Substrate Recommendation

[cbong]

I am thinking of using a good substrate for a 2' x 2' x 2' tank. Have tried Seachem Flourite in one of my tanks, very good, but hell of difficult to clean for first use. Too muddy Any other substrate to recommend, something that can do without base fert. Pls advice.

Is it true that ADA Amazonia is very low in pH? Any problems?

[benny]

What are you going to plant in the tank? If you are playing with the likes to tonina species, then ADA's aquasoil will be prefered. But if it's a low maintenance tank with Echinodorus etc, even gravel will do.

Cheers,

[cbong]

What are you going to plant in the tank? If you are playing with the likes to tonina species, then ADA's aquasoil will be prefered. But if it's a low maintenance tank with Echinodorus etc, even gravel will do.

Cheers,

Would ADA's aquasoil be low in pH. Understand that it would be harmful to shrimps if the pH goes below 6.

[PeterGwee]

All substrates should return to a neutral pH of 7 after a month or two. I doubt it has to do with the pH with shrimp issues some folks seems to associate it with. Poor O2/Ammonia are the likely culprits imo. Plant heavily, keep a watch on the KH (keep it at 2 at least), add back some GH via seachem equilibrium (since ADA aquasoil will lower both KH/GH) and crank the CO2 in along with good nutrients, things do mighty well. Personally, I would rather spend time initially cleaning than getting some mush 1-2 yrs later.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[cbong]

Peter, took your advice and used Seachem Flourite for my 4 feet tank. Its really good. But the initial wash was painful. Each bag took more than 3 pails to get rid of the mud... still cloudy thereafter. Was concerned if the heavy washing would deplete the neutrients.

[PeterGwee]

Peter, took your advice and used Seachem Flourite for my 4 feet tank. Its really good. But the initial wash was painful. Each bag took more than 3 pails to get rid of the mud... still cloudy thereafter. Was concerned if the heavy washing would deplete the neutrients.

Nah, its not an issue. Even if it happens, we dose nutrients via the water column don't we?

Now, if you seem really keen on ADA aquasoil..just go ahead and get it.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[lorba]

I think the ADA is not really that bad.

I used NISSO Volcanic soil which is quite smiliar to ADA soil. Its been about 3 years, soil get a little mushy and stirs up when you uproot plants. But they clear up quickly.

The good point about such soil is that it allows plants to take roots much faster and thus, recover faster. This is why you can keep difficult plants easier in soil substrate.

of course, fertilization and co2 plays a major part too.

[cbong]

What are you going to plant in the tank? If you are playing with the likes to tonina species, then ADA's aquasoil will be prefered. But if it's a low maintenance tank with Echinodorus etc, even gravel will do.

Cheers,

Intend to have lots of glosso, hairgrass and java fern. So would ADA's aquasoil be useful? If so, Amazonia, Malaya or Africana be more suitable?

Besides aquasoil, need any other powersand or bacteria mix by ADA??

[cookie]

Intend to have lots of glosso, hairgrass and java fern. So would ADA's aquasoil be useful? If so, Amazonia, Malaya or Africana be more suitable?

Besides aquasoil, need any other powersand or bacteria mix by ADA??

It depends on the colour you prefer for your substrate. Amazonia is dark brown, africana is light brown. But got reviews that africana tends to crumble turning into soil more easily than amazonia.

As for the base fertilizer, it depends also on your preference and budget. Normal 5kg JBL one cost abt $15 but for powersand, it will be very much more expensive. Worth it or not is in the eye of the user lor.

[aquarius]

[QUOTE=cbong]Peter, took your advice and used Seachem Flourite for my 4 feet tank. Its really good. But the initial wash was painful. Each bag took more than 3 pails to get rid of the mud... still cloudy thereafter.

I'm thinking of using either seachem flourite or onyx and hope you could elaborate on why you say the flourite is good.

What is currently stopping me from buying it is bcos I would like to grow HG or glosso and was wondering if the big flourite size would cos any problem growing them?

[lorba]

you can read about Seachem Flourite here or other Substrate and fertilizers here.

[aquarius]

Thanks lorba the site is very informative