# What substrate for acid loving plants?



## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

With all these new plants I am bringing in, many of them are said to prefer soft water and acidic substrates... the Toninas and Ludwigias.... so how do you people address the substrate issue for these plants? Talking to the Singapore hobbyists who have mastered these plants, it seems 99 percent of them use Amano's ADA substrate. Is that the best solution for these plants?


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...rates/12919-seachem-onyx-or-ada-aquasoil.html

You don't need an acidic substrate.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Acidic water is all you need. For those who don't have access to acidic water, the ADA / Flora Base type substrates help to get the water parameters to where they need to be.

I find that a pH of 6.5 or lower is best for Toninas, Utricularias, Eriocaulons, and verticillate Ludwigias.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

So the substrate really doesn't matter? pH is the only factor? Which ADA substrate would be used? I thought I might give it a try.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Aquasoil Amazonia is the ticket if you want to give it a try. In my opinion you can give or take the Power Sand aspect of the substrate. It is annoying when uprooting and replanting. I've had tanks setup both ways and prefer just the soil.

Well, obviously KH matters because it is directly related to pH. Keep the KH at 3 or lower and you'll do fine with them.

The Utricularias are a special exception to the nutrient rule. When growing them emersed one should use a mixture of peat / sand and RO water. The somewhat popular Utricularia foreground species that is going around is actually classified as terrestrial, but can also be converted to submersed form. Pretty cool stuff.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Any product that can make Tom Barr flip flop from critisising it to supporting it makes me curious.

Right now I have a tank set up with peat, (spagnum) laterite, (Duplarit) Schultz clay conditioner, and regular gravel. (landscape gravel and coated gravel) I was trying to utilize materials I had lying around. I also have Peat in a filter bag in a HOB filter with the carbon cartridge removed and replaced with filter floss. It is a 55 gallon tank with four 32 watt T8s and a Milwaukee C02 regulator. I havn't tested the KH yet. See any problems keeping Tonina and Ludwigia pantanal and guinea?


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

What are your water params in the tank? The Ludwigia sp. 'Pantanal' and Tonina definitely like soft water. I had my Tonina in water with a pH of 7.4 for a week and nearly lost it all. I dropped it back down to 6.3 or 6.4 and it's doing great again.


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

edit


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