Question of the Day Sand, inert or soil? Which would you pick and why?
- Thread starter Art
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I'll start.
I have been using ADA's Amazonia, both the old and newer versions, for many years. It grows plants very well but has its quirks that you need to know. However, next time I'm going to go with Black Diamond Blasting Sand.
The reason is that I grow mostly stems. The constant uprooting and replanting is just so much less mess with BDBS than Aqua Soil.
How about you?
I have been using ADA's Amazonia, both the old and newer versions, for many years. It grows plants very well but has its quirks that you need to know. However, next time I'm going to go with Black Diamond Blasting Sand.
The reason is that I grow mostly stems. The constant uprooting and replanting is just so much less mess with BDBS than Aqua Soil.
How about you?
Unexpected
Well-known Member
I prefer the look of sand, but next time, like you, I’m going BDBS.
I like sand (pool filter sand) because it’s easy to maintain and to plant in. But I have run into a few plants that just didn’t want to look good while in it. My thinking is grain size, and BDBS is a bit larger so it should be better at not compacting like sand. Having a cheap black option is a bonus as well. Black looks really nice IMO.
I like sand (pool filter sand) because it’s easy to maintain and to plant in. But I have run into a few plants that just didn’t want to look good while in it. My thinking is grain size, and BDBS is a bit larger so it should be better at not compacting like sand. Having a cheap black option is a bonus as well. Black looks really nice IMO.
Joel Armstrong
Active Member
I currently have ADA Amazonia new version II, it's 18 months old. I'm a bit over the dust it can produce, and it's most likely nutrient depleted by now, correct?
I also plan to try out BDBS, or similar. BDBS is not available in Australia, well, not sold as BDBS anyway... but as I understand it's just coal slag, which is easy to find here.
I'm looking forward to trying it out, as I understand it's easier to keep clean, especially with frequent uprooting of plants.
I also plan to try out BDBS, or similar. BDBS is not available in Australia, well, not sold as BDBS anyway... but as I understand it's just coal slag, which is easy to find here.
I'm looking forward to trying it out, as I understand it's easier to keep clean, especially with frequent uprooting of plants.
My next planted tank will have active soil in fine mesh bags placed where I intend to put plants. Sand of some sort for the rest. I'm leaving my foreground as super shallow sand from now on. Much easier to clean.
When I broke down my 180 (build thread will be started as soon as I start the build
), my fully ADA setup was a far less nasty cleanup than usual. I didn't have the anaerobic swamp stink except in ONE area that was only soil and none of the power sand (lava rock) + bacteria + charcoal as the under layer.
My experience was the same as the rest of you for the duration of nutrient provided by the ADA soil: approximately 18 months. I honestly can't say if I think it's worth the price premium.
When I broke down my 180 (build thread will be started as soon as I start the build
), my fully ADA setup was a far less nasty cleanup than usual. I didn't have the anaerobic swamp stink except in ONE area that was only soil and none of the power sand (lava rock) + bacteria + charcoal as the under layer.My experience was the same as the rest of you for the duration of nutrient provided by the ADA soil: approximately 18 months. I honestly can't say if I think it's worth the price premium.
.... minus the time it tries to kill your livestock with an Ammonia spike.
Good products, especially premium priced products, should come 'fit for purpose'. I've never understood how premium priced soil manufacturers get away with ammonia spikes rather than curing the product after production so that it can be used as purchased without risk.
GreggZ
Moderator
Top pic sand.........bottom pic soil............IMO if you think soil is the secret to success......you are missing the big picture. In a "dutch" inspired tank with lots of uprooting sand is actually easier long term.
Count Krunk
Active Member
I'm going BDBS due to cost and simplicity.
With the tank being planned as high tech, the plants will get plenty of nutrients through the water column, and i can always add root tabs if needed.
With the tank being planned as high tech, the plants will get plenty of nutrients through the water column, and i can always add root tabs if needed.
I understand what you’re saying with this. I felt it more like a break in period for a car though. As long as I know in advance I can plan for it and not have a tragedy, I would be far nicer to not worry about it I suppose.
I generally do a fishless cycle in my tanks. The ammonia spike was fine to get the cycle started at least.
Count Krunk
Active Member
Car engines are broken in already, unless you buy a brand new create engine. But i get what you're saying
Manual in my last 3 vehicles (Chevy, Mazda, BMW) included a breakin period during which RPM and driving modes were recommended to be kept within certain parameters. The "breakin" in the technical sense is indeed done at the factory. I tend to RTFM and do what it says.
Joel Armstrong
Active Member
I've looked into getting coal slag over here in Australia, but I can not source it.
During my search, I came across this, I may give it a try in the future.
www.aquariumspareparts.com.au
During my search, I came across this, I may give it a try in the future.
Dymax Natural Black Sand 8kg (DM516)
Australia's Largest Online Range. Over 6000 products in stock from all major brands. Same day dispatch*
www.aquariumspareparts.com.au
Unexpected
Well-known Member
What mm diameter is it?
Joel Armstrong
Active Member
2-3mm
Unexpected
Well-known Member
Oh, that’s perfect!
Joel Armstrong
Active Member
Yeah, similar sized grain to BDBS if I'm not mistaken.
I might give it a go!
Any idea of how much BDBS you used, in kilograms?
Unexpected
Well-known Member
68 kilograms roughly
Yes. I would…
I tend to install undergravel filter plates and cover with well rinsed Safe T Sorb, and have strategially placed rolled up sausages of ADA Amazonia in mesh bags and then cap with a good amount of BDBS.
the UGF is in addition to using a canister filter. In a sustained power outage a single air pump uses very little electricity and can maintain the beneficial bacteria in UGF very nicely with minimal power requirements. Also a nice back up in case one bumps the power cord to the canister filter and it loses power that way. Ugf is cheap and adds loads of surface area for filtration…. I know lots of people dont care for them… Recently I fabricated an adapter to use Aquarium Co Ops Easy Flow kit designed for their sponge filters. This significantly increases the flow through the UGF compared to stock risers.
The Safe T Sorb is very cheap and very pleasant to plant into. The BDBS looks better…. It will drop your waters KH for a while after adding it so if you are adding KH you will need to keep adding for a while..
rolling the mesh bag up into long sausages allows you to plant between the rolls and requires less capping then flat bags where you need to be deep enough above for planting.
may not be for everyone but it seems to work well for me.
- Thread starter
- #19
Wow! I had to read this a couple of times to try to deconstruct what you’re doing here. No judging, just trying to understand. It seems to work for you so you are highlighting that, in this hobby, there are many ways to achieve personal success. Good for you!
Undergravel filter:
I believe these fell out of favor with planted tanks because the detritus that accumulates in the substrate (DOC) were being pumped into the water column and, it was believed, that would lead to algae. Bacteria didn’t need the additional water flow through the substrate to remain viable for biological filtration. This is especially true with improved canister filter technology that is cable of providing enough biological filtration buffer for the planted aquarium.
Also, it tends to equalize the oxygen conditions in the substrate with the water column. This isn’t what you want as certain processes require a low-oxygen environment to make available certain nutrients in the substrate.
I’m sure there are other issues that I’m forgetting at the moment.
Safe-T-Sorb:
From what I remember, this is calcined clay like Kitty Litter, with a very high CEC capacity. I think it’s similar to Turface that I’ve used in the past.
The issues I remember are that it is difficult to clean and can create dust clouds when you pull plants out of it. However, you are well-rinsing it so maybe this isn’t an issue for you.
ADA Amazonia sausages:
I absolutely love the thought of Amazonia sausages. I just don’t know why you are doing this. Can you expand on the thought process here and your experience? I think you are getting many of the Amazonia benefits with the STS.
Capping with BDBS:
So for those that don’t know, BDBS is Black Diamond Blasting Sand that is an inert substrate commonly used in planted aquariums. I just got a shipment in to do a small 10 gallon I’m planning. I do know many of the top aquatic gardeners use it with great success.
My question is why are you using it as a cap? Does it just look better than the STS? Does it help to keep it down?
Again, absolutely no judgement. I love learning about how community members use compound substrates like this.
Well my primary goal is low energy consumption back up filtration in event of extended power outage. UGF is bog simple, no maintenance to speak of, requires maybe 3 watts of power. If I get to tank soon enough after outage, I can put canister media in the tank, but if I am hours away from that, I can simply give the canister filter a thorough cleaning before restarting..
Nope, no dust clouds. It does take a fair amount to rinse it well..
best means of cleaning it is putting it in a mesh sieve and running copious water through it..
I have heard people claiming it turns to mud with time, but at least a year out now, it is still holding its form well and resists crushing..
it is incredibly nice to insert stems into and it reliably holds on to them. Much nicer than gravel. It has a much coarser gravely texture than the Black Diamond Blasting Sand I top it with so itcovers the ugf plates nicer and provides less resistance to flow than straight bdbs would.
I have a bag I bought And the mesh bags…. When you are only using long thin sausages a single bag goes an incredibly long distance tank wise. I bought it to use before I started using UGF, and Safe T Sorb…. It may be superfluous, but I figure I am getting more benefit from it in the tank than on a storage shelf in the basement.
It is also easy enough to add to existing substrate by excavating an area, adding a sausage and replacing substrate. Easy enough to remove and replace a spent bag as well…. And plant roots readily seek it out.
Well rinsed, I dont think Safe T Sorb would pose a cloud problem.. at least so long as it holds form and doesnt turn to mud…
It also is not altogether unpleasant to look at in its own right, sort of a mottled burnt brick color…
I use the Black Diamond Blasting Sand for the aesthetics.. A nice deep black coarse sand.
Up to this point I have been concentrating on growing plants well and not on aquascaping, and composition etc.
Now that I have gotten more comfortable in growing plants better and keeping Algae at bay, I am starting to study more how to arrange plants and trim them for a more manicured look. It feels pretty overwhelming… but then again, so was learning how to grow healthier plants that were not substrate for algae…