# Tropica soil in "running aquarium"



## Nelson Marto

HI, all,

I have a doubt, about subtract and amonia..
My aquarium (300ltrs ) is running for 10 months, I have 13 tetras, 15 barbs and 4 corydoras and 2 gouramis, the subtract is sand, fine sand.
Because of this poor subtract I have few plants, I intend to change the subtract to "tropica soil" without selling my fish, or give him a new house, because I don't have another aquarium.
Can I previously "cycle" tropica soil in a small container, to avoid amonia spike? I have a small extra filter (eheim 2213) I can use it for that?
Or I will never be capable of changing subtract without hurting my fish's.


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## Zeus.

Can't see I reason why it can't be done, never used Tropical soil myself. Think I would be tempted to add the newly cycled AS slowly over a week or so just to be safe all the same. You will be adding it to a tank with a mature filter OFC which would handle the spike much faster than a new filter OFC
Not sure if you get an amonia spike with tropical soil either


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## alto

Just siphon out the sand and add the Tropica Aquarium Soil - I’ve never observed an ammonia spike with Tropica Soils or their enriched Growth Substrate (layer underneath at least 4 cm coarse sand/fine gravel)
BUT have spoken with one person that claimed to have measured small ammonia release when using the Growth Substrate ... he just made sure to do daily water changes initially, then used a Seachem Ammonia Alert 

BUT fish will be stressed by all this substrate shifting so I prefer to remove fish to a food safe plastic bin during tank upheavals 

Also note that sand substrates (especially re tight packing) can have anaerobic zones which may release fish toxic compounds 

I experienced this once many years ago - lost all fish within minutes - I just don’t rescape tanks with livestock in place


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## Nelson Marto

I will remove my fish from the tank during the change of subtract.
I will get one container with +-50 litres and put my water, running filter, heater and fish inside during this maintenance (2hours).
Then I will remove sand, make may new scape with some tropica soil and wood. Fill with water at 25º and put my fish.... 

My issue/question is because I have done a similar thing in my mother aquarium, switch gravel for "JBL Manado".
In that one I had spikes of PH, initially my PH raise to 8/8.5, now after 3 months  is stable at 7. Two ramirezi die...

I want do it without deaths, and spikes amonia and PH. Once Troppica soil is a "reach subtract" not inert I'm afraid of amonia...

Thanks for all your help.


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## Nuno Gomes

You can place the new substrate in a bucket of water for a week or so, changing the water every day, to get rid of most of the ammonia. And contrary to what some people say, Tropica aquarium soil does leech ammonia, I've measured up to 4ppm of ammonia during the first week.


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## Conort2

I changed over from an inert substrate to tropica soil in a fully stocked tank with no issues. I just made sure I done water changes every couple of days for the first couple of weeks. Had no issues whatsoever and livestock was fine. The tank had already been set up for approximately a year with two mature canister filters.

Cheers

Conor


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## Nelson Marto

thanks conort2, that is what I need to do also.
Thanks


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## dean

Surely if you add lots of plants at the same time they will deal with the ammonia ?

Are you putting the sand directly on top of the soil ? 
If the sand is finer wont it fail down between the soil? 
Can you put a fine mesh on top of the soil ? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Ray

I'll put this here rather than starting a new thread. 



Nuno Gomes said:


> And contrary to what some people say, Tropica aquarium soil does leech ammonia, I've measured up to 4ppm of ammonia during the first week.



I am seeing this now.  I have a 16 litre nano cycling with 2 litres of tropica aquarium soil for 3 weeks.  A week ago Nitrites were high.  Yesterday they had dropped to trace levels so I ran a 100% water change, chucked in the final litre of soil from the packet and re-arranged some plants with the intention of adding a Betta today.  Did a final Nitrite test this morning to be sure and it's back at 2ppm or so according to the test kit.  I can't see any explanation other than that this is leaching from the soil.  Not having an Ammonia test kit I can't say the substrate is releasing NH3 and it is being converted to NO2 by my newly cycled filter, or whether it's straight NO2.



Conort2 said:


> I changed over from an inert substrate to tropica soil in a fully stocked tank with no issues. I just made sure I done water changes every couple of days for the first couple of weeks. Had no issues whatsoever and livestock was fine. The tank had already been set up for approximately a year with two mature canister filters



I think the mature filter together with the water changes must be the the key there.  I must say I do love the substrate but it would be nice if Tropica could officially opine on the topic.  Anyone else seen anything about this?


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## Wookii

Nuno Gomes said:


> You can place the new substrate in a bucket of water for a week or so, changing the water every day, to get rid of most of the ammonia. And contrary to what some people say, Tropica aquarium soil does leech ammonia, I've measured up to 4ppm of ammonia during the first week.



Have to agree with @Nuno Gomes here - when my tank was initially set-up (with Tropica Soil Powder), ammonia went up to around 5.0ppm, and depsite regular water changes stayed around that level for a couple of weeks before the cycle started. That was in the absence of plants (for various reasons I had to cycle before plants could be added) but even fully planted I wouldn't want to subject fish to that kind of spike.

Rather than  cycling the Tropica soil in a separate container, why not move the fish to a separate container, do your rescape, then when you are happy no ammonia is present, add the fish back in.


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## Epiphyte

Sorry to dig up an old thread, saves me starting a new one

I'm planning to add 5 litres or so of Tropica soil to my established tank. The filter has been running for 2 years or so and the plant mass is extremely high, lots of stems etc.

Doing regular large water changes are somewhat impractical due to using RO and having Christmas in the way means I'll be away from home.

Thoughts?


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## Courtneybst

Epiphyte said:


> Sorry to dig up an old thread, saves me starting a new one
> 
> I'm planning to add 5 litres or so of Tropica soil to my established tank. The filter has been running for 2 years or so and the plant mass is extremely high, lots of stems etc.
> 
> Doing regular large water changes are somewhat impractical due to using RO and having Christmas in the way means I'll be away from home.
> 
> Thoughts?


Hey mate,

You should be able to do it without issue. I've added fresh Tropica soil to established tanks several times now. However, if you'll be away and not able to do water changes I'd say wait until after Christmas and you're back home.


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