# UP Aqua - Aqua Soil



## Quetzalcoatl (17 Nov 2011)

Hello UKAPs.

In the not so very distant future I am planning on a total strip down, and rescape of my tank? Lots of planning is going into this as I want to get it bang on first time. As a result I have been researching substrates and weighing up the benefits, and financial implications of the leading brands. Which is where I`ve stumbled upon this UP Aqua substrate! 
http://www.up-aqua.com/00-dm-page/00up_ ... il-big.jpg

Has anyone used this, or are they using it? I can`t seem to find any stockists, or prices etc. It may be a decent alternative to ADA Amazonia and could save me a few quid aswel. (180 litre to fill) 

Many thanks.


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## matador1982 (17 Nov 2011)

If you're going to all the effort of stripping down your tank save a few extra quid and go with a substrate we all know does the job.


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## Ian Holdich (17 Nov 2011)

I think you may find this IS the same product as every other soil on the market bar the ADA soil. It normally just gets re bagged and sold as something different.


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## Quetzalcoatl (17 Nov 2011)

> If you're going to all the effort of stripping down your tank save a few extra quid and go with a substrate we all know does the job.


Care to elaborate?

When you say save a few quid I presume you`re not refering to ADA Soil then? I would love to use this but by my estimation I`d need about 4 9ltr bags @ £35 each. That plus the powersand @ £25 = £165  just for substrate  Add to that the plants, and hard scape.

I was looking for cheaper alternatives. I am aware of false economy, and getting what you pay for, but I`ve got to explain this one to the wife?


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## foxfish (17 Nov 2011)

You could ask this chap for his recipe  viewtopic.php?f=49&t=18527&start=10


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## spyder (17 Nov 2011)

How far have you researched? 

Have you read the stickies in this here forum?


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## Radik (17 Nov 2011)

You do not need powersand it does not add anything to the plants. It is normal volcanic cheap pumice marketed by ADA as something special. Maybe they add some bacteria starter to it but well get tetra safe start instead.


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## Quetzalcoatl (17 Nov 2011)

> You do not need powersand it does not add anything to the plants


Hmmm, thought as much? I thought I had been doing this long enough now not to fall for the fancy gimmicks and marketing scams!  



> How far have you researched? Have you read the stickies in this here forum


I`ll be honest. I have read some, but not all? I shall go there pronto and get swatting! I have read all about going down the cat little, Akadama route time, and time again though. I have even gone as far as experimented with cat litter in a section of my tank. I just need confirmation for my own piece of mind that this is the way to go. 

Everytime I convince myself that I`m going to use the cheaper alternatives I see a scape that blows me away, and guess what..Technical Set up data. ADA Amazonia substrate!! You know what I mean?


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## Radik (17 Nov 2011)

You can do amazing scapes with cheap substrate as well just give it heavy fertilizer and co2


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## plantbrain (17 Nov 2011)

I liked it a lot, it's also excellent in color and with shrimp etc.
They added activated carbon to the clay basically.


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## plantbrain (17 Nov 2011)

I liked it a lot, it's also excellent in color and with shrimp etc.
They added activated carbon to the clay basically.


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## Radik (17 Nov 2011)

You mean to get black color they added activated carbon? Do you think Amazonia has it too? I can not explain otherwise why my TDS get's lower with Amazonia only that something sucked some salts out. And TDS get stable only when KH reaches 0.


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## Quetzalcoatl (21 Nov 2011)

> I liked it a lot, it's also excellent in color and with shrimp etc. They added activated carbon to the clay basically.


Excellent. Somebody with first hand experience of this product!   
So, do you know if it`s available in the UK? I can`t find anything online. Not looking hopefull?  



> They added activated carbon to the clay basically.


Why would they do this? To hold onto some of the nutrients in the water colomn maybe?

Thanks.


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