# ADA Aqua Soil



## Round Head (Sep 26, 2005)

What is the difference between the 3 types of ADA Aqua Soil?
Besides the different color, do they have different properties?

Thanks


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

The make up is a tad different, but the website is very vaigue, except that they say that the Amazonia is made to be more suitable for amazon plants, the africana for african, malaysian for more of an asian setup..
I don't buy that, though, I go for color.. lol ..Amazoinia is black, tht is why I picked it.. lol
I think they are the same, but the color


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## Round Head (Sep 26, 2005)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> The make up is a tad different, but the website is very vaigue, except that they say that the Amazonia is made to be more suitable for amazon plants, the africana for african, malaysian for more of an asian setup..
> I don't buy that, though, I go for color.. lol ..Amazoinia is black, tht is why I picked it.. lol
> I think they are the same, but the color


Joe,
You're right, the 3 types of ADA soil are the same thing except for the different color.
I just received and email from ADA with this answer.
I don't have any problems changing out to 100% ADA soil; however I need to deal with a bunch of tetras, otos, and other creatures in that tank. I am still thinking of a strategy to do this without removing the fish that is why I thought to use 50/50 flourite ADA to minimize the disturbance.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

> that is why I thought to use 50/50 flourite ADA to minimize the disturbance.


Well, the ADA product does not claim to work unless used by itself. It is meant to have the powersand underneath, which is only peat covered lava rock. (pumice)
What I would do if I didn't want to buy the powersand, (which ain't a bad idea) is put a thin layer of peat beneath the Aquasoil.. That would mean a whole teardown. I think it would be worth it, but that is me.

But I would not mix flourite and Aquasoil. I would not spend that much $$ and not get the full effect of it









You can do it for sure, but starting from scratch with the peat bottom is your best bet here, IMO


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## Round Head (Sep 26, 2005)

Great suggestion Joe.
Is the peat bottom going to mess with the water too much?
The reason I ask is because I have over 100 community fish in there now.
Also, what type of peat moss is best? I believe that I had used the phaceum (spell err) moss last time thinking that it was peat moss. This moss is very light yellow in color.

Thanks


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Don't use peat moss!

Use organic sphagnum peat. And don't cover the whole bottom with it, just dust the bottom so you can still see glass. 
I would like to share that even without the Powersand, Aquasoil does not recommend the use of pH controllers with the substrate, because it has water softening qualities that might give you a false CO2 reading in the tank.
You have to go with a bubble rate, and have the CO2 come on and off with the lights


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## Round Head (Sep 26, 2005)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> Don't use peat moss!
> 
> Use organic sphagnum peat. And don't cover the whole bottom with it, just dust the bottom so you can still see glass.
> I would like to share that even without the Powersand, Aquasoil does not recommend the use of pH controllers with the substrate, because it has water softening qualities that might give you a false CO2 reading in the tank.
> You have to go with a bubble rate, and have the CO2 come on and off with the lights


Excellent Joe, I will do that and will post an update once it is in place.

Thanks again


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