# Schultz Aquasoil



## bradac56 (Feb 18, 2008)

It's funny I've whined about not being able to find Aquasoil at
a Home Depot in MO for years and then I go to the Columbia
store today for dremel sanding drums and find three bags for
$5.00 each on sale since the manager didn't know what to 
do with it before winter.

- Brad


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## Rod Hay (Feb 11, 2006)

SCORE! roud:

I always love finding something I'm hunting for on clearance. My 46g tank has SAPS in it and it has always done incredibly well.


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

Or you can just go to Lesco's and buy Soil Master Select in 50 lb bags for only 13 bucks.

FYI, they are the same thing! Just different fancy packaging!

(I believe they changed the name of Soil Master Select though)


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

gmccreedy said:


> Or you can just go to Lesco's and buy Soil Master Select in 50 lb bags for only 13 bucks.
> 
> FYI, they are the same thing! Just different fancy packaging!
> 
> (I believe they changed the name of Soil Master Select though)


if there's a lesco, that is.


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## bradac56 (Feb 18, 2008)

gmccreedy said:


> Or you can just go to Lesco's and buy Soil Master Select in 50 lb bags for only 13 bucks.
> 
> FYI, they are the same thing! Just different fancy packaging!
> 
> (I believe they changed the name of Soil Master Select though)



No they are different products, Shultz makes Aquasoil specifically for 
outside Koi ponds and Oildry made/makes Soil Master Select/Turface
for baseball diamonds and for underneath soccer/football fields for better
irrigation.

Oildry no longer makes SMS so the best product from them is Turface
Pro Grey which is a shame as I liked SMS Charcoal better (I've used all
three).

- Brad


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

bradac56 said:


> No they are different products, Shultz makes Aquasoil specifically for
> outside Koi ponds and Oildry made/makes Soil Master Select/Turface
> for baseball diamonds and for underneath soccer/football fields for better
> irrigation.
> ...


And they are still the EXACT same thing. I have both, different colors and everything.


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## bradac56 (Feb 18, 2008)

This was about a year ago when I looked at both of them and now there's
what six different types of Turface (three each MVP and Pro) so there's
a good chance that all of the formulas have changed but I'll buy a bag/
bucket of everything again.

- Brad


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

it's just fired clay. they're all the same.


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## bradac56 (Feb 18, 2008)

So SMS, Turface, SAS is the exact same thing as Eco and ADA?

- Brad


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

the clay are different (mineral composition) and come from different places, but yes, basically all the same.


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

Eco and ADA are *not *the same as the fired clay products.


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## bradac56 (Feb 18, 2008)

Here's a close up of Shultz AquaSoil



















I'll post some of SMS Charcoal once I get over to my storage lot.

- Brad


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## lovingHDTV (Oct 15, 2008)

I just went by HD here in Dallas on a business trip and picked up 4 bags of it for $5.00 each also.

I'm planning on using it in my first planted tank coming up. I'll cover it with some black sand for looks.

I was pretty happy because I did not find any at my local store.


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## CobraGuppy (Sep 23, 2007)

Putting black sand might not help because after awhile, the smaller sand grains will sink to the bottom and the large grains will be on top.


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## SpeedEuphoria (Aug 5, 2008)

CobraGuppy said:


> Putting black sand might not help because after awhile, the smaller sand grains will sink to the bottom and the large grains will be on top.


Agreedroud:

Also in that pic, the white balls, are they capsules? As my Schultz looks the same except it had blue capsules and these were some kind of fert as I squished a couple in the tank and they released something cloudy. I had massive ammonia right after setup and those capsules are the only thing that made sense to me as the source.


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## bradac56 (Feb 18, 2008)

SpeedEuphoria said:


> Agreedroud:
> 
> Also in that pic, the white balls, are they capsules? As my Schultz looks the same except it had blue capsules and these were some kind of fert as I squished a couple in the tank and they released something cloudy. I had massive ammonia right after setup and those capsules are the only thing that made sense to me as the source.



Yup it's designed for Koi ponds so it does have some moister additive but
nothing like flowerbed potting soil. I've always rinsed it and then did a
fishless cycle before adding anything and I haven't lost any to an ammonia
spike yet with SAS (knock on wood).

- Brad


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## lovingHDTV (Oct 15, 2008)

I'm going to be using Shultz in my tank and have 50 pounds of it now. I opened up two bags, poured them into a five gallon bucket and filled with water.

I also took 10 of the greenish balls and put them in a 3 tbspoon of distilled water.

I just tested both samples of water, about 3 hours later.

Both show signs of Ammonia. The bucket is about 1/2 soil 1/2 water and the ammonia is at about 4.0, the other sample is about .5.

So it looks like I will do a fish less cycle of the soil in some buckets before using it as substrate.

Maybe this helps others.


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

^^ I have 15lb's of it soaking in random pots/buckets in preparation for my tank next week. It's all been soaking since last Sunday. Rinses and cleaned with a strainer also.


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## MistyRiver (Oct 7, 2008)

How many pound bags does the SAS come in? I'm looking to get some for the tank I'm about to set up. Its a ten gallon tank, so how many bags/lbs. do you think I'll need? 

Also, how do you rinse it??? Wouldn't that just make it go all over the place? If someone could give me instructions on how to prep it for the tank, I would be extremely great full! This all seems rather foreign to me...
And if you were wondering, I was planning on topping it with some basic aquarium gravel, or possibly eco-complete if I can get my hands on some...

Thanks in advance!


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## bradac56 (Feb 18, 2008)

MistyRiver said:


> How many pound bags does the SAS come in? I'm looking to get some for the tank I'm about to set up. Its a ten gallon tank, so how many bags/lbs. do you think I'll need?


10lb bags



> Also, how do you rinse it??? Wouldn't that just make it go all over the place? If someone could give me instructions on how to prep it for the tank, I would be extremely great full! This all seems rather foreign to me...
> And if you were wondering, I was planning on topping it with some basic aquarium gravel, or possibly eco-complete if I can get my hands on some...
> 
> Thanks in advance!


The way I do it is:

Put the SAS in a bucket and fill it full of water then let it set over night.
The next day I put my long handled paint stirrer on my cordless drill and
stir the bejebers out of it and let that set for an hour. Dump some of
the water out and refill it. Then repeat for a few days until the ammonia
spike is gone.

- Brad


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## MistyRiver (Oct 7, 2008)

Okay great, thanks!

So how many bags would you suggest using?


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

I strained a whole bag of this stuff. Cleaned and soaked. Took about 2 weeks of rinsing etc. It's already to go, now I bought a bag of Eco Completel Black so I'm split on what to throw into my tank.


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## SpeedEuphoria (Aug 5, 2008)

MistyRiver said:


> So how many bags would you suggest using?


I used 4 bags in my 55G to give me a solid 2.5". 1 bag for a 10G should be plenty


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## MistyRiver (Oct 7, 2008)

SpeedEuphoria said:


> I used 4 bags in my 55G to give me a solid 2.5". 1 bag for a 10G should be plenty


Sweet, thanks!



Down_Shift said:


> I strained a whole bag of this stuff. Cleaned and soaked. Took about 2 weeks of rinsing etc. It's already to go, now I bought a bag of Eco Completel Black so I'm split on what to throw into my tank.


Hey, if you have any extra you don't want let me know!


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## angel919 (Apr 26, 2006)

Just found a unopened bag of SAS the old one without the capsules =)

Just a quick question, is this stuff "inert" like all fired clays?


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## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

angel919 said:


> Just found a unopened bag of SAS the old one without the capsules =)
> 
> Just a quick question, is this stuff "inert" like all fired clays?


Yes...that is what the manufacturer claims.


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## angel919 (Apr 26, 2006)

thanks Homer appreciate it.


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## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

angel919 said:


> thanks Homer appreciate it.


Anytime


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