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i think the use of power sand is for cultivation of bacteria...
Hi,
in my first tank, I used generic brand type of base fertiliser. The generic brand was rather small and grainy. My problem with using it was that it tends to be scattered into the water column whenever I do aquascaping, particularly when I pull out plants with deep roots. This releases a lot of fertilisers into the water column which I wanted to avoid.
in my 2nd tank, I used purely ADA aquasoil without any base fertilisers to avoid this problem. However, I realised that heavy root feeders, e.g., cryptos, didn't do well with just water column fertilisation.
Now, in my next new tank which I'm receiving in Feb, I'm thinking of using ADA power sand as the base fert. My main consideration was that it was not small grains. Indeed, it appeared to be a larger grain than the ADA aquasoil. Hence, I'm hoping that it is less likely to leech into the water column when I do aquascaping.
My question is:
1. Is it true that Power sand is less likely to leech into the water column when I pull out plants?
2. How should I use this power sand, i.e., lay power sand first then lay aquasoil on top OR mix power sand with aquasoil completely?
3. How much to use for a 4x2x2 ft tank? A LFS shop recommended using a big pack plus a small pack for my needs.
PS: I think power "sand" is quite a misnomer, considering how large the grains are. Maybe Amano should call is power "pebbles" instead
Cheers
Boon Yong
i think the use of power sand is for cultivation of bacteria...
powersand is pumice + peat + other stuff (disclaimer).
--
errr...for cultivation of bacteria for the nitrogen cycle? Isn't the aquasoil already porous as well and for the same purpose? Is that a duplication of functions then?
Anyway, so my question seems to be irrelevant then. Instead, I must now ask: Is powersand a base fertiliser at all?
Cheers
Boon Yong
I think the pumice place a part in its CEC values
[quote:971d7a9e08="loupgarou"]I think the pumice place a part in its CEC values[/quote:971d7a9e08]
It might, but it also has a lot of surface area too which is also good. In the substrate you want to create an area for iron reducing bacteria to grow and make iron available to roots. This requires a few things:
1. Organic matter (peat in this case). The organic matter does a few things, it uses oxygen, causing the substrate to go anaerobic (this is needed by the iron/nitrate reducing bacteria), has a high CEC, a source of nitrogen, and releases humic acids which may help with fertilizier uptake. I think its oxygen depeletion properties are the most important, this is what sets the substrate in motion...
2. Surface area... this allows many micro environments to form and gives a good place for the bacteria to grow, much like our aerobic biofilters.
3. Source of iron.. my guess this is what the other 'stuff' is. No point in having iron reducing bacteria without iron.
4. Depth.. this is needed to allow for an anaerobic area, otherwise all of the oxygen produce in the water column would keep some very important chemistry from occuring.
I don't think powersand is needed, for a 20 gallon aquarium I would think 1/2 cup peat mixed, as much mulm as you can find mixed with laterite as a base covered with 3" of 2-3mm gravel would do just fine also.... maybe bury some root monsters for the short term. You can definately overdo it, as too strong a reducing environment will foul the water but I think we want a substrate somewhere in between the two extremes...
Jeff
[quote:953b549148="cheeboonyong"]errr...for cultivation of bacteria for the nitrogen cycle? [/quote:953b549148]
You are actually trying to encourage different bacteria from those in your biofilter. In the biolfilter the bacteria convert NH3->NO3 in the presence of oxygen. They also oxidize Fe(2+) to the Fe(3+) state which your plants can't use, thats why we chelate our iron source to try and keep this from happening but its not very effective... look at how much iron we add to the water versus how much shows up in plant tissue... most ends up as "rust" in the substrate.
Bacteria that grow in the absence of oxygen can use iron as an electron acceptor and convert the iron back into a useable form. They also convert nitrates back to ammonia but I think this is fine since your plants prefer NH3 over NO3 provided levels don't get out of hand and since it occurs in the substrate where it can bind to mulm/peat it doesn't necessarily make it back into the water column so it isn't available to algae anyway. I think a healthy colony of these bacteria are just as important, just keep an iron source, some organic matter (some!) under a 3" substrate and you're in business...
Jeff
Power Sand is basically pumice stone and peat. You are to add charcoal and bacter 100 that is a bacterial addition. The purpose is to provide semi-organic material to the substrate solution thereby creating an ideal environment for nutrient cycling. This is accomplished via microbial and chemical processes.
Power Sand Special has more peat and has the charcoal and bacter 100 added to it.
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