# Help, can I mix ada with others?



## Khamul1of9 (Oct 25, 2005)

Hi all,

I was making my first serious planted tank. I have tinkered with it for a long while mostly because I was interested in growing Crypts. Now I am setting up a 75 gallon tank. I had a bag of ADA Aquasoil which was opened. But 1 9Litter bag does not cover a 75 gallon tank. Also, I put a bottom layer of Flourite which I intended to use as a layer of laterite under a thicker layer of baked clay (Cat litter). My question is, can I use the ada as second layer, between the cat litter and the laterite? Or can I use it as a top layer? The instructions say not to mix with other commercial substrates, but I am wondering why not. Thanks!


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

You can mix any of the commercial substrates with any others. ADA Aquasoil is a source of some nutrients, so it will be beneficial with any other substrate. Flourite is an inert substrate, like fine gravel, but with a fairly high ability to anchor nutrient ions so the plant roots can get to them easier, laterite is clay depleted of any nutrients, and cat litter (baked clay), like Flourite and laterite, can anchor some nutrient ions. The only reason for layering any of them is to get the appearance you want, but the layers would soon be mixed by natural movement of the particles. The exception is when you use material that is a fine powder, like mineralized topsoil. Since fine materials naturally migrate to the bottom, those materials will tend to stay in the bottom layer, and upper layers help keep them there. Otherwise you get muddy water.

The reason manufacturers say to avoid mixing their product with other products is to encourage you to buy more of their product.


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## Khamul1of9 (Oct 25, 2005)

hoppycalif said:


> You can mix any of the commercial substrates with any others. ADA Aquasoil is a source of some nutrients, so it will be beneficial with any other substrate. Flourite is an inert substrate, like fine gravel, but with a fairly high ability to anchor nutrient ions so the plant roots can get to them easier, laterite is clay depleted of any nutrients, and cat litter (baked clay), like Flourite and laterite, can anchor some nutrient ions. The only reason for layering any of them is to get the appearance you want, but the layers would soon be mixed by natural movement of the particles. The exception is when you use material that is a fine powder, like mineralized topsoil. Since fine materials naturally migrate to the bottom, those materials will tend to stay in the bottom layer, and upper layers help keep them there. Otherwise you get muddy water.
> 
> The reason manufacturers say to avoid mixing their product with other products is to encourage you to buy more of their product.


Ok, sounds great. Since I have it opened and out of the bag anyway, I think will use it.


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