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Re: Re: Re: ADA system: my speculations (very long msg.)



At 15.37 08/12/99 -0500, you wrote:
>- --Substrate-
>This substrate additive comes in 2 flavors, regular and Special. The Special
>contains Bactor 100 and Clear Super. Bactor 100 helps to jump start the
>substrate with beneficial bacteria, and Clear Super helps to clear the water
>faster when it is first set up. By weight Power Sand is mostly made of Peat
>and Pumice. Power Sand does _not_ contain any clay.

I know that, thanks Ryan! :-)
The problem with my tank is not the knowledge of ADA products only, but 
also the knowledge of the exact dynamic those products will lead the tank. 
I read AJ, both english and japanese version (with a translator!), but my 
speculation rises up from the fact that I cannot control the tank properly 
at least till now (2nd week of setup).
Not the way I know!
So... I tried to analize the situation deeper and make some speculations. 
Aqua Soil is a kinda of akadama soil, which rich in iron and maybe in some 
micronutrients and I experimented that it can make the pH, GH and Kh going 
down pretty fast. But it doesn't contain any N-P-K ... in this sense we can 
consider it incert (it's not, it can bound a lot of mirneals... but for a 
while we can consider it that way).
Power Sand is rich in organic nutrients (I experienced even up to 100ppm 
NO3 in the 1st days of setup!), I think it's the MAIN way of supplying N 
and P in NA ADA concept.
Now activated carbon (I'm presently using that, not Bamboo Charcoal, it's 
too early for that!) MUST help in removing organic compounds coming from 
Power Sand. There is really no other reason for it to be in the canister, 
at least to my eyes. It's _not_ the problem of bacteria... there is no fish 
in a NA setup for the 1st 4 weeks... so it's for that reason!... it's for 
removing organic matters leeching in column water by the way of Power Sand.
STEP I, I know is poor in micronutrients and _almost_ no iron, but the 
point is WHY??? For the 3 months of setup as ADA declare? with a 2w/liter 
of light power - Ryan - in the 1st 3 months plants will grow SO MUCH that 
you will need much more than that !!! :-)) STEP I must have some other 
hidden reason to be there... my idea is that STEP I is made because Power 
Sand is there, just under your plant's roots! In the 1st 3 months a so 
powerful organic fertilizer will leech quite much of his nutrients, even 
with a power filtration (read activated carbon), you cannot give so much of 
micronutrients without risking an algae bloom. And that takes us directly 
to ECA ... it's again organic -> activated carbon (and bacteria) will eat 
it quickly... and it's _NOT_ so strongly chelated as STEP series, just 
complexed with some compound... I suspect is gluconate. So it won't last 
longer ... it's a matter of hours, not days. It will refurbish plants of 
the iron that they couldn't find in STEP I and then it will gone.

Of course those are only ideas... I cross-posted all my thread to ADA but - 
as usual - they haven't answered. But the crucial point is : if I used half 
the suggested dose of Power Sand for my layout, why do I have algae???? The 
answer blows in the wind!!!
But if half the dose lead to a tank which is _not_ phosphate limited, how 
can you drive it with the entire dose???? ehehehh !!:)) That leaded me to 
think NA ADA concept drives tank in an iron-limited condition. But still... 
The answer blows in the wind!!!
BTW how ADA can claim in virtually _all_ their tank to have <=0.2ppm PO4 
??? and a COD < 6ppm almost in all the tanks???

Time to go to bed...I have a bonsai in my mind !:))

Luca

PS: Ryan, if you can arrange ADA shopping and expedition, I'd love to buy 
from Japan by your way , if you don't mind.