ADA V1 AQUARIUM SOIL 9L – ADA初代水草泥 9L

Among Aqua Soil series essential for the substrate of Nature Aquarium, ADA Amazonia is most effective in promoting the growth of aquatic plants and most aquatic plants grow healthy and beautifully with this soil. On the other hand, ADA Amazonia is a substrate material having a strong character and certain techniques are required to use it. Let’s learn more about ADA Amazonia to use it better and make a beautiful aquascape.

The greatest feature of ADA Amazonia is in promoting the growth of aquatic plants. The secret is in its base material – natural black soil containing rich nitrogen and organic compounds. But it does not mean that any black soil will do. The base soil used for ADA Amazonia is very rare, relatively sticky black soil rich in plant-derived compounds and it greatly differ from ordinary black volcanic ash soils. Nitrogen content is a major factor that determines the growth rate of aquatic plants. ADA Amazonia contains outstandingly rich nitrogen and immediately after it is laid in aquarium, a large amount of ammonium (NH4) leaches into water. Ammonium is not toxic to fish and shrimps; however in an environment where pH level is higher than neutral (above 7.0), ammonium is converted into highly-toxic ammonia (NH3) or into nitrite (NO2) in the nitrification process driven by nitrifying bacteria which convert ammonium into highly-toxic nitrates (NO3). Therefore, it is not recommended to add fish or shrimp to an aquarium which is still in the initial stage where ammonium level is high. Once the aquatic plants have grown to cover the substrate and nitrifying bacteria in the filter have started to function adequately, ammonium and nitrite are not detected in the aquarium. It is advised that adding fish and shrimp to aquarium should be two to three weeks after planting of aquatic plants.

ADA Amazonia is originally acidic, with a pH level of 5.0-6.0, and it makes water more acidic. If water change is performed using water with a pH level close to neutral, the pH level of aquarium water gradually increases towards neutral. On the other hand, if alkaline water with a higher pH is used for water change, ADA Amazonia´s function to lower pH level is weakened and this can lead to various adverse effects. Aquatic plants usually perform photosynthesis actively and grow healthy in acidic water with lower pH and carbonate hardness (KH) levels. That is why mildly acidic water realized by the use of ADA Amazonia is suitable for growing aquatic plants. In contrast, in mildly alkaline water with a pH level higher than neutral, aquatic plants do not show active photosynthesis and their growth is slowed. On top of it, mildly alkaline water promotes the leaching of humic acid contained in ADA Amazonia and aquarium water turns to yellow or brown. If the tap water used for water change is around pH 8.0 or high in carbonate hardness, it is recommended to use “be Soft”, an additive effective for lowering pH and carbonate hardness levels, during water change to improve the water quality.