally Posted by ZackZhou

Hi TS, I used all of the above you stated in the tank before.
My sequence will be Ada powersand, old seamud and Ada substrate system lay on top of powersand together and followed by Ada soil...

Thanks, Zack, for understanding what I'm asking; however, I still do not really comprehend your answer. Do u mean (from bottom layer to top layer):

a) Old Sea Mud Powder > ADA Power Sand > ADA Substrate system > ADA Amazonia, or
b) ADA Power Sand > Old Sea Mud Power > ADA Substrate system > ADA Amazonia

Thank you.

& @ Darylyap,

According to this site,

We recommend to use this product: - during tank setup - dose it regular into your tank water column if you have not use it as a base - after 6 months dose it into water column if Mosura Old Sea Mud Powder has been used as a base

**Darylyap** · 8th Dec 2011, 18:21

thanks bro ralliart, think i'll just add with water, stir & pour eevrything in.

**ZackZhou** · 8th Dec 2011, 20:24

Originally Posted by ralliart12

Thanks, Zack, for understanding what I'm asking; however, I still do not really comprehend your answer. Do u mean (from bottom layer to top layer):

a) Old Sea Mud Powder > ADA Power Sand > ADA Substrate system > ADA Amazonia, or
b) ADA Power Sand > Old Sea Mud Power > ADA Substrate system > ADA Amazonia

Thank you.

& @ Darylyap,

According to this site,

Hi, actually what Ada suggested was to put all additives below everything, including Ada powersand. What I did was I put powersand in first then lay everything on top.
Alternatively you can try pour all the additives in the Ada powersand package with powersand in it, shake well and just pour the powersand mixed with all the additives on the bottom of tank.

**ZackZhou** · 8th Dec 2011, 20:27

Originally Posted by ralliart12

So, from bottom to top, Old Sea Mud Powder, then ADA Power Sand Special, then ADA Aqua Soil? Btw, I'm beginning to get a feeling the set of "ADA - Substrate Base Combi" need not be used if Power Sand Special is used, i.e. seems like the "Special" in Power Sand Special is the substrate combi; anybody can confirm this?

FYI, Ada powersand is lava chips/pumice mixed with Ada bacter 100 and Ada super clear only. T BC, penac w and p are not in the powersand.

**ralliart12** · 8th Dec 2011, 22:41

Originally Posted by ZackZhou

Hi, actually what Ada suggested was to put all additives below everything, including Ada powersand...

I see; I just chanced upon this too (pg108 of "The Book of ADA"):

The substrate additives are designed to be sprinkled directly on the bottom of the aquarium tank before spreading the base substrate.

Any idea what the rationale is?

Originally Posted by ZackZhou

...What I did was I put powersand in first then lay everything on top...

How come you do the opposite? Any reasons?

Originally Posted by ZackZhou

FYI, Ada powersand is lava chips/pumice mixed with Ada bacter 100 and Ada super clear only. T BC, penac w and p are not in the powersand.

Read in the same book (pg104) that Power Sand Special contains Bacter 100 & Clear Super. Didn't mention what "normal" Power Sand includes though.

I think this is the order which I'll settle for (from bottom layer to top-most):

ADA Substrate System > Old Sea Mud Powder > Power Sand Special > Aqua soil Amazonia