# How important are these ADA products?



## blickquickly (May 19, 2006)

Tourmaline BC powder
Clear super 50G
Pentac - W
Pentac - P
Bacter 100
Power Sand M

ADA does a very good job promoting its products, but I dont have a huge budget and Id like to skip as much optional stuff as necessary but still have a nice substrate for my carpeting plants to grow, specifically HC and dwarf Harigrass. MAYBE some java moss....not sold on that yet. (it will be a simple iwagumi-style 40g breeder tank).

I have read on here that many people have little to zero need for Power Sand or the AS powder. So I guess I can skip those? ....What about just getting "river pebbles" instead of Power Sand? I mean power sand looks like small rocks. why am I paying that much money for small rocks? I dont get it? :confused1: I read one thread that says lava rock would work just as well. 

So...like I said, what can I absolutely skip? Whats better to use than not? what should I absolutely have?


Thanks in advance!


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## jasa73 (Jun 3, 2007)

I'd skip all of it.


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

From what I have seen people have excellent results with straight ADA Amazonia as a substrate. I have never had it but people love it.

No need for all that extra stuff IMO...


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## mattinmd (Aug 16, 2014)

Related old thread:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=161288


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

jasa73 said:


> i'd skip all of it.


+100


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## blickquickly (May 19, 2006)

Skip it all. Sweet. ha ha. I think Im still going to go with ADA AS Amazonia however. My current tank was a Xmas gift. My GF pressured me into getting it set up ASAP so I went against my better judgement and went with whatever white sand stuff I got at Petsmart. Needless to say, my Dwarf Hairgrass isnt dying, buuuuuuttttt it isnt growing either...even with fert tabs, injected CO2, trace elements (ect.), t5 6500K lighting....really upsetting actually. Its been 6 months and not 1 runner anywhere. HC wont grow in that substrate at all. I have other plants that are growing fine, but those 'other plants' will grow in the dark in contaminated nuclear waste water. lol.

Anyway, lesson learned there. Thats not going to happen this time if I can help it.


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## ThatGuyWithTheFish (Apr 29, 2012)

I would only recommend it if you're very serious about your tank, are willing to spend the money, and are planning on keeping it for a very long time. The improvements are very small, so these are things you should buy only if you want the absolute best.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

ThatGuyWithTheFish said:


> I would only recommend it if you're very serious about your tank, are willing to spend the money, and are planning on keeping it for a very long time. The improvements are very small, so these are things you should buy only if you want the absolute best.


ADA sells some very good substrates - especially Amazonia, some nicely built rimless tanks, and some nice looking tank stands. They also sell a lot of other stuff that can be used, but is very overpriced, and much of it has not been found by hobbyists to be of any noticeable value for the plants. Their glassware looks great, but doesn't work much better, if at all better than much cheaper versions of the same stuff.

I'm saying that using all-ADA products doesn't make your planted tank do any better than if you don't. It does offer some satisfaction to those who want to have the very best!


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## oldpunk78 (Nov 1, 2008)

blickquickly said:


> Tourmaline BC powder
> Clear super 50G
> Pentac - W
> Pentac - P
> ...


aqua soil is a great product. Totally worth the cost.

However, the rest of it is completely unnecessary. That is unless you have a disposable income and don't care about the cost. These threads are numerous and this topic has been covered at least 100 times by now. Folks have been debating the functionality of the ada additives as long as they have been around. No one has been been able to scientifically prove that they do anything useful.


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## spiderguardnano (Aug 8, 2015)

thank god i skipped it after watching the green machine on youtube really made me want to buy all of them 

what are you guys thoughts on there other stuff like there liquid ferts


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## oldpunk78 (Nov 1, 2008)

spiderguardnano said:


> thank god i skipped it after watching the green machine on youtube really made me want to buy all of them
> 
> what are you guys thoughts on there other stuff like there liquid ferts


Their liquid ferts work. EI is heck of a lot cheaper.


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## Xiaozhuang (Feb 15, 2012)

oldpunk78 said:


> Their liquid ferts work. EI is heck of a lot cheaper.


You can mix your own ferts in the exact ratios that ADA uses for a fraction of the cost. No magic there...


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