# Is this what ADA Amazonia II is supposed to look like?



## Barmy (May 13, 2010)

I've just poured water into my new setup, and my Aquasoil - which was almost uniformly dark brown before - now looks like the picture attached. It's also gone very very soft, and I only filled the tank an hour ago. I do have fairly hard water, so I'm guessing that could have been the cause of the chemical reaction that made this change.

I'm not bothered aesthetically because it'll be almost completely covered in plants soon anyway, but I do want to be sure it still has all the nutritional value that Aquasoil is known for.


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## Capsaicin_MFK (Nov 15, 2009)

As far as I know, it shouldn't have that much orange stuff in it. It should be like 99% of the brown clumps. I would contact ADA and get a replacement bag...they have sold quite a few bad batches lately.


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## Barmy (May 13, 2010)

I didn't buy the soil direct from ADA, I got it from an online wholesaler. Should I really be looking at a refund/exchange?


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## MrMoneybags (Apr 13, 2010)

was that reseller from China? theyve been known to ...umm ...how to say this?

...lack some moral clarity in the past


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

It may be a knock-off brand that's made to look like ADA aquasoil, but I have never heard of that happening before... So it's just a crazy thought lol.

It's best to just buy it from the ADA website or a LFS so you can inspect it, IMO.

But hey, let it sit for a few weeks and see how your plants do. If they show healthy growth, then why replace it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## MrMoneybags (Apr 13, 2010)

^^valid point

...but ADA has spoken out before about how to identify counterfeits b/c its a problem


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## Barmy (May 13, 2010)

MrMoneybags said:


> was that reseller from China? theyve been known to ...umm ...how to say this?
> 
> ...lack some moral clarity in the past


The reseller himself is local. I don't know where he sources his goods from, though!

Don't suppose you could link me to anything ADA have said about identifying counterfeit soil?


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## MrMoneybags (Apr 13, 2010)

quick Google search and this was the first response...similar to what Ive seen before

http://bhushandalvi.wordpress.com/2008/09/21/counterfeit-ada-aquasoil-amazonia/


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## captain_bu (Oct 20, 2007)

AzFishKid said:


> It may be a knock-off brand that's made to look like ADA aquasoil, but I have never heard of that happening before... So it's just a crazy thought lol.
> 
> It's best to just buy it from the ADA website or a LFS so you can inspect it, IMO.


Other people have had the exact same problem with bad batches of Amazonia II purchased from legitimate sources (ADG or Aqua Forest)... not sure if it breaks down after being put in the tank with water or if it would be possible to see the problem when the aquasoil is dry in the bag. ADG and Aqua Forest both have replaced defective product for others in the past.

What online source did you buy this from?


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

There are counterfeit bags that have circulated but i believe the main area where they had the problem was in China. There are a few subtle differences on the bags where the instructions or ingredients are listed. 

You can so a light vacuum with your gravel vac to get the debris out though.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Looks like AS II to me. It will break up into that reddish brown powder if not handled gently, especially once it's in the tank. If moved around it can breakup.


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## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

There is a new version of Amazonia II coming out to address this problem.


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## Barmy (May 13, 2010)

houseofcards said:


> Looks like AS II to me. It will break up into that reddish brown powder if not handled gently, especially once it's in the tank. If moved around it can breakup.


So you reckon its legit stuff, then? That's good to know.



Franci Xavier said:


> There is a new version of Amazonia II coming out to address this problem.


Do you have a link for this? I'd like to read about it.



Capsaicin_MFK said:


> As far as I know, it shouldn't have that much orange stuff in it. It should be like 99% of the brown clumps. I would contact ADA and get a replacement bag...they have sold quite a few bad batches lately


Have they made any public statement or anything about the bad batches? Does anyone have a link?


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Here's a pic of some of it in one of my setups. You could see some orange color pieces that have broken apart. I think it's legit. To be honest it's pretty good stuff if you don't move it around and are very careful putting it in. Long-term it does tend to fall apart, but it's great at startup since the water will be crystal clear from the getgo as long as your careful with it.


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## swissian (Aug 30, 2010)

My AS II did the same thing as soon as I added water to it. I think that the soil may have gotten too dry and then sucked in the water so quickly it fell apart.


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## efface (Aug 27, 2010)

just bought some, hope mine doesnt do this.


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## Damian (Jun 17, 2009)

mine did this aswell. all 9l of it. Not sure what it could be. Was purchased from a respectable local seller but I have had no problems with growth. its legit.


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## Mr. Fisher (Mar 24, 2009)

houseofcards said:


> Looks like AS II to me. It will break up into that reddish brown powder if not handled gently, especially once it's in the tank. If moved around it can breakup.


+1 makes sense


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## sampster5000 (Oct 30, 2010)

I added 9 liters of the amazonia II to my 15 gallon. The soil looked the same before adding and after adding water. It looks nothing like yours. The whole bag was filled with spherical brown pebbles. It was all completely the same.


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## Kwokwok (Nov 25, 2010)

Mines like that .. I thought it was just breaking apart (which Amazonia II) is known to do.. Here's mine


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