# Eco & Aqua soil



## StaffyBull (Feb 3, 2007)

I'm looking to have around a 20 gallon system. I was thinking of just going with Eco. But thought two 20lbs bags of that might be a bit to much. So I was wondering if I should use the Eco then use two 3 liter bags of the Auqua soil. Or a posible bag of the ADA power sand.

Any down fall to that?

Or suggestions on that?

Or any thoughts of another way to go?

How many places sell the ADA products?

Thank you.


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

ADG in the sponsors section offers ADA. 

Might be a personal preference thing but I wouldn't mix eco and as. Also I used two bags in a 20g and it was about perfect but I won't be ever using eco again after AS.


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## StaffyBull (Feb 3, 2007)

eklikewhoa said:


> ADG in the sponsors section offers ADA.
> 
> Might be a personal preference thing but I wouldn't mix eco and as. Also I used two bags in a 20g and it was about perfect but I won't be ever using eco again after AS.


Hmm good deal.

Guess all have to decide on which rout to go now.

What does the power sand offer? Have you used the power sand at all. Cause on the web site it says one 9 liter bag and one 3 liter bag is best for a 20gal. So the question is can you mix the AS and the power sand? Or just go all AS?


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

The Power Sand is a layer under the Aquasoil. You'll pour in the whole bag of PS first, and kinda scrape it away from the glass so that there is a 1/2" wide gap between the glass and the layer of PS. This is just for looks so that you don't see the layer of PS. 

Use a cup to pour in the Aquasoil starting at the gap you created around the tank. Then just layer in the rest of the AS so that it slopes up toward the back. Hope that helps!


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

I use the powersand in my 30g, not sure if it works but it's in there.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

eklikewhoa said:


> ADG in the sponsors section offers ADA.
> 
> Might be a personal preference thing but I wouldn't mix eco and as. Also I used two bags in a 20g and it was about perfect but I won't be ever using eco again after AS.


Could I ask why you won't be using eco anymore? I have been thinking of setting up a completely ADA-based tank, but I'm wondering what I'll get out of it for the add'l money. So far I've only used eco and EI in my high-tech tanks and have always been happy with the results, but there's always room to be happier!


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

houseofcards said:


> Could I ask why you won't be using eco anymore? I have been thinking of setting up a completely ADA-based tank, but I'm wondering what I'll get out of it for the add'l money. So far I've only used eco and EI in my high-tech tanks and have always been happy with the results, but there's always room to be happier!


I'd like to second this request.

Im setting up a 75G this summer and was considering using an ADA substrate this time around instead of eco.


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

here is why.... keep in mind that nothing changed in this tank other than the eco.

Tank before the eco....super high light...96w over a 20g/ferts and co2 to match....INERT tahittian moon sand









after








downoi looking like crap instead of carrot heads in the ground like before









The HM,Downoi,stems all got really leggy and not as vibrant as it was before. The elatine triandra turned to mush and I got a mean GSA attack. the tank stayed that way for a few months while I tried to change the fert method but nothing helped. With the TMS the HM was growing like foreground and even when I didn't trim it and let it pile itself up it still had amazing greens to it but with eco it grew like a background stem plant starved of light.

You can also see the difference in the Rotala Rotundifolia too. also you will not see the downoi in the first picture cause it is super low to the ground and the HM is surrounding it it's growing so low.

I had 96w over a 20g.....4.8wpg..coralife fixture 8hrs photoperiod, seachem and gregwatson EI for x1.5, enough co2 to the point were I had barely any fish in it and as much attention as I could give it but nothing worked. I had zero change other than the eco complete and most water params stayed the same with slight drop but barely.

Here is a month in with ADA and most of what survived the eco is in this tank now also this is a 30g and using much more light 2x96w......










I went with Eco cause it was cheap and I though that my plants could only look better with some nutrient rich substrate over the inert sand but that was a mistake. When I finally gave up on the eco I went with the more expensive ADA stuff cause it's used by almost everyone that is someone and it wouldn't have gotten that way if it sucked so at $10 more than what I paid for the eco(which I got for $16 bag homie hook up) I am completely satisfied and am back to my initial self(not scared to try and grow anything like I was with the sand)!!!


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

So do you attribute this to a corrupted bag of eco? I mean people are successful growing plants with inert, eco and ADA. I'm not sure how the eco would actually hurt your plants unless corrupted. The ADA substrate tank is beautiful. Are you still dosing EI in that one or are you only dosing macros via ADA and is that 100% aquasoil or aquasoil/powersand?


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

Not sure if the bag was corrupted of if it was less nutrient packed then I though it would be. Forgot to add the sand had flourish root tabs in them so who knows? 

Maybe the plants got a lot of nutrients from the tabs along with column ferts but with the eco it lacked so they stretched to get more nutrients from the water column?

The ADA substrate tank gets about the same EI as the 20g did double the rec dosage. I have in that tank 1x9L powersand special S, tourmalineBC and then 3x9L aquasoil


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