# Aquasoil buffers with RO water?



## DaveFish (Jul 19, 2011)

I am setting up a new tank. Eco-complete as the base layer and top layer is going to be Aquasoil. I have to use RO water because my tap water is way way to hard and well buffered to use in planted tanks. TRUST me. So I heard that aquasoil will buffer at 20-30 mg/l of KH is this true? And if I am dumping tons of Co2 into the tank do I need to dose Aquavitro Potassium bicarbonate to keep the buffer constant? That is what I am doing right now with my other tank. I have eco-complete and dosing the Aquavitro line using 100% RO. Should I just treat it like my current tank and forget about the fact that I have Aquasoil? Should I dose less liquid ferts considering its high mineral content?


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

If you are using the new kind of Amazonia you are up for a big surprise. This thing lowers the pH way down. With RO added to that tank it is bound to see its Maker in a jiffy.

BUT! You are capping EcoComplete with the Aquasoil. EcoComplete buffers the pH at around 7.2 if I remember well. And it buffers the KH too. It is a pointless miracle of substrate indeed.

So between the new Aquasoil, RO, and EcoComplete you have a hell of a mix. I am not exactly sure why you would "forget about the Aquasoil" when this is the only part of your system that is of some real value to the plants. You should center your tank maintenance around it. Meaning keeping in mind how it affects the pH and that it was designed to feed the plants and allow you to keep the water void of nutrients.


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## DaveFish (Jul 19, 2011)

Well I can't find any info on the eco complete planted mix. On Dr. Foster and Smith website it says it contains no Nitrates and no carbonates and will not raise pH. Not a big deal, I can use Potassium bicarbonate to buffer my water. I guess I shouldn't forget about the fact that I am using Aquasoil and realize that I will not need to dose any liquid ferts. I am really trying to get away from all liquid dosing. I am also putting Osmocote Plus pellets into the substrate, those are slow release containing NPK and 9 micronutrients. At 78-80 degree water they last 4-5 months. That is in place of the expensive ADA multi bottom pellets. Eco complete is being used in place of the expensive ADA powersand. Basically does the same thing and probably works even better, more micronutrients. And instead of using expensive ADA "special" activated carbon Clear Super. I am going to use standard activated carbon that I am going to crush and put in the bottom of the substrate to trap nutrients and keep them from rising into the water column. A lot of people don't realize that if they bought Clear Super or put carbon in the substrate the initial "Ammonia" spike they get wouldn't be as severe. AND they are only getting that because their water is higher than 7 pH. At lower pH it is in the ionic form Ammonium that will not harm fish. So I will be starting out acidic and controlling the parameters from the beginning if in fact eco complete isn't going to buffer my water. It says it contains no carbonates. Maybe buffered by alkaline cations, but I have to have carbonate buffering with the use of pressurized Co2. By the way this is Daveguitarfish from YouTube.


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