# ADA aqua soil Amazonian turned to dust???



## Danny (3 Jan 2018)

Hi guys, 

My ADA aqua soil Amazonian has turned to literally nothing and it's only been in the tank 5/6 weeks! 

I had a 're scape and it's mostly turned to literally microscopic particles? Is this normal? 

Surely it shouldn't do that? How does anyone 're use it if that happens especially after no more than 6 weeks in a tank? 

Extreemly disappointed with it now, it needs siphoning out and replacing.


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## Ruben_SL (3 Jan 2018)

Never seen this since I heard about ADA soil


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## Chubbs (3 Jan 2018)

Are you sure it’s not just particles covering the sides? Some of the beads/pellets will do that with a small amount of pressure but a whole tank is odd.


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## roadmaster (3 Jan 2018)

Looks like aquasoil Amazonian powder rather than pellet.


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## Shinobi (3 Jan 2018)

Never seen that either. Even had a 60p filled with powder only for 8 months, and it never looked like that S:


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## kadoxu (3 Jan 2018)

If you mess with the ADA Amazonia soil, you'll get a lot of dust in the tank. What I did to use it again was siphoning the whole substrate and using a fine fish net on the other end of the hose to catch the siphoned substrate.

Dirty water with most of the dust will go down to the bucket and you'll have the clean(ish) substrate inside the net.


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## Tim Harrison (3 Jan 2018)

Looks like its been through a blender.


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## Danny (3 Jan 2018)

It's definitely not the usual soil dust covering, 90% of it has turned to a slime like jelly type thing. 

It's too thin to plant into and the slightest bit of disturbance sends up an almighty cloud, I thought about capping it as a last resort but I dropped a piece of gravel in and it just went straight into it there is no actual solid matter in the majority of it other than what is used in/on the rock work as bedding areas.


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## GHNelson (3 Jan 2018)

Hi 
Its not cheap substrate....
Contact the retailer who sold you it.....explain its not performed for the purpose required!
Or contact the manufacturer directly!
You may have to send them a sample/photographs of said planting soil.
There could have been a processing problem for that batch of substrate.
Keep us posted
Good Luck


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## Edvet (3 Jan 2018)

hogan53 said:


> contact the manufacturer directly


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## Danny (3 Jan 2018)

hogan53 said:


> Hi
> Its not cheap substrate....
> Contact the retailer who sold you it.....explain its not performed for the purpose required!
> Or contact the manufacturer directly!
> ...


I planned on contacting the retailer today to see what they say, I had a Google about this last night and found it to be an issue back in 2012/2013 but after at least a year. 

Being my first time using it I didn't know if this was normal or not so figured you guys would know best before I go complaining for nothing lol 

Judging by the replies I guess this isn't normal.


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## zozo (3 Jan 2018)

If i were ADA i definitively would be interested, i guess it's beter to contact them directly and also supply them with the location of the purchase. So they can back track the batch, there likely are a lot more bags around with the same issue.

Just think of it, these products are not realy manufactured, even if they partialy are processed with baking or such, they need a natural source to make it from. Natural sources aren't always consistent in composition since they are dug up from th earth somewhere else. ADA is a Trademark not a manufacturer, it doesn't have the bulldozers digging it up, baking it, print the bag with ADA logo and ship it on. They rely on 3th party suppliers doing all the work, ADA only does some paper work and cashing in between.  

I remeber such a story from a German forum concerning JBL (also a trademark) soil, the bag said it was kH stable, but it wasn't it raised kH instead to unacceptable values. The customer contacted JBL, they tested and investigated it and in the end they confirmed, it was their source supplier failing to inform them that he was delivering assumed same stuff from another dig site and thus with slight different content and properties affecting kH. Anyway the guy got refunded and got a free JBL lab kit on top. End good all good..


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## Tim Harrison (3 Jan 2018)

It's a shame, your scape looks very impressive.


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## Danny (4 Jan 2018)

Well I've been told by the retailer it has happened because it was wet while 're used.... kind of makes sense but still very disappointing for such a costly product.

Does that seem right to anyone?


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## Konsa (4 Jan 2018)

Hi
The retailer is trying to bulshit U a bit imo.I had Amazonia in 2008,used it for 8 months, took it out in a bin bag wet and used it 4-5 years later still wet in bag when I opened it there was a bit of dust while rinsing it without stirring to hard and used it in a scape.It was softer but still holding shape for about 8 months before I rescaped.Bonus I had a small Aponogeton bulb in it that surprised me when sprouted out of nowhere.
U should contact ADA directly if the retailer is not wanting to resolve it imo.
Regards Konsa


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## Danny (4 Jan 2018)

Konsa said:


> Hi
> The retailer is trying to bulshit U a bit imo.I had Amazonia in 2008,used it for 8 months, took it out in a bin bag wet and used it 4-5 years later still wet in bag when I opened it there was a bit of dust while rinsing it without stirring to hard and used it in a scape.It was softer but still holding shape for about 8 months before I rescaped.Bonus I had a small Aponogeton bulb in it that surprised me when sprouted out of nowhere.
> U should contact ADA directly if the retailer is not wanting to resolve it imo.
> Regards Konsa


I wasn't going to go into any other details of my personal opinion of their attitude but I won't be using them again so it wouldn't surprise me if it is just an excuse.

I'll replace it and contact ADA to see what they say, might just be an expensive learning curve.


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## Konsa (4 Jan 2018)

I hope U get it resolved
Its a great product and is very bizarre what is happening to U.
Regards Konsa


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## GHNelson (4 Jan 2018)

Sounds rubbish!
Contact ADA directly....apparently when first purchased there should be moisture droplets within the bag!
If the bag is punctured and dries out it could affect the performance of the soil...when used.
hoggie


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## Edvet (4 Jan 2018)

Could be a counterfeit product too.


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## Danny (4 Jan 2018)

Konsa said:


> I hope U get it resolved
> Its a great product and is very bizarre what is happening to U.
> Regards Konsa


Hopefully I'll have a decent reply from ADA with an explanation so I can avoid it happening again if it is something I've done to cause it.


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## Shinobi (4 Jan 2018)

I've contacted ADA in the past with questions regarding some of their products and they've always responded politely and fast.

Great customer service in my experience, even though they don't deal directly with the consumer


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## Michal550 (4 Jan 2018)

Where did you buy it?


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## Tim Harrison (4 Jan 2018)

Your LFS is definitely trying to serving you a dollop of BS. Hope you get a more helpful response from ADA. Let us know how it turns out


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Danny (4 Jan 2018)

Michal550 said:


> Where did you buy it?


The green machine, I have a couple of big orders in with Aquasabi so have ordered some from there to replace it.


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## Danny (4 Jan 2018)

Tim Harrison said:


> Your LFS is definitely trying to serving you a dollop of BS. Hope you get a more helpful response from ADA. Let us know how it turns out
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Glad it's not my local tbh lol I was told it's not Amazonia more like Malaya amongst other things..... 

It is 100% Amazonia.


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## Tim Harrison (4 Jan 2018)

Danny said:


> The green machine


Figures...


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## Danny (4 Jan 2018)

Tim Harrison said:


> Figures...


I'll be sticking with Aquasabi from now on all being well with deliveries next week, their service so far has been excellent.


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## Shinobi (4 Jan 2018)

Tim Harrison said:


> Figures...



I don't live in the UK, but I was under the impression that TGM was a premium shop?


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## Tim Harrison (4 Jan 2018)

It's customer service seems to have become somewhat inconsistent over the last year or two.


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## Danny (6 Jan 2018)

Had to have it out the tank I just couldn't stand it anymore.


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## GHNelson (6 Jan 2018)

Mud.....mad


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## Danny (6 Jan 2018)

hogan53 said:


> Mud.....mad


I used two 9L bags in the tank, from what I managed to save by rinsing and sivving I would say it was a complete bag that turned to mud so seems highly likely that one of the two bags was dodgy.

This is what I saved.


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## GHNelson (6 Jan 2018)

Looks more like it!....


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## castle (7 Jan 2018)

Tim Harrison said:


> Figures...



I called up to order two tanks, something along the lines of "hey I'd like to order two ada 60-Ps with mats" and the guy on the phone corrected me on how to pronounce ada. "It's A... D... A... not adarghhhh" I just sighed, didn't make the order. Premium product, I expect a certain level of professionalism not pedantry. 

Sucks as I want those two tanks. Fingers crossed A...D...A give another retailer a chance.


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## Tim Harrison (7 Jan 2018)

That does suck, big style...but from experience when retailers start behaving like that it's usually a sign they're in trouble.
As for A... D... A... giving another retailer a chance, it's unlikely. From what I can gather TGM has the market sown up; I think it's the sole UK distributor, as well as a retailer...


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## alto (8 Jan 2018)

Yep same here
A single rep/distributor (occasional direct seller) who's lost interest, so ADA has pretty much disappeared from local shops (who found the erratic distribution frustrating & not much good for staying in the monthly black)
Note local ADA response to issues such as the failed soil is consistent with what the OP is experiencing 
example: ADA tank is warrantied against leaks only IF on an approved ADA stand - never mind that these were never locally available  (order accepted but still waiting a year on  .... I decided not to buy that ADA 90 to replace my old (slightly) scratched but extremely well built Oceanic) AND this bit of warranty information was supplied only after the tank failed 

Fortunately Tropica has stepped up with Aquatic soil, wood, stone -  if only they'd get serious about tanks


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## castle (8 Jan 2018)

+1 for tropica substrate, I use the Tropica soil powder, and I think it's excellent. 

As for future tanks, it's only £20 more to order the two 60-Ps from Aquasabi, with mats to be delivered to me. And yes, it is misleading but 
Aqua Scape Art Ltd (UK ADA distributor) is The Green Machine or at least part of the same company/family.  + The pricing of the tanks has shot up over the last year too, but I think that is from the fall in £, well not entirely.


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## PedroB (17 Jan 2018)

I think it's just the way "Ei Di Ei" soils are. 

My previous scape consisted totally of Aquasoil Malaya, I'd say 10% of it turned to dust in the fist year, the remaining 90% in the subsequent 2 years.

Rescaped with JBL proscape and couldn't be happier.


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## PedroB (17 Jan 2018)

castle said:


> +1 for tropica substrate, I use the Tropica soil powder, and I think it's excellent.
> 
> As for future tanks, it's only £20 more to order the two 60-Ps from Aquasabi, with mats to be delivered to me. And yes, it is misleading but
> Aqua Scape Art Ltd (UK ADA distributor) is The Green Machine or at least part of the same company/family.  + The pricing of the tanks has shot up over the last year too, but I think that is from the fall in £, well not entirely.



I would definitely pay £20 extra to not deal with insufferable pedantry.


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