# ADA Question



## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

How long ADA Aquasoil last? do they need to be replace in a year or years?


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

I just added a new thin layer on top of old ada after a year.


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

I still have some aquasoil that is 1.5yrs old and still kicking.


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## Salt (Apr 5, 2005)

Well, ADA seems to indicate that it slowly breaks apart and hardens after a year. You're supposed to dose "Step 3" after a year; it contains something that is supposed to improve the Aqua Soil after it gets hard and stiff.


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## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

whats that step 3?


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Salt is refering to the ADA Green Brighty Step3


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## jsenske2 (Oct 5, 2006)

I have a lovely tank that is over the 2 year mark now and I have never used STEP 3 in it and the substrate is in excellent condition and many root based plants are absolutely thriving. I will in fact be doing a photo shoot of this tank for my presentation at the upcoming AGA Convention. I posted pics of it here already a few months back so you will be able to really see the time passge. 

It is utter rubbish and a myth that ADA substrate either hardens excessively or turns to mush after a year. It simply does not.


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

Step 3 is Step2 with added K.


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

jsenske2 said:


> It is utter rubbish and a myth that ADA substrate either hardens excessively or turns to mush after a year. It simply does not.


Agreed.


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## Salt (Apr 5, 2005)

I was referring to the ADA literature itself.



> In the Nature Aquarium, the condition of aquatic plants and their surrounding environment (such as water quality and substrate condition) change over time. *An aquarium older than one year often has a hardened substrate* which prevents development of roots and eventually impedes the growth of aquatic plants in general. Green Brighty STEP 3, formulated with Iron and Potassium, helps photosynthesis and *improves the conditions of the aquatic plants which are often obstructed by an hardened substrate.*


I understand that ADA Aqua Soil has strong negative physio-electric charges that pull in positive ions. The Aquasoil and the "Green Brighty" series are designed to be used together. So when this literature talks about "hardened substrate," I assume they are talking about Aqua Soil.

This literature also seems to indicate that Green Brighty Step 3 is more than just Step 2 with extra potassium. It also has extra iron. Unless extra iron and potassium are supposed to improve hardened substrate, then I would also have to assume there is something else in it that helps remedy hardened substrate.

One of the reasons I didn't initially choose Aqua Soil was that I didn't want substrate that would break down and harden over the course of a year. I didn't get this info from message boards, but from *the ADA published product literature*. If it is untrue that Aqua Soil hardens after a year, then ADA should remove these statements from their literature.


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## bijoon (Nov 20, 2006)

How does aqua soil compare to amazonia in the length of use?


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## Wood (Jul 27, 2006)

bijoon said:


> How does aqua soil compare to amazonia in the length of use?


Amazonia IS Aquasoil.

There are three types of ADA Aquasoil:
Amazonia
Malaya
Afrikana

Depends on your color preference...

-Ryan


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