# ADA vs Oliver vs Columbo vs Red sea ??



## alzak (5 Mar 2010)

After buying a opti white tank I want to use the best substrate which You can get and not sure which one as I read many good news about Oliver substrate as well about ADA amazonia I never (yet) use any of this substrates and just to want compare them any bad or good things about them??


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## George Farmer (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*

I have not used Oliver Knott's Naturesoil but have heard only good reports.  

I have used ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia and it is superb.  I grew a complete 30x60cm HC carpet from 3 pots in 3 weeks. 

The main advantage for many using Oliver's product over ADA is the apparent lack of ammonia spike, although when I discussed this with Oliver at TGM, he did recommend delaying adding any livestock for 3 weeks or so, like Aqua Soil.  

The ammonia spike can also be useful for ensuring a new filter is biologically mature prior to adding fish.

I would also consider the new Columbo Flora-Base which is the least expensive, but evidently gives good results.

More and more 'complete' substrates are being released so soon you'll be really spoilt for choice!


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## Jase (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*



			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> I have not used Oliver Knott's Naturesoil but have heard only good reports.



It *is *good but I doubt I'll use it again. It is far too light and consequently gets blown about far too easily in my experience. The packaging also says it's not 'crushable'. It is - easily and makes a horrible dirty mess if you do 'crush' it


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## LondonDragon (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*



			
				Jase said:
			
		

> It *is *good but I doubt I'll use it again. It is far too light and consequently gets blown about far too easily in my experience. The packaging also says it's not 'crushable'. It is - easily and makes a horrible dirty mess if you do 'crush' it


Agree with all the above but it is much better than the ADA Amazonia II that I tried, so my next substrate will be the Colombo Flora Base before I try ADA again!


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## alzak (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*

How about tropica substrate ?? if I have to spend a lot of money on substrate I want to buy good one 
how about GH and KH on ADA and Oliver ??


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## Jase (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*

I like Tropica substrate, and will use it again. It needs capping with another substrate. I would advise leaving a gap away from the glass though as the substrate expands and rises up the glass in my experience


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## alzak (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*

I want to but just one substrate without anything on top so tropica is not for me any more ideas which are worth to try ??


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## samc (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*

i think the best option at the moment is Columbo Flora-Base from plantedbox.com it will be the next substrate i will try and for that price you cant go wrong


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## alzak (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*

anyone use this substrate already any pictures of results ??


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## Garuf (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*

Saintlys tanks have been using it recently. I have both ADA and Columbo at the moment, I'm reading up on emergent growth when I'm done researching I'll do a side by side comparison.


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## AdAndrews (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*

I have used nature soil, my only niggle with it that its really light so goes everywhere and is sometimes hard to hold down plants, i would go for the columbo stuff from the planted box.


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## andyh (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*

ADA all the way!


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## alzak (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*

so we have good opinion on ADA and Columbo substrate 
how about look of Columbo is very dark black or jusl light black?? any tanks pictures with this substrate

on plantedbox.com was some good deal on substrate but like I see now is just gone and  price is 32.5 so not much cheaper than ADA


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## sanj (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*

I have used ADA Malaya and will use it inpart again. It does not have the NH4 that the other ADA have but does lower the pH more and my tanks tend to be longer term set ups than many. 

I dont like it for shallow rooted foreground plants simply on the basis that is it also pretty light however this is also due to the fish i keep that tug at some plants and they ended up pullinh my entire hair grass lawn. I will use tropica under sand for foreground planting in future, i tried similar but with JBL Aquabasis and the plants were much more secure in that combination and did not get pulled up by naughty Rainbow fish.


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## alzak (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*

I just see a plantedbox topic about Columbo substrate and looks fine for me but I just found another substrate which is RedSea Flora Base how about this one ??


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## JamesM (5 Mar 2010)

*Re: ADA vs Oliver Knott*



			
				alzak said:
			
		

> I just see a plantedbox topic about Columbo substrate and looks fine for me but I just found another substrate which is RedSea Flora Base how about this one ??


The Red Sea stuff is great - I used it on Without Foundation and had great results.. Bags are small though - I think I used 3 on a 60cm tank, from http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalo ... strate.asp


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## Garuf (5 Mar 2010)

I've used the red sea one. I'd say avoid it, I found the colour repulsive and that it clouded the water with the slightest of touch.


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## alzak (5 Mar 2010)

so who is right ??
 I'm not sure which one to choose but more is on Colombo side as is black and that what I was looking for but not sure about effect and how long it will last also is heavy enough to stay in one place ??


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## Garuf (5 Mar 2010)

It looks to be variable in quality if I had bad luck with it and James found it fine. ADA aquasoil is very good, columbo similarly good but without the ammonia spike, plus it's cheaper per 1l. The columbo is much darker than ada when wet, closer to black and seems heavier in the hand. I've not tried plants in it yet though, I'd imagine it's fine. It depends on what you want really. Both are very similar in terms of quality, it's just that they have upsides and downsides like anything. At the end of the day success will come down to maintenance, light management, co2 management and good ferts. You can grow plants in gravel if you're really good at all of the above!


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## alzak (5 Mar 2010)

I know that it will grow in gravel  but is not just about that I want my tank to looks nice and for all of us using a good substrate make a "Planted Tank Aquarist" life much easier


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## alzak (11 Mar 2010)

just make order for colombo substrate so soon we will se a results on my journal


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## Dan Crawford (12 Mar 2010)

alzak said:
			
		

> just make order for colombo substrate so soon we will se a results on my journal


Hopefully you'll like it, i'm using it at the mo and i'm very impressed!


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## Jase (12 Mar 2010)

I was thinking about this yesterday, has anyone seen Oliver Knott using his own substrate? Seems strange to me that in the TGM demonstration recently he used Aquasoil when his Nature Soil had just come to market....


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## JamesM (12 Mar 2010)

Jase said:
			
		

> I was thinking about this yesterday, has anyone seen Oliver Knott using his own substrate? Seems strange to me that in the TGM demonstration recently he used Aquasoil when his Nature Soil had just come to market....


Nature Soil has been around for quite a while now, and yes Oliver does use his own substrate when he can (check his site for many examples). He didn't use it at TGM simply because TGM do not sell NatureSoil. Its like using a Tropica plant when he's scaping an AquaFleur tank, just wont happen.


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## alzak (12 Mar 2010)

just can't wait when i get my substrate to try some of my scape options I have loads of them so looks like it takes me a while to set up all how I want ...


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