Ada old can Be used

[sai_786]

Hi guys just wanna know I Have Ada 9 Liters aqua Soil Which I brought by 2017 And used Till 2020 And after that just packed And kept in loft weather it will Be live now or No use in it

 

[Zeus.]

Was chatting about this with @dw1305 some time back. Much depends on how hard your water is. Aquasoil mops ups and exchanges ions in the water column, but once the clay granules form a bond with an Ion with a strong affinity this can effectively form a bond which is hard to displace so the site can be blocked. With soft water is happens slowly, however hard water blocks the active sites quicker. Tanks with hard water can get a decrease in pH with ADA aquasoil which can last a few months. Plants can be growing well then the pH buffering runs out the pH increases and the Fe EDTA 'can' sometimes not be readily available for the plants, so an Fe deficiency can be seen. then a different Fe chelate is needed DTPA or EDDHA.
So using old AS (AquaSoil) comes with a risk that it may not be as good as new AS. Low tech tanks don't 'seem' to suffer from the same issue as much as high tech tanks.

The conversation I was having with @dw1305 was could we reactive the AS by running RO water though the AS for some time, hoping that the abundant H+ may displace other ins with a stronger affinity - think we mutually though it may or may not work.

Of course old AS may still work, as inert substrate can work if the fert regime is good enough. But an active AS does give more room for error and makes high tech tanks easier.

 

[sai_786]

OK as per your guidelines old soil is not advised for re use even if we use products like seachem fertilizer with RO water with 120 TDS

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

The conversation I was having with @dw1305 was could we reactive the AS by running RO water though the AS for some time, hoping that the abundant H+ may displace other ins with a stronger affinity - think we mutually though it may or may not work.

I remember the conversation, but I can't remember exactly how the conversation went, but say you left the Aquasoil outside with the rain able to run through it and away? Then eventually it would be base poor again, the problem is just the time scale.

I Have Ada 9 Liters aqua Soil Which I brought by 2017 And used Till 2020 And after that just packed And kept in loft weather it will Be live now or No use in it

Personally I'd re-use it. If your tap water is hard and alkaline it won't make it any harder.

cheers Darrel

 

[sai_786]

Wa but its kept tight and safe and I am using Ro water

 

[Zeus.]

I am using Ro water

Well should be fine IMO

but say you left the Aquasoil outside with the rain able to run through it and away? Then eventually it would be base poor again, the problem is just the time scale.

That was it