# "Problems" with ADA Aquasoil



## Mataca (Dec 2, 2013)

Hi,

I have this thread on a couple other forums, i figured it would be good to everywhere i can in regards to other people's experience relating to ADA Aquasoil and water parameters. The tank originally has been setup for 4 years. I bleached everything down as I had quite an extensive black beard algae problem and decided to just scrap everything, redo my hardscape and go full planted. The only thing that was saved from the old setup that wasn't thoroughly washed down was the filter/media(aquaclear 70) in order to quickly establish bacteria in the new setup. Aquarium is a 55g, it has a hydor koralia 240 for a bit of water agitation, aquaclear 70 on the right and soon to be an eheim 4+ 350 with the spraybar for more water agitation on the left(just waiting for tubing to arrive). Hard scape is a large Eucalyptus root, 3 pieces of malaysian driftwood and 20 pounds of Dragon Rock(ohko stone) and 4.5x 9L bags of ada aquasoil.

So it goes as follows. I setup my tank with hardscape on the 9th, and then planted it the next day. Ammonia of course spiked per usual for ADA soil up to 4-5ppm, PH= 7.4, nitrites = 0, Nitrates = ~40. Have been doing daily 50% water changes for the first week and now im doing them every other day. Ammonia today is down to about .5. Now my questions is as follows, when the soil is done its own cycle and leeching of ammonia, what should i do about my GH, KH and PH? Out of tap my parameters are as follows:

Out of Tap
GH - between 120-180
KH - between 80-120
PH - 7.5

In aquarium with ada soil
GH - 0
KH - 0
PH - 6

My stocking plan will be 2 mystery snails, 20 cardinal tetras, Dream Blue Shrimp, 1x Gold Nugget Pleco, 1x albino rainbow shark and 1x rainbow shark(had these in my last setup with similar stocking which had discus and no shrimp and never had any aggression issues).

I will need to get the KH up because i don't want to WC from a tap of 7.4 to a tank that is being buffered quite considerably down to 6. Any similar experiences/suggestions? Should i just let the ammonia go to 0, retest and go from there? Should i buffer with some limestone chips in the HOB to raise my KH and stabilize my PH that way to get it as close to tap again as possible if it doesn't raise at all itself after the soil cycle? For how long will it buffer everything down to 0?

Here is pics of the tank the next day after planting/filling. Thanks again in advance for any help/suggestions/criticisms. If i have left out some pertinent info that is needed please just let me know and i will try to answer.


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## slipfinger (May 11, 2016)

ADA Aquasoil is designed to do exactly what it is doing in your tank. Most plants do better with a lower KH, GH they can handle a wide range. I'd keep an eye on your GH, interesting it is reading zero. How old is your GH test kit? 

Fighting what it is do will be a losing battle. 

As for pH are you adding Co2? 

I assume you are worried about all this because you want to stock the tank with fish? Again ADA AS is designed for plants and not fish. 

I have set up 3 and soon to be 4 tanks using AS. I did nothing special. I added absolutely zero nutrients to the tank for 6 weeks +. I did multiple (3) large water changes for the first couple of weeks. I reduced that to 2 for a week or so and finally 1, 75/80% water change a week, which I still do on all my tanks to this day. 

When I did start dosing nutrients (6 to 8 weeks in), Macros where at 1/4 EI levels and Micros where around half EI. I roll my own Micros so I am able to play around with the ratios within my mix. I slowly upped my nutrient levels over the course of a month or so, until I maxed out at full EI levels. For the record I am now experimenting with above EI levels in my main tank. 

Anyways, my point is don't fight it. Just keep up with the water changes and allow the ADA AS do what is was designed to do. Which is provide the plants with everything they need to flourish and establish in your tank. 

As time goes on you will have to watch your plants for deficiencies. 

Trust me when I say, enjoy this time because your plants will never grow better. Your AR mini will be the best you'll ever see it in your tank. I suggest taking pictures. As soon as you start dosing, which you will have to because the soil will run out of nutrients, you will start to see issues. This has played out time and time again in this hobby!

One very important item to note. Rich, consistent, Co2 is very important. 

Also all this is so much easy to accomplish when you do not have to deal or worry about with fish. Shrimp grab some Cherries and throw them in, you can't kill those buggers!

My suggestion to anyone wanting to start a planted tank, forget about adding fish until you have everything stable, consistent and under control. The experience will be much more enjoyable and you can focus on the horticulture side and learn to grow/kill plants and not fish!


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## Mataca (Dec 2, 2013)

slipfinger said:


> ADA Aquasoil is designed to do exactly what it is doing in your tank. Most plants do better with a lower KH, GH they can handle a wide range. I'd keep an eye on your GH, interesting it is reading zero. How old is your GH test kit?
> 
> Fighting what it is do will be a losing battle.
> 
> ...


Ahh that's unfortunate. I think I should have done a bit more research prior to buying. Initially, I was going to go with eco complete, but i made the switch to ada and took the financial hit because i didn't want to have to dose or at least, dose as often as i should be. I wanted the fish waste + ada aquasoil to keep everything going. My intention was to have fish and shrimp in a nice planted tank .

In regards to the kit, so for the GH and KH reading, they are from the 5 in 1 strips which is about 4 years old. The only reason I want to say they are still "valid", is because when I test my tap water, it gives true results as i had a liquid kit in the past which tested the same way from the tap.

As for the C02 and PH, i dosed seachem excel every second day for the last week and a half. Not sure if that has the same effect as the C02 from the tank.

When everything is cycled, do you have any suggestion in regards to the best way I can water change from tap without everything going nuts. I am assuming there will be trouble for whatever wild life i put in there eventually if im doing 30-50% water changes from hard tap water of 7.4 to soft tap water. Also need to get my GH up and stable for shrimp. Thanks in advance!


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## slipfinger (May 11, 2016)

It's not unfortunate. You picked the best nutrient rich soil on the market, in my opinion anyway.

You will have a nice tank with lots of fish and shrimp, I do. My last post was not saying you can't have nice plants with lots of fish. You just have to have patience's. Let the tank cycle, the ammonia spike will run its course in about 4 to 6 week even less if you started out with cycled media.

My tank is currently stocked with.
12 Serpae Tetras
13 Harlequin Rasbora
2 Noen Tetras
2 Rummy Nose Tetras 
6 Otto Cats 
And way to many Cherry Shrimp to count. 

I ran the tank for almost a year fishless because I wanted to learn to grow plants. I feel I have accomplished that, even though not a day goes by I don't learn something new. I figured it would be easier if I didn't have to worry about fish. 

Like you I use good old fashion tap water. I rarely add any Ca or Mg, I dose macros and micros on alternating days and do my big once a week water changes. My tanks KH is 4, GH is 7 and my degassed pH sits at 7.4. I don't do or add anything special to get those numbers..

I have rich, consistent Co2. Which I tell everyone, pressurized Co2 is worth its weight in gold. Excel is truly a waste of money and does more harm in the long run. I'm not saying I have not used it, it does kill algae and if you have a planted tank you will get algae once in a while. It adds no Co2 to your tank what so ever. 

I hope all the above eases you mind. You have the makings of a beautiful tank. Keep up on the water changes, let things grow out, keep the tank clean (important) and don't let the bio-load (plant material) get out of hand, basic husbandry..... simple. Let time take its course and you will see all parameters will settle out in no time! 

Last but not least, sit back, grab a drink and enjoy your tank.


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## Mataca (Dec 2, 2013)

slipfinger said:


> It's not unfortunate. You picked the best nutrient rich soil on the market, in my opinion anyway.
> 
> You will have a nice tank with lots of fish and shrimp, I do. My last post was not saying you can't have nice plants with lots of fish. You just have to have patience's. Let the tank cycle, the ammonia spike will run its course in about 4 to 6 week even less if you started out with cycled media.
> 
> ...


Awesome thanks, will do! 1 more question, if you remember, how long was it before it stopped sucking dry your GH and KH if you have ever had that issue with it to begin with. Does that settle down the around the same time it stops leeching ammonia? Or is that completely different and will go on as long as the soil has minerals to offer?


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## slipfinger (May 11, 2016)

Sorry for the late reply.

TBH I really didn't pay much attention to what was happening regarding GH/KH. I rarely test anything in any of my tanks. Maybe once every couple of months I will test my tap waters KH/GH to make sure it hasn't changed to much. Its been consistently at KH4/5 and GH 8 for 2 years now.

Again I didn't have fish in any of my tanks so parameters didn't concern me that much.


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## Mataca (Dec 2, 2013)

slipfinger said:


> Sorry for the late reply.
> 
> TBH I really didn't pay much attention to what was happening regarding GH/KH. I rarely test anything in any of my tanks. Maybe once every couple of months I will test my tap waters KH/GH to make sure it hasn't changed to much. Its been consistently at KH4/5 and GH 8 for 2 years now.
> 
> Again I didn't have fish in any of my tanks so parameters didn't concern me that much.


Sounds good, ty.


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## Teemote (Aug 13, 2016)

I wouldn't worry too much about the GH/KH - I had the same concern when I started my ADA tank back in April - despite all the scare about tank crashing and killing everything, it didn't, in fact, the plants grew like I have never seen before.. basically on steroid.

My GH/KH out of the tap were 5/8-9, and GH with ADA was basically 0, or at least the test kit can't pick up but never had it crash once.

Ph is sitting nicely around 6.6

The live stock did well too - since then I have re-scaped here and there with no ill effect.

Here's what it looks like now:


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## Mataca (Dec 2, 2013)

Teemote said:


> I wouldn't worry too much about the GH/KH - I had the same concern when I started my ADA tank back in April - despite all the scare about tank crashing and killing everything, it didn't, in fact, the plants grew like I have never seen before.. basically on steroid.
> 
> My GH/KH out of the tap were 5/8-9, and GH with ADA was basically 0, or at least the test kit can't pick up but never had it crash once.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the input, really awesome tank too!


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## planter (Jun 9, 2008)

Yeah with aquasoil you have to let it run its course. Let the tank cycle. I never really pay much attention to gh/kh either. I watch my ph level and co2 much more closely.

It's one of the best soils you can buy for a planted tank IMO


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