# Why ADA Soil still cloudy



## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

yes, ada recommends doing daily 100% water changes. i would be very careful when filling the tank so you don't stir up the dust. I've been able to have a completely clear tank on day 1, just need to be patient when filling the tank


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## freph (Apr 4, 2011)

IWANNAGOFAST said:


> yes, ada recommends doing daily 100% water changes. i would be very careful when filling the tank so you don't stir up the dust. I've been able to have a completely clear tank on day 1, just need to be patient when filling the tank


This. Make sure your filters aren't disturbing the soil too much.


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## Master503 (Feb 8, 2012)

So you guys are saying need to do daily water change until it clear up? or ADA will be never clear?


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## ChadRamsey (Nov 3, 2011)

hmm, that is interesting. mine was never cloudy really.


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

My AS tank has never been clear. I've been running it for months now and just can not have a clear looking tank. I'm just about done with it actually. I've done countless water changes and haven't touched the plants. Just looks like crap. Always looks cloudy.

Sry..just my ranting there. I'm definately open to suggestions to resolved this otherwise, it's going go.


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

i think it is 35-50% water changes actually


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## Vincent Tran (Aug 7, 2012)

james0816 said:


> My AS tank has never been clear. I've been running it for months now and just can not have a clear looking tank. I'm just about done with it actually. I've done countless water changes and haven't touched the plants. Just looks like crap. Always looks cloudy.
> 
> Sry..just my ranting there. I'm definately open to suggestions to resolved this otherwise, it's going go.


Maybe you are disturbing the substrate too much when you pour in the water? When I filled my tank up, it was only cloudy for day one. It has not been cloudy ever since.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

For those of you with cloudiness problems, here is something to try:

Put a handful of the substrate in a jar and add water. Dump the water in so it really makes a mess. Then let it stand. No stirring or anything.
How fast does the water clear? DOES it clear? 
If it does clear, shake it up again. How long does it stay cloudy? 

Here is my concerns:
MAYBE MAYBE there is something besides particles getting stirred up by the filters in these tanks. I do not know, but MAYBE there is some sort of interaction between the water and the soil. Some chemistry thing going on. Perhaps related to the pH or the mineral level. 

Alternately, perhaps you are seeing a bacterial bloom, that is growing and sort of overtook the substrate-clouded water. The tank was cloudy for a day with dusty substrate, but then the heterotrophic bacteria grew, and now you are seeing that as cloudy water, but since it looks the same as substrate-cloudy water you are not sure which it is.


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

Here is what ADA suggests...

_"However, humic acid has a characteristic for seeping into water and turning the water yellow under an alkaline environment. It is more likely seen during the initial set up period of a tank, when Amazonia's black soil contains a lot of humic acid. Humic acid is a natural substance and it will not disturb the health of fish and aquatic plants inside the tank. But if you are not comfortable with the *cloudiness* of water made by humic acid, we recommend you to take out excessive organic matter by frequent water changes. It will help reducing the *cloudiness *of the water though the result differs depending on the growth of the plants and the frequency of water changes. You may also use NA carbon and let it adsorb humic acid dissolved into the aquarium water."_

http://www.adana.co.jp/en/products/information/aquasoil_amazonia.php


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## freph (Apr 4, 2011)

I've never had any issues with any batches of aqua soil I've used (I've used several bags of amazonia, both powder and normal type). Maybe you just got a bad batch? But, again, maybe something is disturbing the soil frequently or you have a bacterial bloom. Frequent water changes and tank maturity will take care of the issues. The jar test should yield good results, though.


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