# Flourite or Aqua Soil, Which one



## Christople (Sep 7, 2010)

Hi I am setting up a nanao and I was wondering if there is a difference between aqua soil and flourite. Sorry for the misspelling no idea how to spel flourite. If there is a difference what is it. Which is better for a heavily planted nano? Thank you for the help.


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## InvertPlanet (Mar 25, 2011)

either will do... my fluorite is very much like a fine sand, and I believe aqua soil (ADA?) is more granular. As far as properties go, I think it is really a trivial matter.

It is more HOW you keep the plants vs. what substrate you choose.


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## Christople (Sep 7, 2010)

I want a more gravel like substrate because sand is aggravating me because I put a vacation feeder and it turned the sand black and now I have to syphon out half of the sand. I want something lower maitence and gravel like substrate is IMO the best.


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## InvertPlanet (Mar 25, 2011)

Than ADA soil would be better for you or Eco Complete. Eco is almost gravel... BUT (and there always is one) .. you pay by weight, and Eco Complete is wet packed and at least 20% of that is water weight.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

well the problem isnt with sand turning black, its your feeder feeding too much... Sand is generally better for planting because of how fine it is, it is usually easier to plant plants in it.

You will need to vacuum all substrate unless very heavily planted, ie full lawns of plants. If you do have a full lawn of plants, then you wont vacuum anyway regardless of substrate so there really isnt a "low-maintenance" substrate.

In that regard, it really doesnt matter which substrate you choose. However, ADA AS does have more nutrients, so in that regard, it is "better."


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## Christople (Sep 7, 2010)

well he sand turned black because the feeder wasn't moved for a least week. Also he sand is only black on the side I put the feeder. i meant soemthing that is wel areated so I don' have to do so my self.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

all substrates will get anerobic, sand jsut gets anerobic faster. You can get MTS to help your turn your substrate if your worried about that, just be sure to feed properly so they dont overpopulate the tank.


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## Christople (Sep 7, 2010)

I realize he solution and ahve though about it but their needs are not with what I can provide. I want the powdered ADA and deffinently no feeder things for me. Also no rocks probably. Maybe a little slate but thats not the point.


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## Christople (Sep 7, 2010)

I read that ADA also changes your water and it does so o the point that I would like my water there. So is there any thing that Eco has or vice versa.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

Not that I'm aware of, Ive used both eco-complete and flourite before, neither has had any effect on my water chemistry. I was not aware ADA AS changed water chemistry. I do know that ADG advocates the use of their RO water system for use with ADA AS as well as the use of powersand and a bunch of other additives to maximize the effectiveness of the AS. It would make sense that ADA AS has buffers in it, since RO water is incredibly unstable, however the effectiveness of those additives would be greatly reduced in tap water since your tap water has buffers in it already. In hard water, the AS would not be able to affect PH, and might end up making your water even harder.


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## Christople (Sep 7, 2010)

I have not that hard of water. I think it was in TFH magazine hat I saw it syaing that it changed the waer, I looked into it and on their website it doesn't say any power sand or any thing. would just ADA be fine or something on top. I also read that they took apart baby tears so it would carpet or something like that. Is that necissary?


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

Are you planning on growing HC? HC should be planted in small patches so it spreads. I beleive ADA AS can be used on its own, but the ADA site says to use powersand to help establish a bacteria colony. From what ive read, powersand is useless after a year anyway, its just to help start aquariums.

TBH, sometimes i feel like ADA is the Apple of the aquarium world, their things are always more expensive and of high quality, but not all of it is really needed, but they still charge a premium for all of it.

I would suggest you look more into ADA AS affecting water chemistry before using it. I'm 90% sure it just adds a bunch of fertilizer into your water for plants including nitrates but does not alter PH, it might affect hardness though, so make sure you check before you buy or it might make your water unsuitable for some fish.


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

If it was me, I'd go with Ecocomplete.


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## Christople (Sep 7, 2010)

Okay so i went back to the mag and say that it changes the KH and pH and I am fairly sure that it is to the acidic side because 'Amazonian' sooo. What is HC and maybe if it is baby tears or dwarf hairgrass.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

HC is dwarf baby tears.


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## Christople (Sep 7, 2010)

Okay well fixed my problem with the okay with the boss so will be getting ADA tomorrow possibly and my plants. Is it okay to put plants in the first day? So if I want HC to carpet how would I do this.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

separate the plants into little bits and plant with tweezers in little bunches all over the area you want to grow hc. Then fill the tank very very carefully so they dont float away. if they float away, replant with tweezers. Other option is to dry-start it like the other guy in another HC post. But that takes patience and at least a few weeks for the HC to get established.


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## Christople (Sep 7, 2010)

I don't wnat to wait sooo I will do as you said. Do I physically tear the plant into little bunches andplant them.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

separate them at the rhizome, just tearing it apart will make it very difficult to plant.

quoting plantpedia:

"To plant Hemianthus callitrichoides cut a larger portion into smaller three to five stem bunches. Plant these bunches approximately one-half (1 cm) apart. Using a curved tweezer may help in the planting process. "


From experiences i have read about other people planting HC, it seems like this is an extremely frustrating plant to deal with. There are lots of people who experience HC float, where a gentle bump of the tank or a small water change dislodges whole patches of newly planted HC.

Good luck, post pics if you can, its always nice to see people's tanks develop.


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## Christople (Sep 7, 2010)

:----------------(I have to wait untill tax season is over and then I can. MY parents are very busy now sooooo Okay so I am fairly new to plants and have no idea what a rihzome is.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

its the part that runs under the substrate that connects all the stems. its like the umbilical cord of HC. Thats how they spread across your substrate. Tax season is over in a week, its not that bad.


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## Christople (Sep 7, 2010)

Uggghhhh I know April 18 actually say my parents but yeah. So I don't under stand sorry. I buy them potted and they have a floss thing around the the roots and I don't see most of the roots Ummm maybe any pics.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

you dont need pics. That stuff in the pot is rockwool, they're grown in it because the wool has some nutrition and it gives the roots a good medium to grow in. However. when you remove that wool, as you will have to, you will immediately see roots, and then thicker "roots" connecting green stems. That thicker "root" is the rhizome that you can cut.

Totally forgot the due date was extended to the 18th because of the weekend...


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## Christople (Sep 7, 2010)

Yeah I wish it wasn't....


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