# ADA substrate and additives



## oliverar (23 Aug 2010)

Hi, I was just looking on the ada website, and they are saying that the ideal substrate is the power sand, their soil, and then all these additives, which I was not familiar with, but basically there is:
1. Bacter 100 - to kick start your bacteria
2. Clear Super - a mix of activated carbon, and organic acid's
3. Tourmaline - a type of activated carbon type thing
4. Penac P - plant fertiliser 
5. Penac W - improves the substrate environment? 
I was wondering if these are of any use, if any one has experiences with them and if they actually work (mainly the Bacter 100)? 
 :?


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## chilled84 (23 Aug 2010)

Contact Vicktor, He is clued up on that sort of stuff.


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## viktorlantos (23 Aug 2010)

oliverar said:
			
		

> Hi, I was just looking on the ada website, and they are saying that the ideal substrate is the power sand, their soil, and then all these additives, which I was not familiar with, but basically there is:
> 1. Bacter 100 - to kick start your bacteria
> 2. Clear Super - a mix of activated carbon, and organic acid's
> 3. Tourmaline - a type of activated carbon type thing
> ...



Go for PowerSand Special as there Bacter 100 and Clear Super is included. You just need to cover it with one of the Aqua Soils and you're ready to go. Unless you have lot of money and you go for a pro world i think you can live without Penac. Please contact with the forum sponsor UKAPS they can help you out with this stuffs.

All i can say for me they worked. PS Spec is good like their Soils too. I used Penac too but only on one of my tank. So have less experience with it.


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## Dan Crawford (24 Aug 2010)

In my view, the ADA system just works, i don't know how but it does. George's Iwagumi was algae free, trouble free and grew at an astonishing rate. He used the entire suggested range from The Green Machine and i'm sure he'll put his hand up and say it was fantastic.
I've used most of the range myself and the results were great, until I got into the habit of not doing water changes  

It is an expensive way of doing things but it's very much trouble free provided you practice general good aquarium husbandry.


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## Tom (24 Aug 2010)

I've had better results with ADA than anything else I've tried, with no algae from day 1 to finish. I've had some sort of problem with every other setup I've tried. I used Brighty K, Brighty Spec. Lights, Brighty Step 1, and Aquasoil Malaya in my 25cm. The tank was finished by day 71, and grew quicker than anything I've done before or since. When the ADA Brighty K ran out during my next setup I switched to powdered verison and things just didn't seem to work anywhere near as well, and I noticed an increase in algae for some reason. ADA does just work. 

However, I have never used the Additives you listed there or even Power Sand - Just the main ferts and Aquasoil. 

Tom


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## George Farmer (24 Aug 2010)

Dan Crawford said:
			
		

> George's Iwagumi was algae free, trouble free and grew at an astonishing rate. He used the entire suggested range from The Green Machine and i'm sure he'll put his hand up and say it was fantastic.


It certainly was!


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## viktorlantos (24 Aug 2010)

well, i think this is not fair to say there are no algae if you go with the ADA way. maybe if you watch carefully many other stuff like the initial period with less light, carbon filtration on the first weeks frequent water changes.

ADA ferts has less nutrients in it so its not like EI. You still can have algae issues if you do not have good CO2 injection and circulation, good filtration, correct timing on light etc. I had my battles especially in small tanks because of the powerful light. not experienced the same algae thing with large tank with 4W/gal light.

But at the end many of their products are just works like you said above. Easier to keep the balance and achieve good plant growth with these substrates and additives.


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## Dan Crawford (24 Aug 2010)

No one is suggesting that if you use ADA it'll be entirely algae free, after all, we've established that that is impossible. As i said earlier, *with good aquarium husbundry* these products work very well. We have only explained our findings whilst using this system, by no means is it magic, again, as i said earlier - the results were great, until I got into the habit of not doing water changes   
In my view, whatever fertilisation system you use, if you don't do it correctly ie. good flow, CO2, maintenance, lighting etc which is appropriate to your setup then you will have nuisance algae.


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## viktorlantos (24 Aug 2010)

yup agreed, sorry Dan no offense if i sounded like.


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## Dan Crawford (24 Aug 2010)

viktorlantos said:
			
		

> yup agreed, sorry Dan no offense if i sounded like.


No of corse not!


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## nayr88 (24 Aug 2010)

im going ada  

i orderd a 3l bag on amazonia aqua soil powder.
also going to get the set of 4 ferts TGM sell as a packadge
and i might go to the shops get a few tins....then buy the co2 set up and blame 'the drink'


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## andyone (29 Aug 2010)

How long will ADA substrate last? 

My experience to date (15 years) despite good circulation (Ehiem professional 3 2018), CO2 3 bubbles/min, fertilization (Brighty K Step 2)  and weekly 50% water changes in a 400L tank with x4 T5's it seems to run out of "steam" after 10-12 month with brillant results for first 6-8 months.

Begs the question is it worth the money or am I missing something I've used a lot of other substrates including soil and had good results for up to 3 years.


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## nayr88 (30 Aug 2010)

I think the point of this stuff is to  HELP produce a full and grown in scape quickly, it then last for say a year and then you redo into another look. Im sure if you wanted to keep the same one just add root tabs, and keep the water coloumn dosing on point.

i would like to see someone do an experiment 2 100L Tanks using the same plants in the same layout, same light,co2,flow and photo period. 

1 using power sand special topped with aqua soil dosing ada ferts 
the 2nd using JBL aqua basis topped with manado using ferropol 24 and there other ferts range.

just to see how quick it takes to reach final 'tank shot' look. how problematic each was or wasnt. Also how the tanks were at around 2year.....

all i knows is i wont be shelling out for this experiment haha


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## zig (30 Aug 2010)

andyone said:
			
		

> How long will ADA substrate last?
> 
> My experience to date (15 years) despite good circulation (Ehiem professional 3 2018), CO2 3 bubbles/min, fertilization (Brighty K Step 2)  and weekly 50% water changes in a 400L tank with x4 T5's it seems to run out of "steam" after 10-12 month with brillant results for first 6-8 months.
> 
> Begs the question is it worth the money or am I missing something I've used a lot of other substrates including soil and had good results for up to 3 years.



Well I guess with everything its what you want to pay, personally I think its worth the money. Even when it runs out of steam the soil that you are left with is still an excellent medium for growing plants, just add EI and away you go for another few years. Just my opinion of course


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## viktorlantos (30 Aug 2010)

yup and as nayr88 said, their root tabs works perfect. no need to worry about growing problems. we used the iron and the multi bottom tabs with amazing results after a year too. 

i do not think any of the clay soil act differently on long term. mean last longer on nutrients etc.


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## nayr88 (30 Aug 2010)

viktor, you seem pretty clued up on the ADA gear, could i just ask have you had any experience with power sand special s? im debating getting some to add to a tank ill be starting in a month or so.

thanks


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## viktorlantos (30 Aug 2010)

nayr88 said:
			
		

> viktor, you seem pretty clued up on the ADA gear, could i just ask have you had any experience with power sand special s? im debating getting some to add to a tank ill be starting in a month or so.
> 
> thanks



hi mate, sure. using the spec versions in my nano setups 2 years ago.
This was my first attempt with it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/viktorlant ... 209187244/
and the current tank also runs with it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/viktorlant ... 605461019/

the only reason why i am not using this on my large tank as i not removed fully the soil there last time. but i can say i am happy with the result with the spec. and with the next rescape will throw this to my large tank too.

i do not have a comparsion to Tropica, Sera, JBL and others but i am pretty happy with it. all i can say is if you watch for the other factors (co2, WC, light, fert etc) you will not be dissapointed by the result.


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## nayr88 (30 Aug 2010)

very nice Viktor, one final question(untill i receive my ada ferts than ill be picking your brains in pm's haha) 

the ada co2 system, ive read somewhere the  3different bottles you can order each have there own  frangrences they add to the water?? now this sounds crazy!!! whats the crack?


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