# Substrate questions



## Astrofish (Jun 25, 2014)

Thinking of redoing my 70G bow front with either ADA or Eco complete any preference for one or the other? I was leaning towards Eco for the fact that it doesn't break down can you still grow HC in Eco complete?


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

HC will not grow well in Eco because it is randomly sized with the finer particulates sinking lower in the substrate and it is fairly nutrient poor as compared to ADA Amazonia. ADA will be the preferable substrate.

JMHO.

Stuart


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## HashAsh (May 13, 2014)

And go with powder type


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## Bien Lim (Apr 21, 2010)

i would go with the ADA .


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## Mykiss (Apr 22, 2010)

I would go ADA for sure. The Amazonia normal and powder type soils are nicely rounded and soft so it's great for small sensitive roots. Especially with the powder, since it's so small the really small rooted plants grow well in it. Most of my customers who do end up growing HC will often want solely powder but I often tell them that they can mix both the powder and the normal type and it will still work wonders for the HC. If you have the time, I can show you the difference as I have both in stock. Unfortunately the powder costs more than the normal but if you mix the two then you'd save a bit.


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## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

I changed from soil to fluval ada and 1-3 month later lost all my penguin tetras and Neon also all l144 plecos and angels! (Altums) zebra danios snails and rams.
But all Hatchet fish, cat fish, Cory, glass fish, twig fish and hillcrest Loaches all doing good. Don't no why?? if anyone as experience with this I would appreciate any feedback.

Oh yea plants growing like crazy!!!!


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## Goundar2010 (Jan 12, 2015)

I used Eco-Complete and got a carpet of glosso's in my tank. I know out isn't hair grass, but just as hard to grow. I only lost the carpet because I couldn't refill my CO2 tank. Glosso carpet on the left.


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## NeonFlux (Jul 29, 2014)

mrbob said:


> I changed from soil to fluval ada and 1-3 month later lost all my penguin tetras and Neon also all l144 plecos and angels! (Altums) zebra danios snails and rams.
> But all Hatchet fish, cat fish, Cory, glass fish, twig fish and hillcrest Loaches all doing good. Don't no why?? if anyone as experience with this I would appreciate any feedback.
> 
> Oh yea plants growing like crazy!!!!


Could be a mini-cycle possibly because you completely took out the substrate? What kind of filter are you running? It's well-established, right? If not and the substrate is where all the beneficial bacteria is before you added Aquasoil, then yeah, the ammonia, nitrite would be all over the place killing your fish unless they are exceptionally hardy.. ADA Aquasoil releases some ammonia initially too I think and that caused big spikes and the fact you removed your previous sub caused some stress.. But then your cories, glass fish, loaches did fine with the substrate-swap. No explanation.


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