# Under-sand Aqua Soil Substrate Advice pls!



## Bobtastic (13 Jul 2009)

Hi all, 

I'm gonna start aquascaping my new 240litre tank in a few weeks and even b4 I start tring to get my head around wood and rocks I've been struck dumb but substrate!

I'm gonna be having a few plants in so I'm want to put some sort of fertilsing soil to go in under the sand. In most of the journals of aquascapings and planted tanks I've looked at they have listed ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia as their choice, and even one of the tutorials on here have linked it thought to Aqua Essentials but the "product cannot be found" through the link...

Is there somewhere else I can get it from or is there an alternative that will give me the same results?? I'm very new to all this and could do with a guiding hand!

Thanks in advance!


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## Dave Spencer (13 Jul 2009)

Try looking up TGM, one of our sponsors, for Aqua Soil. This substrate is designed to be used on its own, so I would try something like Tropica if you want sand on top. I`m not entirely show how these two will settle out, though.

Just for the record, you could go with a 100% sand substrate if you wish, which would certainly work out cheaper. Just make sure you keep the water column adequately feretlised, either with Tropica TPN+ for ease of use, or dry salts from Fluidsensoronline or AE for cheapness, if you feel happy with mixing your own.

Dave.


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## Steve Smith (13 Jul 2009)

Hi Bob.  Welcome to the forums!

You can get Aquasoil from The Greenmachine (see their banner or sponsor's section of the forum).  AE also do Oliver Knott Nature soil which some have tried and rate highly.

Will you be adding this to an existing tank or starting fresh and stocking with fish a little time after setup?  I ask because some of the ADA Aqua Soil products leach amonia into the water column for the first few weeks of use (specifically ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia).  I don't believe Nature soil does this.

You could also look at some of the under substrate fertilisers, like Tropica Substrate, Dennerle Deponit mix, Tetraplant Complete, JBL Aquabase etc.  I hear good things about Deponit mix but I'm sure others will be able to comment   I use Tropica substrate and it seems to be doing good for me


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## Bobtastic (13 Jul 2009)

Well atm I am running a fishless cycle on a bare tank and have plans to scape it at the end of the "qualifying week". The basic plan is to drain the tank completely then do the usual aquascaping and planting, as I fill it back up again. The won't be any impact from any ammonia leakage and potentially it will be low enough for the filter to deal with reasonably comfortably, as long as it's below 5ppm.

I'm planning to dose the column but I'm extremely new to the whole thing so I wanted to give the plants a fighting change by giving the a good bit of substrate to put their roots into!


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## Steve Smith (13 Jul 2009)

The amonia leach will actually help cycle your filter in that case


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## Dave Spencer (13 Jul 2009)

Bobtastic said:
			
		

> Well atm I am running a fishless cycle on a bare tank and have plans to scape it at the end of the "qualifying week". The basic plan is to drain the tank completely then do the usual aquascaping and planting, as I fill it back up again. The won't be any impact from any ammonia leakage....



Unfortunately Bob, you may have been wasting your time with the whole fishless cycle thing. With a healthy plant mass and Amazonia in from the beginning you would have had a tank that cycled on its own without adding any ammonia, no testing etc.

What you have done is build up a filter colony that will reduce in size when you start planting, and the plants get first dibs on the ammonia waste being produced.

I love all this qualifying week stuff from TFF. They should be forced to add disclaimer to people wanting to start a planted tank. Either do it in the dark with no plants, to prevent algae, or add the plants but not the ammonia. With a sufficient healthy plant mass, cycling a planted tank is largely pointless.

Dave.

Dave.


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## Bobtastic (13 Jul 2009)

So the ADA Aqua Soil doesn't need/shouldn't to go underneath sand?  

That might give me some other options in substrate textures in that case... I really like Tonser's Opti Aquascaping and am thinking seriously about ripping it off.    In the nicest possible way! 

Dave - Yeah, I read that about not having to cycle with a "heavily" planted tank or a "healthy mass" but I wasn't sure way qualified as heavily or healthy. I'm not planning on going for a massive over grown jungle and didn't what to hurt the poor fishies, when they eventually go in.


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## Steve Smith (13 Jul 2009)

Bobtastic said:
			
		

> So the ADA Aqua Soil doesn't need/shouldn't to go underneath sand?
> 
> That might give me some other options in substrate textures in that case... I really like Tonser's Opti Aquascaping and am thinking seriously about ripping it off.    In the nicest possible way!



Imitation is one of the best forms of flattery


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