Aquasoil question

[fishycat]

I am using Tahitian moon sand in my planted tanks with good success. However, I have been thinking of changing my 5 gallon to Aquasoil. My lfs has 7-lb bags which sounds perfect.

I read that aquasoil will leech ammonia and wanted to confirm. I've been growing some dwarf sag emersed for 2 weeks, but my endler's are prego and I want to move the males... Would the ammonia in aquasoil mess up or speed up my cycle? I read that a tank can almost cycle itself while emersed.

Is rinsing/soaking an option? Or will that just get rid of the nutrients?

Thanks!

 

[mott]

Yes it does leech ammonia, for up two weeks so you could for sure cycle a tank with it.
Take your fish out if you can or you could put the AS in a bucket for two weeks with a powerhead or something. That being said AS is the BEST substrate for growing plants IMO.

 

[tackful]

I put new Aquasoil into a cycled tank and the ph dropped rather quickly, but other than that no problems. Fish were fine, and the plants grew like crazy for over two years.

 

[fishycat]

Picked up my AS:Amazonia! I'll load the tank with plants and hope for a fast fishless cycle using stem plants and some of the filter media from my established tank.

Thanks for the feedback!