Equivalent to ADA Aquasoil

[magnosis]

I've been considering ADA Aquasoil for my 59g but oh man.. this stuff is crazy expensive !  I would need at least 4 or 5 bags, probably more like 7 or 8. (47" x 15.5" x 3" = 2185.5 inch³ = 36 L = 4 bags)

Why do I want this ?
a) it's pure awesomeness for plants
b) trying to find ONE bad review on this product is a challenge
c) lowers PH and KH
--> PH out of my tap is around 8.1
--> KH out of my tap is around 18 (though GH is 3, thanks to a water softener)

For the most experienced horticulturists out here do you know of any equivalent combination of product that would be both cheaper than AquaSoil AND easy to maintain (i.e. not DIY soil; it is lots cheaper but after reading a ton on it, I've concluded it's a major pain to prepare & maintain in the long term)

- Fluorite is not a nutrient-rich substrate per say
- EcoComplete buffers both PH and KH, which is what I want to avoid
- DIY soil (with or without earthworm castings) requires quite a bit of preparation and creates a big puddle of mud, needs to be capped, creates a mess if deep-vaccumed or using MTS, prone to gas buildups

Hm.. do I really want to spend 3-400$ on a good substrate ?  I don't think so >_<  There must be an alternative, surely I've missed something.

[charlie]

Two stores i know of that carries alternate substrates are Nature Pet in Pointe-Claire, QC  & Aqua Inspiration, how good they are in comparison to ADA is not for me to say as i have not used any including ADA, just keep in mind the weight going to be a significant cost factor if you have to get any substrate shipped.
I can first hand tell you about the Fluval Stratum, it`s what i used in my 20 gallon long & works like a charm, cons is that it`s difficult to plant in since it`s loose & light  but i think it`s designed similar to ADA but as mentioned i have never used ADA so i have no direct comparison,the pros is that it`s locally available & does the job.I can`t say how it compares cost wise, since i got it sometime back from Nature Pet in Point Claire @ a good price.
Hope that helps a bit

[TLe041]

As someone with two tanks with ADA Aquasoil and one with Fluval Stratum, I can definitely say that ADA is vastly superior to the Fluval substrate. Like you said, it's way too light to keep plants planted for long. Also, many users on the internet say that the buffering capacity is gone in a few weeks. I've had the ADA substrate in my tank for a year and it still lowers the pH to 6.4 (perfect for crystal shrimps).

The closest substrate to ADA Aquasoil is the Netlea soil for sale at AquaInspiration in Toronto.

[charlie]

As someone with two tanks with ADA Aquasoil and one with Fluval Stratum, I can definitely say that ADA is vastly superior to the Fluval substrate. Like you said, it's way too light to keep plants planted for long. Also, many users on the internet say that the buffering capacity is gone in a few weeks. I've had the ADA substrate in my tank for a year and it still lowers the pH to 6.4 (perfect for crystal shrimps).

The closest substrate to ADA Aquasoil is the Netlea soil for sale at AquaInspiration in Toronto.

Interesting about the buffering ability going away after a few weeks, i have been running both the Plant stratum & the Shrimp stratum for quite a few months now & have not experienced that at all, here is a pic of the Fluval Shrimp startum substrate set up in Feb. this year & still buffering @ approx 6.6, the plant startum buffers to apprx 6.8, I have no doubt about the reported ADA superiority.

[jart]

There may have been a negative review on Aquasoil on aquaticplantcentral lately... something to do with a new formulation. Let me know if you can't find it.

I'm considering 100% Flourite for my next tank, supplemented with RootMedic capsules (or some sort of substrate enhancement).

From what I am reading, there may be some doubt as to the clear cut superiority of MTS (time consuming and messy to prepare) over off the shelf Miracle Grow soil (check TPT to be sure of the exact product). Of course either one needs to be capped and yes, it may make a mess when moving plants around.