# ADA Aquasoil vs Colombo Florabase



## Antipofish (31 Jan 2012)

Here's a question for those of you who have tried both, preferably.

As you may know, I recently removed most of the Colombo Florabase (CF) from my tank and covered the remaining 1.5cm with Unipac Samoa Sand.  The reason was that I found the CF too light to plant in.  In particular, stem plants seemed to float out all the time.  And any movement in the tank had the CF wafting over the adjacent sand feature. 

Now I chatted to someone who claimed that the ADA aquasoil was leaps and bounds better than CF, and that I would not have had this problem with it as it is far heavier than CF.  Yet another person tells me this is not the case and that they are both similar products manufactured in the same factory in Japan !

I am at a loss now, as I was considering using the ADA stuff next time around, but do not want to make the same mistake twice.  

Has anyone tried both and found the ADA to be heavier and significantly easier to plant in ?  What about product quality comparison ?

Please make your comments, as at the moment I am getting to the stage where I am "over" all of these fancy branded products.


----------



## Ian Holdich (31 Jan 2012)

they're are very similar, they both need to be saturated by water. They are both light substrates. IMO there's not much in them in the way of planting. Most planted substrates tend to be light.

as for being from the same factory, who knows, i know there are a few 'soil based' substrates that come from the same factory and re branded. But they all all most probably from the same paddy fields. 

IMO you should have waited a little while longer as the soil substrates are light when first planted ( a week or 3), then they tend to get a lot firmer.


----------



## Antipofish (31 Jan 2012)

ianho said:
			
		

> they're are very similar, they both need to be saturated by water. They are both light substrates. IMO there's not much in them in the way of planting. Most planted substrates tend to be light.
> 
> as for being from the same factory, who knows, i know there are a few 'soil based' substrates that come from the same factory and re branded. But they all all most probably from the same paddy fields.
> 
> IMO you should have waited a little while longer as the soil substrates are light when first planted ( a week or 3), then they tend to get a lot firmer.



You are probably right.  I was getting frustrated at the amount of time it was taking me, and I was advised to get planted ASAP after putting water in, but that was conflicting with my ability to plant in a substrate that was releasing the plants the moment I planted them.  It seemed a bit of a catch22 Ian.  It had been in there a good week, and it seems odd that I should need to wait three weeks, or even longer than a week, when everyone seems to stick it in, put some water in and plant right away.  I cannot fathom how their plants remain in place.  Do they have the flow reduced or something ?  Who knows. I only know it didn't work for me.

Maybe the finer grade, be it Colombo or ADA Aquasoil "powder" might be better, but that makes it more expensive.  It all boils down to money.  And oddly I am happier with the sand on its own.  Having said that I intend to set up a 60L nano at some stage, and I will be using ADA in that, along with some nice stone, and see if I can have a go at an Iwagumi layout.  

It was just interesting speaking with two different retailers.  And hearing two conflicting opinions.  I guess in the end I will have to make my own mind up which one is right.  And possibly they are both right.  I tend to like things to be specific, and am quickly learning that this hobby is far from that.  At the end of the day, that will not matter to me as long as I enjoy what I am doing     And right now, Im in a good place.  This site, its members, and the advice and encouragement I have received from you and others is a BIG help.  And I am looking forward to gaining experience, knowledge and eventually being able to give back some of what I have already benefitted from 

Right, my Eheim Pro3 600 arrived today.  Im gonna get back to setting it up.  WOW ! What a toy   You watch, the ruddy thing will be noisy or something and I will regret selling my JBL, LMAO.  Nearly bought a second hand Fluval g6 the other day for £150.  But the flow rate is only 750lph which kind of surprised me.

Anyway I am rambling off topic, LOL.

Cheers


----------



## ghostsword (31 Jan 2012)

What I do is to soak the soil on a bucket for two to three weeks, change water often and when it is ready to plant it will already be soaked and somewhat free of ammonia.  

It will not crumble, one just needs to pour carefully.


----------



## Antipofish (31 Jan 2012)

ghostsword said:
			
		

> What I do is to soak the soil on a bucket for two to three weeks, change water often and when it is ready to plant it will already be soaked and somewhat free of ammonia.
> 
> It will not crumble, one just needs to pour carefully.



Thanks for the tip Luis.  Just seems a P.I.T.A. to have to do that, but if it works its worth it.


----------

