# ADA Aqua Soil vs Eco Complete



## whitetiger61 (Aug 12, 2006)

I was wondering if anyone has done any tests or experiments on both of these substrates..I have both and i just dont seem to be getting the growth i am hearing about with the aqua soil...am i doing something wrong..i just started fertilizing the tank as it has been up and running now for a month with just plants in there..and was told not to fertilized for a month..ammonia is finally down to 0 in the tank..this is a 3 gal nano tank that im trying to aquascape..would it being so small have anything to do with it.

here are the parameters
3 gal nano tank
ammonia= 0
nitrites= 0
nitrates = 10
ph= 6.5

running CO2 at 2 bubbles per second
tank has 27 watts of light for 8 hours a day

plants
dwarf hair grass
blyixa japanica
glosso
riccia

inhabitants
2 dwarf puffers

thanks for your input in advance


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## stepheus (Jun 13, 2006)

When I first had AS myself, I faced the same problems with my plants. They just did not seem to be growing very well at all. Some plants even die off. I was so tempted to start a thread on that matter, but I thought I should give it sometime and waited.

About 1~2 month later, not only did my plants start to grow, they grew in a rate that I have never seen before; as compared with other substrates. Well that’s my experience.

My guess for what happened in the first month was, too much NPK and other micro fert were in the AQ. Common with AQ Amazonia as it is labeled as the most fertile amongst the line of substrates. The same effect happens when you over fertilize land plants at the roots – they just wither away or grow stunted because they die off starting form the roots. Well, that’s my guess, any other thoughts?

Till the soil was ready for any other plants, I grew fast growing and hardy plants like hygrophila difformis and such. I wished ADA would warn us of such things though. I lost quite a number of plants through the ordeal. Lucky they weren’t irreplaceable ones.


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## @[email protected] (Jul 10, 2006)

Give it more time. Your plants are still adapting to their new home. Things will settle down eventually. Unless there is something mysterious going on, AS should give you excellent growth!


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## SnyperP (Dec 10, 2004)

Everything sounds good so far. This really should belong in the substrate forum though. =p


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## whitetiger61 (Aug 12, 2006)

sorry im new to this..wasn't sure where to put it


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## Rolo (May 12, 2004)

Did you use powersand or bacter 100? In my experience there is a correlation between the presence of bacteria in a newly setup aquarium and how long it is until the plants start their normal growth.


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## whitetiger61 (Aug 12, 2006)

i was told in a tank this small power sand wasnt needed..i did use bio spiria to help cycle


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

Ok here's from my experience, unbiased cause I have used both.

Eco Complete:
It's dark brown - black in color.
It raises the hardness of the water.
The sand portion makes it easier to hold plants down when planted with tank will with water.
Comes with liquid and does not need to be washed.

ADA:
Supposed to be used with PS and other additives, to create the "best" environment for plants to grow in, BUT does not need the others. Plants like HC and riccia grow with only AS very good too.
A noticable difference between the growth rate of the same plants in EC and AS by itself. AS was faster
AS lowers pH, may cause some plants to die off intially, but will grow back in full force a week-few weeks later.
ADA is designed to be used as a whole system for optimal performance, but many have been using greg watson ferts and AS can be used by itself.

All in all, according to my experience, I had better growth with AS than EC. Now there will be people that disagree with me, but I am not here to start an arguement, and there will be people that will add on to what I have to say.


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