# Substrate for 20 gallon long...ADA Amazonia or not



## stagger (Apr 5, 2006)

Good Questions, Im no expert with ADA but my initial experience is that its very messy and yes it does break down easy so long term durability is questionable. If you squeeze a grain in betwen your fingers, it just breaks down into grains.

Im sure its an awesome substrate but I believe ADA came out with this to avoid having substrate scratching there tanks. It does excel in that area where its not sharp at all.

I used Eco complete and then topped that with a 1inch layer of ADA, but its making a muddy mess that Im dealing with. Im battling a decision whether to leave it or not but I do love Eco Complete and I dont think you can go wrong using a proven substrate!


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

stagger said:


> Good Questions, Im no expert with ADA but my initial experience is that its very messy and yes it does break down easy so long term durability is questionable. If you squeeze a grain in betwen your fingers, it just breaks down into grains.
> 
> Im sure its an awesome substrate but I believe ADA came out with this to avoid having substrate scratching there tanks. It does excel in that area where its not sharp at all.
> 
> I used Eco complete and then topped that with a 1inch layer of ADA, but its making a muddy mess that Im dealing with. Im battling a decision whether to leave it or not but I do love Eco Complete and I dont think you can go wrong using a proven substrate!



Yeah I would also want a substrate that lasts longer especially since ADA aquasoil is so expensive! 

Yeah I have used eco complete before and thought that it was a pretty good substrate. It was really easy to use...I just dumped it into my tank and the water cleared out very quickly.


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

Anyone else with any input on whether or not I should get ADA Amazonia?


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## lopez_316us (Jan 25, 2008)

I don't know about ADA substrate, But I have excellent result with Eco-Complete. Is so easy to use, But there where some problem with old bags of Eco-Complete. Thus, make sure that you get new bags. That's was long time ago, but I thought you should know.

Good luck!


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

ADA aquasoil lasts a long time. some have said after a few years it starts breaking down. I've heard you cna dry it out to get it back to original form.

I currently use Amazonia I and won't ever use anything else again. I've previously used Flourite, Mineralized Top Soil, Sand, gravel but none have been as nice as the ADA.

Craig


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

How much ADA Amazonia would I need to fill a 20 gallon long? Would one 9L bag be neccesary? Or would I need more?


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## t0p_sh0tta (Jan 24, 2008)

I'd get a 9L and a 3L, per ADA's recommendation.


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## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

just get 2 9Ls and have some left over  you'll thank yourself (i know i did)


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## t0p_sh0tta (Jan 24, 2008)

Agreed, there's always another tank to put it in. =P

I used about 1/2 a 9L in my 10g. I'll be setting up a 20L next and rescaping my 40 as soon as I can find a BIG tank.


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

About how long would the waiting period be until the ADA Amazonia stops leeching ammonia into the water?


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## bolivianram123 (Jun 5, 2008)

i was with mizu-chan when she first switched to ADA AS, and if i remember it took about a month. I think it depends on how many and how much water changes you do. 

if your still debating over wether to get it or not, i saw mizus tank grow better in one month than it had in 6 months when she had a mix of eco-complete and schultz aquatic soil just from the AS.


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

I have heard that the growth from the Aquasoil is very good, I was jsut a little afraid of getting a "bad batch" or whatever and ending up having a big mess (that is also expensive). 

I was at the LFS today and they had Aquasoil Amazonia for $40 a bag. Is this a reasonable price, or is it sort of expensive?


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## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

sykogngsta said:


> I have heard that the growth from the Aquasoil is very good, I was jsut a little afraid of getting a "bad batch" or whatever and ending up having a big mess (that is also expensive).
> 
> I was at the LFS today and they had Aquasoil Amazonia for $40 a bag. Is this a reasonable price, or is it sort of expensive?


That is a really good price. Most people end up paying an arm and a leg with shipping. These days it seems really difficult to decide when you hear about bad batches of Eco-Complete floating around, bad batches of ADA Aquasoil. Even SMS/oildri messes with water parameters(KH/PH) which makes you think twice about getting it. About your only safe bet seems to be mineralized topsoil(if you can get all the ingredients including dolomite and the right type of soil and clay), fluorite(sand, black, or regular), or just plain old pool filter sand capped over some root tabs.

I have had no issues to date with ADA Aquasoil II but I would not risk purchasing it again to set up more tanks given all the issues people are experiencing. I would stick with original ADA Aquasoil which seems to be a much safer bet. If I could not afford it, I would go with mineralized topsoil, redsea flora base(alleged to grow plants as well as Aquasoil but much cheaper), or fluorite sand or regular black.


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

Homer_Simpson said:


> That is a really good price. Most people end up paying an arm and a leg with shipping. These days it seems really difficult to decide when you hear about bad batches of Eco-Complete floating around, bad batches of ADA Aquasoil. Even SMS/oildri messes with water parameters(KH/PH) which makes you think twice about getting it. About your only safe bet seems to be mineralized topsoil(if you can get all the ingredients including dolomite and the right type of soil and clay), fluorite(sand, black, or regular), or just plain old pool filter sand capped over some root tabs.
> 
> I have had no issues to date with ADA Aquasoil II but I would not risk purchasing it again to set up more tanks given all the issues people are experiencing. I would stick with original ADA Aquasoil which seems to be a much safer bet. If I could not afford it, I would go with mineralized topsoil, redsea flora base(alleged to grow plants as well as Aquasoil but much cheaper), or fluorite sand or regular black.


I think I am going to try and use ADA Aquasoil since I have hear good things about it. I guess ill chance it and buy just one bag to fill up my tank for now and ill get another bag if necessary. The mineralized topsoil sounds like a good idea also, but I dont know if I can find all the things needed to make it, plus i dont know if I am patient enough to go through the process in order to make it lol.


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

I just ran out to the LFS to pick up some Aquasoil...and it was gone. THey ran out of it for now .

I should have picked some up two days ago when I was at the LFS, but I had not decided to get it yet at the time .


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