# Aqua Soil Newbie



## taz81 (Jul 13, 2009)

l purchased Aqua Soil with some Power Sand Special! Woo hoo...now I need to know what the heck to do. I took a page from Tex Gal and purchased a large tub to hold my fish while the ammonia levels are skyrocketing due to the Aqua Soil.

So first I drain my water into the tub and my spare mini tank. Put the betta in the small one and my other fish (3x boesemani rainbows, 3x honey gourami, and 4x oto) into the tub. Put my HOB filter, and heater into the tub.

Remove the wood/stone and plants. Remove the gravel (current substrate).

As I understand things i should then put down the sand, then lay the soil on top of that. Then put the plants/woot/stone in, then fresh water.

Assuming that is correct, i think i will alternate placement of my HOB filter on the tub and aquarium. Will this put too much stress on the fish?

Do 50% change every day until ammonia and nitrites go down. 0.5 ppm each max?

Any suggestions/changes/etc?

Nick


----------



## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

> As I understand things i should then put down the sand, then lay the soil on top of that.


It seems like you'd want the soil on the bottom and then cap off with the sand. That said, I have to admit that I don't know what Aqua Soil or Power Sand is, plus I do NPT no-tech, so you may very well have the order correct. But which ever product has the high organics (Miracle-Grow Organic Choice in my case) is the base substrate and then it's capped off to keep it in place (by playground sand/gravel mix in my case).


----------



## taz81 (Jul 13, 2009)

Well i finally got the stuff and there is actually instructions inside the package that list substrate on bottom, then additives (Bacter 100, etc.), then AS. hehe


----------



## Consigliere (Mar 22, 2009)

You can put the sand on top, but it will end up on the bottom eventually....guaranteed! Can't get around that whole gravity/particle size thing.


----------



## taz81 (Jul 13, 2009)

Well the sand really isn't sand....its larger than the aqua soil :\


----------



## mrakhnyansky (Nov 25, 2007)

Power sand(it is not regular sand, it's lava rock with peat moss and fertz) goes on the bottom, it is full of organics and fertilizers, aquasoil going on the top.Last year I've changed my gravel to aquasoil. Ammonia will be very high for about 1 month, so your fish gonna have to suffer in the tab. Be very careful when you put filter full of ammonia back to fish again, you may poison your fish. You need a lots of fast growing plants on aquasoil, they will help with ammonia and also with tank cycle. 1ST week no co2, no fertz, and light not more then 6 hrs a day, also no heater for 1st week and 50% water changes every day.Second week: CO2+ potassium supplement,water changes 50% every other day, heater 25C. Water temp should not be more then 23 C (70 F) for the 1st week.Do not forget air stone running 24 hrs for the first week, and only at night from week 2 until week 4.With aquasoil you have to be patient, but after you'll be rewarded with beautiful plants. Good luck!


----------



## taz81 (Jul 13, 2009)

Why such low temps?


----------



## mrakhnyansky (Nov 25, 2007)

That is Dear Mr. Amano recomendations, and he does not like to explain why.I think it has something to do with bacteria, ether not too much growth or too little.


----------



## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

mrakhnyansky said:


> That is Dear Mr. Amano recomendations, and he does not like to explain why.I think it has something to do with bacteria, ether not too much growth or too little.


That is the regular temp. you should have unless you are keeping discus. or other high temp. fish. Plus that temp. it is perfect for the plants. He did talk about it in one of his Japanese AquaJournal, highest the temp the get "older" sooner.

T


----------



## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

taz81 said:


> Well the sand really isn't sand....its larger than the aqua soil :\


Sounds like you got the "Amazonia I" which it have lots problem for people for are new to the product but to some pros they love it cause it is very rich and powerful. "Amazonia II" are 50% less in all elements which it is much easier to handle but to me I do not like it cause I am so use to the Amazonia powerful effect.

Power Sand - just the name but it is a very high in nutrients and minerials, if you do the sand on top you are in big trouble, it is like you just leave teh root tab out in the open water. Power Sand also prolong your substrate life as the Aqua Soild would sack and flaten out which would decrease the water circulation... it would prevent your substrate gone bad.


----------



## taz81 (Jul 13, 2009)

I have both Amazonia I and II in the tank, due to an error on the part of ADG. 

I know 75F, at which I keep my tank, is within the recommended range for all my fish. I believe there was some reason I kept it higher than 70, it may be that one of my fish (or fish I used to have in the tank) liked it higher than 70, but i'm not sure atm.


----------

