# Amazonia vs africana vs akadama



## DerekFF (May 24, 2011)

Whats the difference? Also how does akadama compare to either of the 2 previously mentioned

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## Geniusdudekiran (Dec 6, 2010)

Akadama has no real fertilizing value to it, as opposed to the other two. Akadama would be a good choice for a shrimp tank, however.


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## nokturnalkid (Apr 3, 2007)

Also, no ammonia spike for akadama.


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

Akadama's best attribute seems to be it's ability to hold the pH at a rock steady 6.4, at least in my tank.


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## DerekFF (May 24, 2011)

Thanks for the info. How about africana vs amazonia? Color difference only? Or actually buffering diifferences?

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## jkan0228 (Feb 6, 2011)

I've heard Africana buffers longer and Amazonia is better for plants


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## becks17 (Dec 21, 2009)

Africana has very low organic content, so you'll need to fertilize as with akadama. Also, I've noticed that Africana granules break down a lot faster and most of it just sorta turns into mud within a couple months, so it gets messy when you're planting or rescaping. As jkan0228 said, it does buffer longer and decreases the pH/kH/GH more to being with.


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## plamski (Sep 25, 2009)

*ADA Africana*

I have in my shrimp tanks all 3 ADA soils. Malaya is brownish and it buffer PH to 5.5-6 .
Africana buffer to Ph5-5.5 but after some WC with tap water PH7.8,GH3,KH3 I was able to rice PH to 6.5 and now it stays there /for 30 days 15-20 water changes 50% /
I can’t say that they are lowering GH and KH .In my tanks GH is 140 for 3 months already .I’m doing WC of 15% with RO + minerals TDS120.
I have one 72gal Bow front with ADA Africana only low to med lighting,CO2 4BPS,ferts only ones every 2-3 weeks, WC every 2.5-3 months. Slow growing plants. If you like I can add some pictures tomorrow.
On the bottom of the tank I have some Osmocote Plus. It will provide nutrition for 8-12 months –I think.
Now tank is 5-6 months old.
I’m attaching picture of 20gal high with ADA Africana .It is 10 days old tank. CO2 1-1.5 BPS , ferts and WC like 72gal.
So far Africana is my favorite substrate. It should last longer than Amazonia regarding ADA web site.
It is harder than Amazonia when is dry.


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## syzygy9 (Aug 9, 2010)

plamski said:


> I have one 72gal Bow front with ADA Africana only low to med lighting,CO2 4BPS,ferts only ones every 2-3 weeks, WC every 2.5-3 months. Slow growing plants. If you like I can add some pictures tomorrow.
> On the bottom of the tank I have some Osmocote Plus. It will provide nutrition for 8-12 months –I think.
> Now tank is 5-6 months old.
> I’m attaching picture of 20gal high with ADA Africana .It is 10 days old tank. CO2 1-1.5 BPS , ferts and WC like 72gal.
> ...


I'd love to get an update on that 72gal bow with the ADA Africana. How long has it been running? How are the plants growing? Any signs of it breaking down as a few others have suggested? I am interested in switching to Aquasoil from the red Flourite in my 36gal bow. I like the look of the Africana and I read somewhere else that it works better than Amazonia if you have super hard water like I do.


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## plamski (Sep 25, 2009)

I'll post some pics lather one. Africana is OK no signs for breaking down. I have 3 shrimps tanks with UGF and Africana even there after 7 months substrate is in great shape.72 gal is running for 8-10 months already –substrate is not my issue -ALGAE is.


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## Bananariot (Feb 28, 2012)

plamski said:


> I'll post some pics lather one. Africana is OK no signs for breaking down. I have 3 shrimps tanks with UGF and Africana even there after 7 months substrate is in great shape.72 gal is running for 8-10 months already –substrate is not my issue -ALGAE is.


Any ammonia leeching with Africana or Malaya?


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## snausage (Mar 8, 2010)

becks17 said:


> Africana has very low organic content, so you'll need to fertilize as with akadama. Also, I've noticed that Africana granules break down a lot faster and most of it just sorta turns into mud within a couple months, so it gets messy when you're planting or rescaping. As jkan0228 said, it does buffer longer and decreases the pH/kH/GH more to being with.


I second this. I love amazonia but africana is total garbage.


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## plamski (Sep 25, 2009)

There is some ammonia but very small amount. PH is around 5-5.8 where ammonia can’t hurt anything. Probably there are good and bad batches of soil. I remember big problems with ADA Amazonia II.
My advice with Africana. Add soil and do 2 days100 % WC then plant .Other ways you will burn 90% of your plant leafs.


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## snausage (Mar 8, 2010)

plamski said:


> There is some ammonia but very small amount. PH is around 5-5.8 where ammonia can’t hurt anything. Probably there are good and bad batches of soil. I remember big problems with ADA Amazonia II.
> My advice with Africana. Add soil and do 2 days100 % WC then plant .Other ways you will burn 90% of your plant leafs.


Very true. I suspect my africana was so crumbly because it spent a lot of time in the stock room under a heap of other bags of aquasoil.


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## ryantube (Jan 8, 2012)

Nubster said:


> Akadama's best attribute seems to be it's ability to hold the pH at a rock steady 6.4, at least in my tank.


 pH 6.2 for me from tap pH 8.6. Marvellous substrate for shrimp tank.


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## Shanster (Jul 23, 2012)

Plamski - your advice with Africana was to add soil and water and do a 100% water change for 2 days... does that advice roll over to the Malaysia soil as well?


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## plamski (Sep 25, 2009)

After burning plants in 2 tanks with Africana I'm doing it with Malaya too but I can't tell that it will burn them.If you have time do the WC.


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## Tanman19az (May 14, 2011)

I am also a fan of Africana. The look is amazing. I didn't have any ammonia problems. 4 months in and there are no signs of substrate breakdown. If you looking for a better buffer than Africana is your choice. It even shows that it is on the graph on AFA's website. I also have a tank with Akadama. I have no problems with it so far, but I did have my first inhabitants die when I put them in the tank after a month of setting it up with mature filters. I figured that it was the low ph that killed them. After 5 months I am seeing muddy breakage on the very bottom layer of the tank. I predict the tank has year or so left before the situation gets bad. 

I am going to mixing Akadama and Africana in my next tank so we'll see how that goes. It may look funny, but it's leftovers


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