# Need info about ADA substrates



## haname (Jul 5, 2003)

Does anyone know of any technical data available on the web about these substrates?

I have been interested in planted tanks for a few years now but haven't done more than put a few easy care plants in my tanks. They do well enough for the most part, but I've been wanting to upgrade for a long time now. The main reason I haven't is my water. Out of the tap we get:

GH 16 degrees
KH 11 degrees
pH 8

I don't want to buy RO water or an RO system. This is the water system we use: H2O Concepts - Combo Unit H2O Concepts- How it Works

We recently switched to this from a salt softened system. The values above might come down some over time as the fines in the new filter are flushed out, but the water is still going to be much too hard and alkaline for a really nice planted tank.

I read that the ADA Aquasoil products soften and acidify the water.

1. How does the product soften and acidify the water? Where does the hardness and alkalinity 'go?'

2. How much would Aquasoil soften my water?

3. Does it maintain this effect indefinitely, or does it 'exhaust' it's ability to soften water over time?

4. Would it be safe to do 25% - 50% weekly water changes using my water in an Aquasoil tank?

If anybody knows the answers to these questions or where I can find the answers on the web, I'd appreciate it. I did send an email to ADA but was hoping that there was some technical info on the web, or people with experience using this product with hard water.

Thanks!


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Unfortunately every system is different, so it's hard to give an exact estimate of how much aquasoil will affect your pH and KH. But expect it to decrease it by 1 pH and 4-5 KH degrees on average. Eventually over a few months (6+), the effect decreases and and your water parameters will climb steadily. Waterchanges will increase the speed of which the aquasoil affects your water parameters, but it's okay to do 50% weekly waterchanges.

Some of the technical information of what's known and speculated is discussed in this thread. http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...t-perspective-we-need.html?highlight=aquasoil

-John N.


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