Eco-Complete or ADA Aquasoil?

Well it depends on how much your willing to spend but I would say for results ADA is 100x better. Plants just grow better in soil lol. Also the powder is for putting on TOP of the normal ADA, not really a substrate of its own, although it can be used that way. Power sand Is basically a volcanic sand with a lot of surface area for bacteria to grow and thrive. If you can get ahold of some at a hardware store or somesuch its a LOT cheaper. Anyway just my 2 cents. And Ive used them both multipul times.

+1. Order both regular and powder for that tank size. Throw throw powder on top.

The extra money for ADA Aquasoil Amazonia is well worth it. I have a 90g as well and it was expensive to go with the aquasoil, but having used flourite and turface before, i can confidently say that i will never go back to either of those. Aquasoil is arguably one of the best substrate products out there.

It's "magical" dirt. roud:

How is its ease of use? How deep of a substrate do you usually go with? 3"?

I have used Flourite (meh), Flourite Black Sand (actually dislike it more than fluorite), and Eco-Complete (like it the best thus far)

I'm tired of Eco complete its so hard to get plant to stay in it while they are starting to root i bought 20lbs of it to try out and 20lbs of Carib-sea flora max which is the same stuff. I like the look but they are just too light

Gafi said:

How is its ease of use? How deep of a substrate do you usually go with? 3"?

I have used Flourite (meh), Flourite Black Sand (actually dislike it more than fluorite), and Eco-Complete (like it the best thus far)

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I think 2" is plenty. 3 gets to be a lot and it costs a ton.

kribkeeper888 said:

I think 2" is plenty. 3 gets to be a lot and it costs a ton.

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So would you say like 2" of the actual aquasoil? Like do you put the power sand down first? then 2" of aquasoil, then 0.5 inch of aquasoil powder?

Gafi said:

So would you say like 2" of the actual aquasoil? Like do you put the power sand down first? then 2" of aquasoil, then 0.5 inch of aquasoil powder?

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Yeah I put about 1/3" power sand and then 1 3/4" aqua soil and then however much powder on top. There is no exact measurement for this, its mostly personal preference. What kind of plants are you going to have?

kribkeeper888 said:

Yeah I put about 1/3" power sand and then 1 3/4" aqua soil and then however much powder on top. There is no exact measurement for this, its mostly personal preference. What kind of plants are you going to have?

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Well, to initally get the tank up and running it will be primarily Stems, with eventually incorporating 2 pieces of large driftwood with moss and ferns around that....then most likely going for a dutch setup with some stems, crypts, some other fore/midground plants (havent entirely decided yet)....maybe som HC or gloss or some other carpeting plant. We have a local store getting a massive shipment of Tropica plants, so I am going through their website atm.....if you have any suggestions, I surely welcome them!

I'd just go pureky for the normal ada Amazonia new and not even bother with any power sand etc. those plants will flourish in the normal stuff perfectly. There's much more nutrients in the Ada than any Eco complete etc anyway.


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Ada soil grows anything with ease. All 3 of my tanks run ada soil everything grows great.

chou said:

Ada soil grows anything with ease. All 3 of my tanks run ada soil everything grows great.

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are you using just the strict aqua soil...or you using power sand and the powder type as well.....my concern with not using the powder as a top layer is will the fine stems, like HC actually root and stay in the normal type of aquasoil?

i use just aqua soil and no powder.. i don't root HC but other hard to plant weeds stay just fine with practice

You dont need any more then 2" for those plants if you were planting large sword plants then you might want 3 inches otherwise you dont need it. And you could add powder just cuz i think it makes it look better.

kribkeeper888 said:

You dont need any more then 2" for those plants if you were planting large sword plants then you might want 3 inches otherwise you dont need it. And you could add powder just cuz i think it makes it look better.

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So you think the Aquasoil and Powder would be sufficient? I hate to set this all up then realize I should have added the powersand haha

If it were me I would use some powersand It is in the system for a reason. It helps to keep the lower portion of the soil from becoming anarobic. it is acctually a pumice stone base and not really so much a sand. at least thats how I see it. In my next build I am going to use Aqua soil personally. I have florite black, eco complete, and floramax that I have all used in the past and sufficeive to say I have been dissapointed. If I would have just coughed up the extra 10 bucks a bag I would have been happier.

Curt

Good discussion here....anyone know how many bags of the PowerSand i would need for a 48x18x24 tank? Looks like there is small, medium and large size granules...it also seems like I can only get the 2 litre bags of the large size at my location, any thoughts?

That size tank you will need the medium/large and probable need about 9-12L. You just need a thin layer on the botom of the tank just to cover the botom.

Curt

my other question, is if I go with Eco-complete....how deep should the substrate bed be? 3"? 4"?