# ada amazonia question



## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

I am planning on using ada amazonia as substrate. Do you see any harm in using non nutrient having aquarium gravel as filler under it in the back? I am planning to use maybe 3 bags of amazonia for my 55g already and if I can't get the height i'm wanting can i use some gravel in spots to add height as it is much cheaper? Side note: what do you guys use as a barrier between your hardscape (stones) and your tanks to prevent scraping/ breaking of the tank? Thanks in advance for any and all input!


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## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

Anyone?

In 1930, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, in an effort to alleviate the effects of the... Anyone? Anyone?... the Great Depression, passed the... Anyone? Anyone? The tariff bill? The Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act? Which, anyone? Raised or lowered?... raised tariffs, in an effort to collect more revenue for the federal government. Did it work? Anyone? Anyone know the effects? It did not work, and the United States sank deeper into the Great Depression. Today we have a similar debate over this. Anyone know what this is? Class? Anyone? Anyone? Anyone seen this before? The Laffer Curve. Anyone know what this says? It says that at this point on the revenue curve, you will get exactly the same amount of revenue as at this point. This is very controversial. Does anyone know what Vice President Bush called this in 1980? Anyone? Something-d-o-o economics. "Voodoo" economics. 

Anyone?

ound:

Seriously though anyone?


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Travis.808 said:


> I am planning on using ada amazonia as substrate. Do you see any harm in using non nutrient having aquarium gravel as filler under it in the back? I am planning to use maybe 3 bags of amazonia for my 55g already and if I can't get the height i'm wanting can i use some gravel in spots to add height as it is much cheaper? Side note: what do you guys use as a barrier between your hardscape (stones) and your tanks to prevent scraping/ breaking of the tank? Thanks in advance for any and all input!


No problem. You can mix-and-match, especially when you don't have enough Amazonia. Some people use rocks while others use other media to build height. Use what you have readily available in your area and experiment, then go from there. There is really no wrong or right way to do things. Whatever works for you.

As for the barrier, alot(if not all) of us don't let the rocks directly contact the glass. We would always pour in substrates first then add the rocks.

Hope this helps somewhat ​


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## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

Thanks Paul, so no fertilizing properties will be lost? If so that's good to hear.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Travis, anywhere that you have just the gravel and not the AquaSoil it will not have the same nutrient level. I don't know what your mix will be but just know that if it's a 50/50 mix you cut the nutrients back to 50%. In one of my tanks I have a mix of florite and AquSoil. The plants do fine but I dose ferts.

Some that use AquaSoil don't fertilize at all except for maybe a little potassium for the first year. You won't be able to do that if you have high light and fast growing stems. It's all about what plants you want to grow, how much you want to dose ferts, how much light you have, etc.


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## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

add some lava rocks in the first layer with some flourish tabs. thats what power sand is, lava rocks with nutrients.


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Travis, basically what you want to do is look at how your plants grow and add fertilizers accordingly. So there is no set rule on how much you dose because everyone's tank is different; literally worlds apart. 


While Amazonia has nutrients, they will gradually be depleted as plants use them up. You will most likely notice this if you do not dose any ferts and wait after few months, the plants' growth rate will change. So usually some people dose right away, but perhaps in smaller amount to compensate for the already-present nutrients in Aquasoil then later gradually increase the amount as time goes by. 

The point to take away is this: Look at how your plants grow and go from there. 

Good luck and do post some pix if you get the chance


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## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

I want to say thanks for the help to start with and also for bearing with a planted tank noob. Everyone on this forum has been extremely helpful through my many questions. Truly a great forum to belong to.



Tex Gal said:


> Travis, anywhere that you have just the gravel and not the AquaSoil it will not have the same nutrient level.
> 
> Some that use AquaSoil don't fertilize at all except for maybe a little potassium for the first year. You won't be able to do that if you have high light and fast growing stems.


Tex Gal I won't be mixing unless you think that's better I was planning on doing aquasoil of 1 1/2"-2" surrounding and covering small piles of maybe 1"-1 1/2" gravel from a previous non planted tank to create hills. Just want to use as "filler" unless it would be detrimental to not mix and to have non fertilized at the bottom. Sorry if this is a really obvious question for others have never planted anything underwater or otherwise. I just want to have a successful tank to start with and not have to burn my first try. The tank will be set in my living room and want to keep it looking nice.

tex627 and everyone else I will be using Brighty K and green brighty step 1 will this be sufficient in my setup? Oh also, the plants I will be using is mainly Dwarf HG and Blyxa japonica not sure if I'll be using anything else to start with maybe some moss Christmas or other later once tank is growing. I like the minimalist approach iwagumi style. Not sure if it will adhere to all of the iwagumi principles though. They seem pretty strict. I just want it to look nice.



Paul Higashikawa said:


> Good luck and do post some pix if you get the chance


Hopefully this coming weekend I'll have the time to put my aquarium stand together. After which set up should come shortly thereafter with pics. It's been a slow going process of research and am finally starting to get all of the products purchased/ shipped this week. Thanks again! sorry if this was quite a mouthful. :blah:


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## tex627 (Nov 2, 2008)

why waste money on brighty K when you can just dose potassium nitrate? and for micros you could always just use seachem flourish or the new ADA do! aqua product "be green".

heres what i do

1-2months
do! aqua "be green" 3-4 days/week

3rd month and on
along with "be green" i also dose iron and potassium nitrate when i change water


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## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

I'll check it out didn't see that at my lfs. Shipping on any orders to HI is reeediculous so if they don't have any here it might be better not to get any. I looked at ordering other ferts and shipping was as much or more than the product.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

tex627 said:


> why waste money on brighty K when you can just dose potassium nitrate?


There's actually a big reason why you should use Brighty K over potassium nitrate when you use Aquasoil. Brighty K is potassium bi-carbonate, and helps to conteract the kH lowering effect of Aquasoil.

John


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## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

Thanks Ajax that's good to know. What about green brighty step 1? Should I still be using this or is it unnecessary?


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Well, my personal philosophy is that Mr. Amano created the substrates & fertilizers to work together as a system, so why try to change it? I have tried to find different products and ways around it, but in the end I've just stuck to what he does and recommends....and it works pretty well. So, yes I'd stay start with the Step 1 for the first 2 months then switch to Step 2. Also take into account how the plants look. By the end of the 2nd month I'm usually at double the dose of Step 1. If you have any more questions LMK.

John


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## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

Cool, thanks again!


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## prBrianpr (Nov 18, 2007)

I think that is if you use ro water, because if you have water with high kH you not need the brigty K, you see, Amano uses RO water only


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## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

Good to know. I'm not too sure what our water's like here in HI have to look into what testing Equipment is ABSOLUTELY necessary as I'm reaching the budget cap on this project.


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