[Shrimpressions]

Hi All,

I set up a tank for a betta two weeks ago with half a bag of ADA Amazonia I had left over from my shrimp tank ( which was set up around a year and a half ago ) . To be honest the bag was open as I didn't know I had to seal it to store the soil properly. Anyway, it's really strange that the soil is not leeching ammonia, and is instead putting out really high nitrite levels and less-high nitrate levels. I've done a couple of 100% WC and still these levels are high. Also, the PH seems to be at 7.5 which is very strange as in my shrimp tank the soil buffers the PH to 6.5 ( although I use distilled water for shrimps, whilst I'm using bottled water for the betta tank). I'm starting to think that the soil "expired" during storage. Any thoughts ?

 

[Cmeister]

Could be bacteria got in there and converted the ammonia into a nitrite form. I wouldn't worry about it. My personal beef with ADA is how easily the particles break apart, I don't think it can go bad over time from jsut sitting however.

 

[Shrimpressions]

Yeah, my issue is that I had ordered a nice ( and expensive) show-quality betta and it's supposed to arrive today and the nitrites are still high, and practically I don't have anywhere else to house him ( I only have 2 other tanks - a shrimp tank and another betta tank ) . I guess I'll just have to put him in and do large water changes.

 

[Cmeister]

Ok if I understand correctly, you have unused leftover ADA that is leaching? That is normal, happens to all of us in the first few weeks of using ADA. Put your betta in with one of your other tanks, and use a smaller hang on breeding thingy to keep them seperated. This is better than the alternative.

best of luck