# Substrate help



## chris85 (Feb 15, 2006)

Hi, im going to be setting up a 300 litre planted tank in the near future and am trying to decide what substrate to use. Now my last tank was a full dennerle set-up with cable heater, temp controller, ph controller, co2, etc which ran with reasonable success but i had to move and i tore down the tank. Now, i kept all the gear and want to set up again but was thinking of using ADA aquasoil 'amazonia' instead of dennerle deponit as i found the dennerle stuff a bit of a pain, and heard this stuff is very highly regarded Should i use the cable with the aquasoil and what do i need ith the aquasoil ive seen powersand etc do i need this i nwant to do it right also how much Aquasoil would i need?

Regards

Chris.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

It seems the heating cable isn't necessary for a planted aquarium, so you'll be fine not using it. 

ADA aquasoil can be used without Powersand. Many people actually seem to prefer it this way as uprooting causes the powersand to come up alot. It's up to you if you want the complete line of ADA substrates, but you'll be perfectly fine just using 100% aquasoil. 

300 Liters is about 80 gallons. (3) or (4) 9 Liter bags of Amazonia will serve you well and probably give you enough and some leftover.

-John N.


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## chris85 (Feb 15, 2006)

Thanks John, well this is where i am a little unsure, ie whether to just go for the aquasoil or the aquasoil and powersand etc. I already have the cable so was going to use it seeings as i have it but i don't know now. Is this Aquasoil good for the long term ie 5+ years? i know the dennerle deponit was. I just like the look of the aquasoil and the fact that it seems easy to use.

Regards

Chris.


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## krisw (Jan 31, 2005)

I've been using aquasoil for almost a year and a half. Thus far, it continues to be an excellent substrate. I did note, in one of the recent "The Aquatic Gardener" journals, that Amano occasionally replenishes the aquasoil in his tanks as it ages. Generally speaking, I think Amano's system keeps the water column fairly lean in comparison to idelogies such as EI. For that reason, the substrate is very important in an ADA-style tank. If you are running CO2, and dosing regularly, you should be able to have a successful tank using plain gravel and a few root tabs, so aquasoil will definitely last for the long haul in that regard. 

As far as going 100% aquasoil verses using the suggested aquasoil/powersand mix, the only thing I can suggest is that if you use powersand, make sure you buy enough aquasoil to build a thick layer on top of it. Otherwise, when replanting, the powersand will tend to find its way to the surface.

I hope this has been somewhat helpful.


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## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

is it true that ADA soil depleted in about a years, i saw some post of it at the other forum


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## yxberia (Apr 19, 2005)

I heard that Aquasoil doesn't last long, too. Great for scaping but run out of nutrient too soon. Dennerle requires no additional base fertilizer and it does not leak chemical into water column. 
If cost is no object, then a thin layer of Deponit Mix covered by a layer of Aquasoil will be most effective. BTW, Dennerle has come out with Deponit Mix Professional.


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## chris85 (Feb 15, 2006)

Yes i had seen the new deponit mix professional, but the thing is i really just want a 'stand alone' substrate as it were, so aquasoil would be ideal. I have heard so many different things about aquasoil some say it will last 3,4+ years others saying it will burn out in around a year and then the tank will rely on liquid fertilisers added to the water column. I must admit i'm not to keen on the deponit because then i would have to use the heating cable and also i will have a layered substrate which seems to always get mixed.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

It doesn't matter what substrate you use, you will eventually deplete whatever fertilizers there are in it. Then you will be dependent on water column ferts and root tabs. If that were not true, the substrate would change and probably crumble as the ever decreasing amount of ferts in it were used up. As I understand it, the advantages of the ADA soil are: it looks good, it plants easily, it holds plants well, it supplements water column ferts, so they aren't so critical, and it doesn't deteriorate with time.


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## yxberia (Apr 19, 2005)

chris85 said:


> Yes i had seen the new deponit mix professional, but the thing is i really just want a 'stand alone' substrate as it were, so aquasoil would be ideal. I have heard so many different things about aquasoil some say it will last 3,4+ years others saying it will burn out in around a year and then the tank will rely on liquid fertilisers added to the water column. I must admit i'm not to keen on the deponit because then i would have to use the heating cable and also i will have a layered substrate which seems to always get mixed.


I have just bought Dennerle Deponit Mix D200 + D120 for my 4 feet. I am going to redo my tank tonite. 
What drive me to buy those expensive stuff? It is my friend's 3 feet tonina forest! No heavy algae since, no new tank syndrome. After a year, his tonina is still strong. He has stopped liquid fertilizer completely, now.

Here is the proof:









He has no substrate heating. In fact, you do not need that unless you want to keep the Deponitmix above 5 years !

Layers getting mixed will happen anyway in any system includes ADA (Powersand). I plan to have a thin layer of black sand covering Deponit Mix and then covered by few cm of ADA Aquasoil.


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