ADA - Aqua Design Amano Substrate System

[Aquariums Australia]

Many people are starting to ask, what are the individual components of the ADA Subsrate System.

Given that all the required products are now available, we will try and provide an indication of what is needed for the average tank, based on size. The following examples are what Takashi Amano recommends and uses himself.


2ft tank:

Substrate from the bottom up.

1.Powders

Tourmaline BC 6 spoons
Clear Super 6 spoons
Bacter100 6 spoons
Penac P 6 spoons
Penac W 6 spoons

These are all powders to be sprinkled to the bottom of the tank on the glass BEFORE any soil/sand goes in. This is for the long term well being of the soil by preventing the bottom from becoming anaerobic and stinking. (Prevents root rot in the deep substrate).

2. Power Sand Special

Add 2L Power Sand Special S on top of all the powder mix.

Note: Power Sand Special comes in S, M and L.
S is used for tanks with water depth less than 40cm
M is used for tanks with water depth between 40cm-60cm
L is used for tanks with water depth above 60cm

3. Aqua Soil

Add 2 bags, 3L Aqua Soil (Malaya, Amazonia or Africana) on top of the Power Sand Special. Slope the soil towards the front. Thicker at the back, thinner at the front. You can use the “Sand flattener” to help you do this.

Then add 2/3 bag of 3L Aqua Soil Powder (You can add the whole bag if you please, thicker the soil base the better the plant roots will grow) on top of the Aqua Soil with thicker powder layer in the front. (*Foreground plants like hairgrass or glosso have fine roots and do well growing on the Aqua Soil powder)

*Substrate is ready for planting*

[Aquariums Australia]

3ft tank:

Substrate from the bottom up.

1.Powders

Tourmaline BC 12-20 spoons
Clear Super 12-20 spoons
Bacter100 12-20 spoons
Penac P 12-20 spoons
Penac W 12-20 spoons

These are all powders to be sprinkled to the bottom of the tank on the glass BEFORE any soil/sand goes in. This is for the long term well being of the soil by preventing the bottom from becoming anaerobic and stinking. (Prevents root rot in the deep substrate).

2. Power Sand Special

Add 6L Power Sand Special M on top of all the powder mix.

Note: Power Sand Special comes in S, M and L.
S is used for tanks with water depth less than 40cm
M is used for tanks with water depth between 40cm-60cm
L is used for tanks with water depth above 60cm

3. Aqua Soil

Add 2 bags, 9L Aqua Soil (Malaya, Amazonia or Africana) on top of the Power Sand Special. Slope the soil towards the front. Thicker at the back, thinner at the front. You can use the “Sand flattener” to help you do this.

Then add 2 bags of 3L Aqua Soil Powder (You can add the whole bag if you please, thicker the soil base the better the plant roots will grow) on top of the Aqua Soil with thicker powder layer in the front. (*Foreground plants like hairgrass or glosso have fine roots and do well growing on the Aqua Soil powder)

*Substrate is ready for planting*

[Aquariums Australia]

4ft tank:

Substrate from the bottom up.

1.Powders

Tourmaline BC 1bottle
Clear Super 1bottle
Bacter100 1bottle
Penac P 1bottle
Penac W 1bottle

These are all powders to be sprinkled to the bottom of the tank on the glass BEFORE any soil/sand goes in. This is for the long term well being of the soil by preventing the bottom from becoming anaerobic and stinking. (Prevents root rot in the deep substrate).

2. Power Sand Special

Add 6L Power Sand Special M and 2L Power Sand M on top of all the powder mix.

Note: Power Sand Special comes in S, M and L.
S is used for tanks with water depth less than 40cm
M is used for tanks with water depth between 40cm-60cm
L is used for tanks with water depth above 60cm

3. Aqua Soil

Add 3 bags, 9L Aqua Soil (Malaya, Amazonia or Africana) on top of the Power Sand Special. Slope the soil towards the front. Thicker at the back, thinner at the front. You can use the “Sand flattener” to help you do this.

Then add 1 bag of 9L Aqua Soil Powder (You can add the whole bag if you please, thicker the soil base the better the plant roots will grow) on top of the Aqua Soil with thicker powder layer in the front. (*Foreground plants like hairgrass or glosso have fine roots and do well growing on the Aqua Soil powder)

*Substrate is ready for planting*

[Aquariums Australia]

General Care after planting:

1. Brighty K
Brighty K is recommended to be added daily, when the lights are switched on. The recommended dosage is for crazy growth. You can half this dosage on large tanks.
Use as per recommended dosage

2. Green Bacter and Phyton Git
Green Bacter and Phyton Git to be added during lights off as per recommended dosage. Phyton Git minimizes unwanted algae growth in planted tanks.

3. Bacter Ball
Bacter Ball is recommended for all new systems. This ball is to be placed close/near to the intake pipe of the canister filter. Bacter ball serves somewhat as a booster for promoting the growth of the good bacteria in the filter as well as in the substrate (in the Power Sand).

4. Bio Rio
Bio Rio is ADA’s filter substrate which boast a huge surface are to volume ratio. (Price is affordable compared to say Eheim). Bio Rio is to be place in canister filter with 2 balls of Bacter Ball on initial set up.

5. NA Carbon
NA Carbon is 20 times the adsorptive power of regular activated carbon. Initially, when the tank is set up, 1 pack of NA carbon is recommended for use inside the canister filter. U should be able to hear it hiss on contact with water.

6. Bamboo Charcoal
Bamboo Charcoal can be use once the filter is established.

7. Palm net
Palm net is also inside the canister filter to separate the media.


Fertilizers

1. Step 1, Step 2, Step 3
Step 1 is for newly established tanks. Step 2 is for tanks 6months to 18months. Step 3 is for very matured tanks. Fertilize as recommended dosage.

2. Green Gain
This prevents the plants from getting discoloured (white patches which then rot). Fertilise as recommended.

3. ECA
This is an iron supplement into the water. Especially for red stemmed plants.

4. Iron Bottom
This is an iron supplement for deep-rooted plants like Echinodorus (swords) and Nyphae (Lotus) species.

5. Multi Bottom
This is a multi nutrient supplement for deep-rooted plants. Useful for plants like, glosso, hairgrass, etc.

6. Light and Shade fertiliser
This one is a bit more complex…. Specialty fertilisers: for plants with high light requirements and plants with low light requirements.