# Problem using ADA soil



## slickrb

I have just set up my first planted tank using the ADA Aqua soil. It is a ten gallon tank and I planted it with the soil just wet and then added water slowly. 

The problem is that it’s been a week now and the water is still very cloudy. The aqua soil has a very fine powder which is suspended in the water and forms a film on the surface. I think the problem is being caused by my filter. I have a HOB filter. The filter doesn’t seem to filter out the powder and the overflow back into the tank seems to be stirring it up.

Has anyone had this problem with ADA? Is there anything I can do? Should I get a different filter? 

The tank looks pretty bad and I think a lot of the light is getting blocked by having so much powder in the water column.


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## Gomer

if you got surface scum, drop a couple paper towls over the surfaace and remove them. Surface scum clings and you can easily remove it.

After that, do a 50% water change or so.


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## plantbrain

edit


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## jsenske

Something is weird about that and I don't think it is the substrate alone responsible. Did you use straight Powder-type AS, or normal type? There's no "powder" in the nornal type AS. Did you order this from me? I have so many tanks with AS now and not one cloudy ever. I'd follow Gomer's advice and pull a good sized water change.

What is an HOB filter??


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## Gomer

THis is as cloudy as my tank got after filling it
http://webfiles.uci.edu/algomez/40gjournal/040105 day1.jpg
Aquasoil and powersand

It was CRYSTAL CLEAR the next day.


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## AaronT

HOB = hang on back.

Did you add fish right away? I always get a green water outbreak whenever I add fish right away in an AS tank.


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## Emc2

LOL. Jeff, you can tell your living the good life and never need to touch an HOB filter (hang on the back filter).

I'm having a similar problem with surface scum. My tank hasn't cleared up yet. In my case though the cloudiness (not the surface scum) is a bacteria bloom. I don't know what is causing the surface scum but it's consistent and thick no matter how many WC I perform.


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## slickrb

Well the problem seems to have gone away on its own. I still have some surface scum, but the water is clear. I am using the regular ADA soil not the powder kind.

Thanks for the helpful suggestions.


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## [email protected]

Surface film has nothing to do with Aqua Soil -- rest assured. I have had certain tanks have a serious surface film problem with all types of substrates. Now I use Lily Pipes and raise them at night and there is certainly no chance for surface film then.


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## mazakman

I just got a 90 P cube garden and about 200 bucks worth of Aqua soil. The person at the store told me to do a 50% water change 3 to 4 times a week for the first month. This helps the cloudy condition.


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## plantbrain

edit


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## jsenske

YIKES!! 50% 3-4 times per week for a month for "cloudiness"??? There is something other than Aqua Soil causing that. My tanks are not the least bit cloudy and I only change water once per week frm set-up till tear down. Maybe the first week or two I'll do an extra change at 5 days or so. I also use the Green Bacter for the first week and that does a number on bacteria-oriented cloudiness, maybe there's something to that. Weird. You shouldn't have to do all that water changing. Did you use Power sand?


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## alphacat

*Aquasoil Cloudy Tank Blues*

I set up my 5 gallon cube at about 6:00 last night, and the water looks like Los Angeles air - murky and gray. I can see my poor Java Ferns in back, so I guess it's clearing up somewhat, but in the meantime I'm leaving the filter off (I'm pretty certain it was recirculating the cloud-causing muck).

50% water changes that often? :-s Jeez... I'm gonna burn through my Prime water conditioner in no time!


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## Gomer

milky white cloudiness is a bacterial bloom. That is supposed to happen. massive waterchanges to get rid of it, only prolongs the cloudiness.

Again, when you first fill the tank, AS will cloud the water a bit, but with decent filtration/circulation, that will go away in a day or 2.
Just check out the demo tank from AGA 2004 that Amano himself planted AND filled with water. 
http://www.gpodio.com/posts/aga04_13.jpg


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## alphacat

This isn't a milky whiteness: this is cloudy gray crud, like stirred-up sediment.

Tony, you recommend running the filter, eh?


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## [email protected]

Did you layout the tank with water in it? More than just the substrate wetted? If so, then of course it's going to be a little cloudy for a bit. 
I can't stress the benefits of dry-scaping enough. Once you try it, you'll never go back.


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## alphacat

An 80% water chance + running the filter overnight = cloudiness has mostly settled, thankfully. And seeing as this was my first attempt at such a tank setup I'm pretty happy despite the fact that my water addition method basically erased the 'scape... but I've learned many lessons. Next time will be easier for sure! And hey, now I get to re-scape the whole thing.


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## Nick

I dryscaped a tank with Aquasoil Malaya and Powersand Special, plus Tourmaline BC. Filled slowly after with a hose going into a bowl on the front section (using ADA Nile sand-very nice if you haven't used it). I basically had zero clouding once it was filled. Had my big Eheim on the tank straight off. No problems with clouding, white bacterial blooms or whatever..

Nick


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## jsenske

Right on, Nick.


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## Ludwigia Repens

slickrb said:


> I have just set up my first planted tank using the ADA Aqua soil. It is a ten gallon tank and I planted it with the soil just wet and then added water slowly.
> 
> The problem is that it's been a week now and the water is still very cloudy. The aqua soil has a very fine powder which is suspended in the water and forms a film on the surface. I think the problem is being caused by my filter. I have a HOB filter. The filter doesn't seem to filter out the powder and the overflow back into the tank seems to be stirring it up.
> 
> Has anyone had this problem with ADA? Is there anything I can do? Should I get a different filter?
> 
> The tank looks pretty bad and I think a lot of the light is getting blocked by having so much powder in the water column.


I am going to begin using Aquasoil Amazonia with Powersand Special on my new 55 gallon soon. According to the instruction I've received from the experienced shopkeeper, who use ADA products on all their tanks, 50% water changes 2-3 times per week for the first two week of set up.


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## Nick

Just so you know-this is a close-up shot of the tank literally right after I filled it. 

You can still see the pot I used to deflect the water when I filled it in. No cloudiness, nothing. If people have problems with clouding when they fill the tank, then it is something other than Aquasoil.

Nick


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## Jimbo205

Why would you do so many water changes? 
If there is something going on with the water, 
isn't that when floating plants are added to suck up exess nutrients? (Temporarily)


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## nasfish

Hi,

Just to share, this is the picture during my initial setup, filled it in.








And some floating AS and debris








After, no cloudiness either









Excuse for my aquascape, 

About the many water changes, maybe you want to look at this link : http://www.adaeuro.com/gestioneacquari_eng.asp
IMHO, it just to get you water stabilized. For me, I do it just to remove floating debris.

Regards


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