# CHEAP ADA quality soil



## lamiskool (Jul 1, 2011)

Current USA said:


> hey guys!
> 
> I just wanted to put a feeler out there and see if anyone is using soil alternatives/knock offs? If so, what's your experience so far and what would you like to see improved?
> 
> how many would you pre-order right now if there was a ada amazonia alternative that's 99% similar and $35/bag shipped to your door?!


Id love it personally, but I believe there is already something similar such as up aqua spil or fluval shrimp/plant stratum. Of course there are those ada fanboys who wont buy/try anything but ada soil and will always say that its inferior even though it will probably be the same product.


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## Shawn123 (Jan 24, 2013)

I don't have any first hand experience with the aqua soils but would love a cheaper comparable alternative. From what I've read about others experience, it seems like up aqua sand is the only thing that is as good as ada, but it is just as costly. I have 3 bags of aquasoil ready to use when I eventually redo my tank, but if I didn't already have them I would definitely go with a cheaper alternative if the same quality.


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

What size bags??? I would try it out.


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## ThatGuyWithTheFish (Apr 29, 2012)

Shawn123 said:


> I don't have any first hand experience with the aqua soils but would love a cheaper comparable alternative. From what I've read about others experience, it seems like up aqua sand is the only thing that is as good as ada, but it is just as costly. I have 3 bags of aquasoil ready to use when I eventually redo my tank, but if I didn't already have them I would definitely go with a cheaper alternative if the same quality.


I think actually Up aqua aqua soil ends up actually costing more per liter than aquasoil.


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## UDGags (Sep 13, 2009)

Up is bit more expensive but if you get it on sale (GLA had a sale going on for awhile) it was cheaper.

I guess my question would be what 1% is different? For example Up is a bit harder and darker, no ammonia spike...(probably less peat). 

I've been looking at buy some Up or ADA but haven't yet because of finances so a cheaper alternative is always welcome.

Edit-Also just because someone says its 99% the same, I probably wouldn't believe it until I saw hard evidence (water tests, plant growth, breakdown over time, etc.). It's very easy for a sales person to say something just to sell a product.


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## ThatGuyWithTheFish (Apr 29, 2012)

Also, here's an interesting article ADA published about other soils:

http://www.adana.co.jp/en/sc/news/detail/1654


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## Current USA (Jun 5, 2013)

we're personally experimenting with 2 right now from japan. one is harder (more clay) and guessing less nutrients/peat but plants seem to be growing well. one is almost identical to ada aquasoil but we are weary of the quality over time.

let us know what you think!


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

UP Aqua is more expensive and the Fluval stuff has no where near the nutritional content. Brightwell is way more expensive as well. $35 shipped for a 9L+ bag is good price and I am sure it would sell like hotcakes. Amazonia sold like crazy last year when ADG cleared it out at that price. I know people that bought a ton and are still hoarding it.

If it makes the water filthy like ADA when you first fill it up I will trust it.


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## dzega (Apr 22, 2013)

"aqua art" company has this "Aquasubstrate II+". i think its ment to be ADA amazonia alternative at lower price


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## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

For me, it would have to be proven over time. Saving $15 a bag would't be worth it if it fell apart too soon, wasn't nutrient rich, didn't buffer as well, or had some other issue. ADA amazonia isn't cheap, but it's excellent and proven.


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## DTDPlanted (Apr 2, 2012)

UP aqua soil is holding up nicely and I am pleased with it, my only suggestion would be to make sure it is dark when submerged. The UP is a bit more grey than I would like.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

First, would your bags be the same size? To me that is big, in my 60P, it was actually a fairly cheap option as I only needed 9L (no large slopes) so any other substrate, I would have needed two bags which made most alternatives the same or more expensive. For that reason, I don't even really consider it that expensive. I

Secondly, as someone else said, $15 isn't much when you have a product that is fairly tried and true. If I am convinced it is the same, I have no problem saving the cash though. For me, that likely means no pre-order, and if that is discounted, it's going to be hard for me personally to only pay $10 less. Then again, that's not to say one couldn't make a better product, which I would be willing to pay the same as AS, likely not much more, as AS has pleased me thus far.

Now, I may not be the best person for pre-order as I can get AS locally at times, plus AFA is not far away. Lately though AFA has been out of stock online, though I believe they had some in the store last time I saw it was out of stock online.

That's one of the major improvements, as simple as it is, make sure your substrate is consistently available. Trust me, I love AFA and their store front has much more to offer than their web site, but you still are better off planning ahead of time. It is frustrating when you just can't get something from them for weeks or months, especially something like substrate that will hold up your build since it's the foundation. If you have it in stock constantly, that alone may be what makes me switch.


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## MoreyFan (Jul 3, 2014)

How many liters is 2KG of U.P. Aqua Shrimp Sand? Because that is only 20 bucks shipped. 9 liters of aquasoil is over 60 bucks from what I can find.


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

MoreyFan said:


> How many liters is 2KG of U.P. Aqua Shrimp Sand? Because that is only 20 bucks shipped. 9 liters of aquasoil is over 60 bucks from what I can find.


That's basically 2L of sand. UP Aqua is much more expensive than ADA.


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## MoreyFan (Jul 3, 2014)

gus6464 said:


> That's basically 2L of sand. UP Aqua is much more expensive than ADA.


Is it basically 2 liters or 2 liters? Where can I get ADA for cheaper then? I can get the UP for 20 bucks. 3L of aqua soil would cost me 28 dollars, 9 liters is 57 from http://www.adana-usa.com/

It would be nice to have numbers instead of "much more expensive". Because for someone with a nano shrimp tank UP is the cheapest shrimp substrate I see out there. 

I have Fluval now, I want to try all three but if aqua soil is cheaper I will try it next for sure.


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## UDGags (Sep 13, 2009)

Current USA said:


> we're personally experimenting with 2 right now from japan. one is harder (more clay) and guessing less nutrients/peat but plants seem to be growing well. one is almost identical to ada aquasoil but we are weary of the quality over time.
> 
> let us know what you think!


Send me some of each and I will


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

i'm using the shrimp sand. originally i bought one bag thinking it was the larger 9L bags of ADA brand substrate.. but I ended up having to order about 3 bags. I need to get a fourth and maybe half of another bag to be happy.. will do that later.


The UP Aqua shrimp sand is 4.3lb (4.4lb shipping) -$20

The UP Plant Substrate is 11lb (12lb shipping) -$40

So for $40 you get basically an extra bag of substrate if you go with the plant substrate.

I have the Shrimp sand and it's nice. Dunno how much of the "vital shrimp nutrients" has to offer but my shrimp are pretty active and happy.


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