# Slowly switching over to ADA Aquasoil without removing fish?



## oblongshrimp (Aug 8, 2006)

So I know ADA has a problem with leeching ammonia into the water. I was wondering if it would be possible for me to slowly switch over my substrate in my 120 and keep the fish in there. Like put in 1-2 bags of ADA now and then in another week or two add another 1-2. If I have a high plant load and mature filter would I be able to keep the ammonia low enough to not harm my fish?


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

oblongshrimp said:


> *So I know ADA has a problem with leeching ammonia into the water.* I was wondering if it would be possible for me to slowly switch over my substrate in my 120 and keep the fish in there. Like put in 1-2 bags of ADA now and then in another week or two add another 1-2. If I have a high plant load and mature filter would I be able to keep the ammonia low enough to not harm my fish?


Why it do that? As far as I know ADA does not do that. I would take out all the tank water and have a bucket of tank water ready for the fish, scoop them out put them in the bucket and change it. Then fill the tank up with half tank water and half new water, then slowly acclimate the fish back in. I've done it before in a 5g and 10g tank.


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## sean369 (Dec 29, 2006)

where do you get aqua soil and how much does it cost??


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

www.adg.com
www.aquaforestaquarium.com


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## southernflounder (Nov 5, 2006)

From my experience I do see that using powersand special and 4 bags 9L bags of Aquasoil does increase ammonia. This is in an existing tank w/ an already cycled filter. The ammo. is quite toxic, reaching up to 4ppm. It took 2 weeks b/f the ammonia will go down to .5ppm.

Adding AS a little at a time may be better than what I did when I added all the AS at once. With the smaller amt of AS your filter may be able to handle the ammo. 

How many bags of AS do you intend to use?


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## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

What if you only were to add 2 - 9 liter bags of Aquasoil without the Powersand, would this be harmful to the fish? I am going to do something very similar, only I plan of removing the fish and placing them in a bucket with an airstone, taking out the Flourite that's already in my tank, adding the Aquasoil along with as much mulm as I can collect and then fill the tank back up half way with water that I took out of the tank with the mulm, then add the plants, new fresh water and then finally the fish. I'm hoping that they'll be okay.


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

Ada does not add ammonia, the only reason there is ammonia in the water after the removal of the old substrate is because the good bacteria that was living in the old substrate was taken out and replace with new no bacteria substrate, that's why there was ammonia. The spike should not be too huge to affect fish, but if you have some shrimps expect a few deaths if you don't have a tank to put them in for a week. The beneficial bacteria in the filter is still there and in the water you pour back in.


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## oblongshrimp (Aug 8, 2006)

That is not true turtlehead. I have been soaking my ADA aquasoil in a plastic trashbin i use to collect RO water and doing a 100% waterchange every day and still have detectible levels of ammonia. There is no fish and no other source of ammonia other then the aquasoil. I have also added it to a 20gal with no livestock and even with a filter and plants I still had detectible levels of ammonia in the water for a few weeks.


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## southernflounder (Nov 5, 2006)

oblongshrimp said:


> That is not true turtlehead. I have been soaking my ADA aquasoil in a plastic trashbin i use to collect RO water and doing a 100% waterchange every day and still have detectible levels of ammonia. There is no fish and no other source of ammonia other then the aquasoil. I have also added it to a 20gal with no livestock and even with a filter and plants I still had detectible levels of ammonia in the water for a few weeks.


Thank You!!! I was going to say the exact same thing.


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

i just switch to ada aquasoil and powersand and have over 5ppm of ammonia.


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## southernflounder (Nov 5, 2006)

eklikewhoa said:


> i just switch to ada aquasoil and powersand and have over 5ppm of ammonia.


Any fish in now?

I saw your other thread on the other forum about dumping the eco complete. Why did you change?


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

no fish, the ammonia is still high after a water change but my benificial bacteria is slowly taking control. 

i switch from eco cause it was starting to get ugly looking from the big pieces staying at the top. also i noticed my plants went from nice lush and green growth when I was using the inert sand to leggy, ugly growth with the eco. 

just didnt look like it worked to me so i replaced it with ADA while i upgraded the tank.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

*Ammonia not toxic with lower pH*

This thread might be of interest. It gives a explanation why even though ammonia might be present, it may not be toxic due to a lower pH.

Anyways, I would put the fish and plants in a bucket. And then redo the tank. Do small 15-20% daily water changes for about a week or two to prevent any potential harm from the leeching ammonia and other nutrients from Aquasoil.

-John N.


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