# ADA Aquasoil - effects on water chemistry?



## scx (Sep 8, 2013)

Soil is absorbing hardness and buffering pH, and feeding the fish increases TDS.


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## ~rush~ (Mar 15, 2014)

My guess is the soil is absorbing Ca, and Mg, but by doing so it's definitely not buffering the ph, it's removing the buffer...

What I don't understand is how it can absorb, or adsorb the bicarbonate... I was pretty shocked to see the KH so low, or undetecable.

Feeding the fish maybe increases TDS, but not in measureable amounts - the increase in TDS is probably from dry dosing...


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## scx (Sep 8, 2013)

It's a chemical adsorbation. For sure it's the aquasoil taking in the co3 and mg/ca. TDS is in ppm = mg/L. So yes, dry dosing will raise the TDS, fish food will, water evaporation, and even the soil can leech TDS if it breaks down


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## greaser84 (Feb 2, 2014)

A substrate that lowers the pH does so by removing the carbonates in the water, which allows the pH to drop. So if you have a kh or 4 in your tap water and you add that to a tank with aquasoil it will absorb the kh and as a result your ph will drop. There is nothing wrong with your test kit, the soil is doing what it is designed to do.


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## ThatGuyWithTheFish (Apr 29, 2012)

Ammonia: increase (only first few weeks)
pH: decrease
hardness (KH): decrease 
tannins: increase (limited)


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## ~rush~ (Mar 15, 2014)

Thanks guys. Guess I was just shocked to see KH so low. Is the substrate peat based or something?


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