# Tropica soil low PH  during cycling? Feedback please



## torque6 (18 Oct 2018)

Hello all,

I have using ADA soil for quite a while, so my observations is that aquasoil tends to drop PH to 5.6 during the first few weeks of cycling, during this time I usually add coral chips with water changes to help buff the PH up towards 6.2-6.6.

I have never used Tropica soil but have heard great things about it. Does Tropica soil exhibit the same drop in PHs during cycling?

Any comments would be appreciated.


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## Mick.Dk (18 Oct 2018)

I can't tell you if Tropica Soil will exhibit  "the same drop" ............but Tropica Soil will usually exhibit a drop in pH,  yes.


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## Mihai Varban (19 Oct 2018)

Most substrate systems trap nutrients and have a softening effect on the water. The ability to soften water goes away with time, usually a few months.


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## Keith GH (19 Oct 2018)

torque6

You pH is interesting to observe and that is about it, it can be all over the place during the Cycling process leave well alone and it will settle down when the cycling process is finished.

Keith


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## torque6 (19 Oct 2018)

Keith GH said:


> torque6
> 
> You pH is interesting to observe and that is about it, it can be all over the place during the Cycling process leave well alone and it will settle down when the cycling process is finished.
> 
> Keith



The problem with ADA soil isn't just that the PH is all over the place. It drops to 4.9 on quite a number of my setup thus stalling the cycling process. I was wondering if Tropica soil does the same.

I browse through about 20 pages of tank journal but there isn't one that pens down the cycling process for tropica soil.


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## tam (19 Oct 2018)

If I can find my pH pen I will check my tank. I'm about 6 weeks into setup. I would guess it's won't be dropping nearly as much because it doesn't produce the same amount of ammonia as ADA. Certainly, I've had no issue with starting to add shrimp at 10 days, which I think is something you can't do with ADA.


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## Zeus. (19 Oct 2018)

Are you using RO water if so the pH drop will be more than tap water as RO has no minerals to buffer the pH caused by the ions being released from the AS


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