# Have I bought into the Hype of ADA?



## Coyne (Apr 12, 2014)

In my experience plant melt has been a temporary issue. Once the plant acclimates to the new conditions it should bounce back.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

The Green Machine is an ADA reseller so yes they will use all the products. That being said the most important item from ADA is the Amazonia. The other components can be had or you are getting in other ways. Nothing wrong with them they just might be redundant or not necessary.

What kind of plants are melting. You could have some melting of emersed plants, but if your providing good light, co2 and nutrients (in this case the aquasoil) you should get new growth pretty quick to make up for the melting.

Are you changing the water daily for the 1st week, every 2nd day for the 2nd week and so on?


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

What are the NH3 levels in the tank?


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## MadMensch (Jul 2, 2017)

Too many factors to tell what the cause of the melting is. I would start with the water and testing all the necessary parameters.

I had issues with my very first planted tank so I started over and used 100% RO/DI water in order to control the parameters better and add only what I wanted.


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## Jeff5614 (Dec 29, 2005)

houseofcards said:


> ...Are you changing the water daily for the 1st week, every 2nd day for the 2nd week and so on?


That was going to be my question also. Amazonia puts out a lot of ammonia for the first few weeks and that could be contributing to the plant melt if you're not doing water changes.


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## PortalMasteryRy (Oct 16, 2012)

Jeff5614 said:


> That was going to be my question also. Amazonia puts out a lot of ammonia for the first few weeks and that could be contributing to the plant melt if you're not doing water changes.


This is probably the case. The ammonia levels are probably sky high and is causing the plants to melt. ADA Amazonia requires you do water changes until the ammonia levels completely drop off. Otherwise you are most likely going to kill any plant you put in there.


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## MsJenny (Aug 21, 2017)

During the first week and a half I was doing 50% water changes. I might have skipped a day or two in between. In the fist week or so I was injecting CO2 using the Fluval mini system 20g that dispenses the gas into this bell. I was not using any fertsilizers. I was under the impression that Amazonia is rich in nutrients that I wouldn't not need for initially for a few months. I was keeping my lights on for about 6-8 hours per day. I have a Mr Aqua 40w LED light. I was also using 4 inch risers hoping that they would help to prevent the formation of algae or keep it down at least. In the first first week Ammonia levels read though the roof at 8ppm, nitrite was at 5ppm and nitrate was at 80-160. I didn't change the water for a couple of days mainly due to personal schedule, but began dosing with macros and also cleaned the melted and cut damaged leaves from plants uprutting everything and may have disturbed bacteria in the substrate. I did lose some plants completely of which I only had one or two stems. Things seem to have stabilized. I did an 80% water change and have began replanted some of the plants. My readings are ph: 6.8ish, ammonia: .5,nitrite: 0, nitrate: 20.

Thanks for your feedback!


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## jellopuddinpop (Dec 12, 2016)

I would just be sure to keep up with those water changes. ADA Aquasoil needs time to settle in and stop leeching ammonia, and until it does, you're kind of on a roller coaster. Keep up with the water changes until it stops leeching ammonia, which could be several weeks.


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## IntotheWRX (May 13, 2016)

i would say get only the ADA tanks and soil. 

everything else ADA is a good product, but a straight up rip off.


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## Sherminator (Aug 29, 2011)

jellopuddinpop said:


> I would just be sure to keep up with those water changes. ADA Aquasoil needs time to settle in and stop leeching ammonia, and until it does, you're kind of on a roller coaster. Keep up with the water changes until it stops leeching ammonia, which could be several weeks.


I wouldn't say that....

https://imgur.com/a/aNkTi

No water changes for the past three weeks, just some topping off of evaporated water.


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## Jeff5614 (Dec 29, 2005)

The only way, IMO, the substrate would have contributed to plant melting would have been through ammonia levels not being controlled during the start up phase through regular large water changes. The ammonia serves a purpose in kick starting plant and bacterial growth, but too much is going to melt your plants.

Other than that, you need to consider that emersed plants are going to melt while they transition to being submersed. You also need to look at light and CO2 levels. Aside from the aforementioned possibility of really high ammonia levels, the substrate isn't the problem.

Just to be a bit more specific on water change routines, what seems to work for most people, myself included, when starting out with AS, is at least 50% daily for the first week; 50% every other day for week two; 50% every third day for week three; 50% twice a week beginning with week four and continuing for a month or so before settling on weekly water changes. I got this from Tom Barr, just in case it helps to toss a name around. I know some people change water less with no problems. Nothing is set in stone and everyone's tank is different, but it's a good starting point that you can modify to suit what works for you, kind of like EI .


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Jeff5614 said:


> ..I know some people change water less with no problems. Nothing is set in stone and everyone's tank is different, but it's a good starting point that you can modify to suit what works for you, kind of like EI .


.
That's really funny I was about to say the same thing. The 50% every day 1st week, and so on are ADA guidelines for their own product. It covers most tanks and is a preventive measure. You don't know if you need less or maybe even more until a problem happens. It's much better to prevent a problem then to deal with a tank of algae or dead fish. 

As mentioned by @Jeff5614 EI is a good example the dosing is estimative as well as the water changes for most tanks. You won't go wrong by changing 50% of the water out and dosing a good amount. Some tanks will only require 1/2 or even 1/4 of the dosing and water change, but the 50% covers all.


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## MsJenny (Aug 21, 2017)

THEN
The first picture shows the graveyard of babytears the first week's devastation left behind. I will never try growing them again!

Somewhere in the second picture I had been growing Rotala Florida, Rot. mini type 1 and 2. All completely melted! 

NOW
3rd picture shows plants that I salvaged along with recently purchased ones. I even have a few stems of Cuphea Anagalloidea! I've never been able to keep cuphea longer than a week. It's not as colorful as the online pictures but the fact that it hasn't melted is a feat in of itself! 

And the last picture shows various rotalas that badly melted but slowly coming back. I just haven't figured out what's what yet.

This hobby truly takes a lot of patience. I really appreciate the feedback and reassurance I've received in this post and others in this forum. Thanks!


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## Jeff5614 (Dec 29, 2005)

houseofcards said:


> .
> That's really funny I was about to say the same thing. The 50% every day 1st week, and so on are ADA guidelines for their own product...


Speaking of which, here's a pretty good video with Juris mit JS. He speaks about the water change frequency, along with other things, and even has a nice little ADA graph in the background showing the water change frequency.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRULvcWZ3Lk


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Jeff5614 said:


> Speaking of which, here's a pretty good video with Juris mit JS. He speaks about the water change frequency, along with other things, and even has a nice little ADA graph in the background showing the water change frequency.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRULvcWZ3Lk


That is a good video, he had me at Aquasoil, no need to go into the supplements LOL. I actually used to be a moderator (yes me) with him on the aquascaping world forum years ago.


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