Neo Aquarium Soil Experiences and Your Recommendations!

[Lennie]

Hey guys, 

Hope you are doing well.

Lately I am planning to upgrade my 29g to a 40. Currently in that tank, I have a JBL plant dirt on bottom+ JBL manado on top around 7cms with roottabs.

In one of my tanks, I've used Tropica's aquasoil but lately it seems hard to find, only one source, and it is expensive. 

Has anyone have any experience with Neo Aquarium soil? What's the difference between Brown soil/1mm/3mm, which one worked well for you?

http://www.aquario.co.kr/neoSoil/neosoil.php

Has it leeched stuff for you? It shows a 40+days of water chance schedule mostly every 2 days and 3 days. That's big. I did a similar maintenance for tropica but this feels too much, literally it is 2x more the time, as I've spent only around 2.5-3 weeks for tropica's one. How much it leeches exactly?

Should I wait that much to introduce fish? I have one middle sized sponge filter and one HOB filter that will directly go into the new tank as well.

The fish that will move to this new tank are rummynoses, honey gourami, black rams, sterbai corys and L199.

 

I've seen this schedule on their site. I have no Idea why there is NO2 reading coming from the substrate??:

Maintaining stable water quality

"Since NH3/NH4 and NO2 disappear very quickly at the beginning of the setting, there is little chance of bad algae"

DAY	NH3/NH4(mg/l)	NO2(mg/l)	NO3(mg/l)
Original Water	0	0	12.5
2016.04.05	0.3	3	100
2016.04.11	0	0	50
2016.04.18	0	0	25
2016.04.23	0	0	12.5

 

Water Change Schedule

 

%50 water change so often for 1.5months in seems big for me. I always do 20-25% water change in my tanks. I did big water changes so often with tropica in the first 3 weeks but I started doing it once a week around %20 later on. Never read ammonia or nitrite after introducing my established filter.

 

some other options are:

1- No aquasoil. Buying more JBL manado and move my all old subtrate to this new tank as well. Means much less option for potential aquascaping as it never holds any shape firmly due to super soft structure, and limits plant options to some extend as it is inert and not every plant has been growing well with roottabs and fert dosing in my experience.

2- Maybe using lots of lavarock on bottom and neo aquasoil on top of it for some good plant growth? Helps with budget and it seems pretty good so for in my other tank.

3- Potentially using lavarock bottom and aquasoil on top  of it, starting from middle to back side (or in a different type of aquascape), and using sand in front as corys and rams love sifting through it.

 

This is JBL Manado: https://www.jbl.de/en/products/detail/3398/jbl-manado?country=us

 

Would love to hear experiences.

 

@knee, @Mmiller2001 any opinions guys?

Edited March 11 by Lennie

[Mmiller2001]

Check out Landen Aquasoil.

 https://www.amazon.com/LANDEN-Substrate-Natural-Aquarium-Freshwater/dp/B07TQRSS61/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1109XHG803JEJ&keywords=landen+aquarium+soil&qid=1678572297&sprefix=landen%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-5

Lasts longer and way less water changes.

[knee]

Never tried both of those but the Neo Soil seems like it's similar to other aquasoil brands. I've only used ADA, Tropica and Controsoil. ADA took about 2 months before it slowed down and for the plants to catch up. I did a fishless cycle and used lots of stems plants and floaters, and kept ammonia under 2ppm.

Controsoil is the only substrate that didn't leech ammonia for me or at least didn't create an ammonia spike. I have the extra fine 1mm, which is better if you have plants with smaller roots. Otherwise doesn't matter which size you choose.

https://www.amazon.com/Ultum-Nature-Controsoil-Freshwater-Substrate/dp/B07C2P56H2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=35KMB9PTZ5F0I&keywords=controsoil&qid=1678572571&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=controsoil%2Cpets%2C164&sr=1-1&th=1

[Lennie]

On 3/12/2023 at 1:05 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

Check out Landen Aquasoil.

 https://www.amazon.com/LANDEN-Substrate-Natural-Aquarium-Freshwater/dp/B07TQRSS61/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1109XHG803JEJ&keywords=landen+aquarium+soil&qid=1678572297&sprefix=landen%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-5

Lasts longer and way less water changes.

 

@kneeSadly not available here.

We only have Ista, Tropica and Neo right now 😞

Edited March 11 by Lennie

[John Henry]

I second Mmiller2001's recommendation of Landen Aquasoil, my ammonia and nitrites cleared 14 days after setup.

[Mmiller2001]

On 3/11/2023 at 3:13 PM, Lennie said:

 

@kneeSadly not available here.

We only have Ista, Tropica and Neo right now 😞

Then I would  go with a layer of aqua soil capped with something easy to plant through but cheaper to cut costs.

[Lennie]

On 3/12/2023 at 1:36 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

Then I would  go with a layer of aqua soil capped with something easy to plant through but cheaper to cut costs.

I normally use lava rock on bottom + aquasoil on top to cut the costs.

Do you think aquasoil on bottom + another substrate on top is better? Does it still leech in this way or not? I feel like it would be a lil risky when MTS pokes it this way. Potential leeches and may turn the aquasoil over top mess the subsrate

[Mmiller2001]

On 3/11/2023 at 3:41 PM, Lennie said:

I normally use lava rock on bottom + aquasoil on top to cut the costs.

Do you think aquasoil on bottom + another substrate on top is better? Does it still leech in this way or not? I feel like it would be a lil risky when MTS pokes it this way. Potential leeches and may turn the aquasoil over top mess the subsrate

It will leech regardless. There's flow in our substrate for. Think of it like the lymphatic system in our bodies. 

I would want the soil where my roots would be, usually lower down in the substrate.

[Lennie]

I've ordered two packages of neo soil.

The ones delivered to be seemed like they had the shrimp label but removed later on. I contacted the authorised people as my country's distributor and they told me that this is perfectly fine for planted tanks.

I am not planning to keep shrimp in that tank really. Just fish and lots of plants. All I care about is growing plants nicely, the way my tropica aquasoil does.

I am unsure whether I should refund this or keep it. I cannot see anything that gives info about the ratio of nutritients in the soil, like Tropica does on the backside.

I'm kinda confused. They also sent free root tabs with it.

Any ideas? Should I keep it or return and get tropica which is way more expensive in comparison? @knee @Mmiller2001

 

 

[Mmiller2001]

I bet it's fine to use. Like all soils, they deplete over time and roots tabs can be used when that happens. As long as it holds form for a good while would sell me. If it turns to mud too quick, I would try to find something else. 

[Lennie]

On 3/16/2023 at 10:24 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

If it turns to mud too quick, I would try to find something else. 

It claims not being easily crumbled and not too soft. Only way to see is trying I guess!

On 3/16/2023 at 10:24 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

I bet it's fine to use. Like all soils, they deplete over time and roots tabs can be used when that happens.

Yea it is suggested to use roottabs starting from the second month of the usage of soil. I personally haven't started supplementing my tropica aquasoil yet and it seems fine? Has been around 3 months or something