Chihiros Aqua Soil

Safety use introduction

1. Please fully read the instructions before using.
2. DO NOT use it with fish medicine! Our company will NOT be liable for the death of aquatic if our soil is used with fish medicine or used in improper way.
3. It is a normal phenomenon that, some water, due to its chemicals components, may turn weak yellow after use with AQUA SOIL. The weak yellow effect can be rectified by changing the water several times.
4. The product is solely used for raising aquatic. It is NOT eatable.
5. Keep the product properly stored out of reach of children, keep away from children.
6. Keep at room temperature and when dry seal preservation.

How to use this soil

1. It is NOT necessary to wash the products before use.
2. Spread the aquascaping soil evenly across the bottom of your aquarium to create a substrateaver. The depth of the layer should depend on the size of your aquarium and the type of plants you plan to use. A depth of 6-8cm is typically sufficient.
3. Create small holes in the substrate to accommodate the plant roots. Be sure to leave enough space between each plant to allow for growth and prevent overcrowding.
4. Slowly fill your aquarium with waterafter put plastic sheets, being careful not todisturb the substrate layer as you do so.
5. After the establishment of nitrification, add your fish and other aquatic creatures. Be sure to monitor the water quality regularly to ensure that it remains balanced and healthy.
6. To maintain your aquascape, prune your plants regularly and remove any dead leaves or debris from the substrate You may also need to add fertilizer or additional nutrients to the soil to promote healthy plant growth.

FAQ

• What is the difference between Chihiros aquatic plant soil and other aquatic plant soils?
• The most important property of aquatic plant soil is its ability to resist disintegration. All other properties of aquatic plant soil are extensions of its ability to resist disintegration. Chihiros aquatic plant soil is made using a self-developed process that has excellent anti-disintegration properties. Its disintegration rate does not exceed 3% over three years and it can be reused multiple times. It is specially designed for enthusiasts who like to experiment with their aquarium setups.
• Can Chihiros aquatic plant soil lower acidity?
• Yes can, most plants prefer a slightly acidic growing environment, so Chihiros aquatic plant soil uses pH buffering technology to adjust the water quality to a weakly acidic environment ranging from 6.8 to 6.2, depending on the local water quality. This is different from other aquatic plant soils that may cause a sudden drop in acidity. The benefit of this approach is that it can reduce the occurrence of melting leaves during the initial setup of the aquarium. Additionally, in the pH range of 6.5-7.5, plants can utilize various nutrient elements with the highest absorption rate.
• Can Chihiros aquatic plant soil soften water?
• Chihiros aquatic plant soil is made from raw materials with a high cation exchange rate. Therefore, it has a high cation exchange capacity, and when there are high levels of cations such as calcium and magnesium in the water, the aquatic plant soil will adsorb and reduce the water hardness.
• Can Chihiros aquatic plant soil purify water?
• Chihiros aquatic plant soil is made using a porous process, with internal cavities similar to activated carbon, that can adsorb large particle pigments in the water to maintain the clarity of the aquarium water.
• Why does Chihiros aquatic plant soil have a slightly high TDS value during the initial setup of the aquarium?
• We add minerals such as zeolite powder and diatomite powder during the processing of the aquatic plant soil, which can increase the cation exchange capacity of the soil. As a result, minerals and salts may temporarily precipitate from the soil, causing a transient increase in TDS value in the aquarium water during the initial setup. Additionally, the pH buffering technology used in Chihiros aquatic plant soil may also cause a slight increase in TDS value. However, these factors do not affect the growth of aquatic plants. After 3-5 complete water changes, the TDS value will stabilize and return to normal.
• How fertile is Chihiros aquatic plant soil?
• In soil science, the fertility of soil is evaluated based on its cation exchange capacity. The higher the exchange capacity, the higher the fertility of the soil. We use raw materials with a cation exchange capacity of around 18 to make our aquatic plant soil, which indicates that our soil has relatively high fertility. Many sellers in the market suggest that their aquatic plants are better by claiming to have high K.N.P content, which is an unprofessional and biased statement. For example, K-fertilizer is a highly soluble fertilizer that dissolves easily in water. In pharmaceutical research, if a compound is difficult to dissolve in water, scientists will find ways to increase its solubility by combining it with K or Li ions. Adding nutrients to aquatic plant soil is not difficult, but if the nutrients cannot be retained in the soil and are quickly lost during water changes, simply increasing nutrient content would be meaningless. Therefore, the higher the cation exchange capacity, the better the ability of aquatic plant soil to retain nutrients. Based on our experience, aquatic plant soil is not a fertilizer, but rather a buffering system in the aquarium ecosystem. When there is an abundance of nutrients in the water, it absorbs nutrients, and when there are fewer nutrients in the water, it releases nutrients. This is also one of the functions of soil in nature. Therefore, normal fertilization is essential, but during the initial setup of the aquarium, the nutrients in the aquatic plant soil are sufficient, and no additional fertilizers are needed. When the aquatic plants grow normally, potassium fertilizer can be added appropriately, and after 6 months of setup, a complete nutrient fertilizer can be added.
• How to maintain the aquarium during the initial setup period?
• During the initial setup period, the main goal is to help the aquatic plants adapt to their new environment quickly. As the new aquatic plant soil releases more nutrients, it is recommended to prevent extreme events such as algae blooms and sudden changes in water acidity. It is advisable to change half of the water every three days during the initial setup period. If there is leaf melting or other issues with the water quality, it may be necessary to increase the frequency of water changes. Once the plants start sprouting and there are no more signs of leaf melting, it is appropriate to change 1/3 to 1/5 of the water every week.
• Is it for raising shrimp or for aquatic plants only?
• It can be used as a substrate for aquatic plants or as a substrate for shrimp, but similar to other reputable brand for substrate, it is necessary to wait for the water quality to stabilize before adding the shrimp. The main thing to pay attention to is the concentration of ammonia ions. In the early stages, the release of nutrients from the substrate is rapid and the ammonia nitrogen content is high, which can easily poison the shrimp. Once nitrifying bacteria have established, and the ammonia nitrogen concentration has decreased, the shrimp can be added. The bacterial community also serves as the initial food for the shrimp larvae, which can improve the survival rate of the larvae.
• Do I need to add other fertilizers immediately after starting the tank? If so, when should I add them?
• Actually, no additional fertilizers are needed during the initial stage of tank setup. However, one thing to note is that potassium ions are soluble and can easily be lost during water changes, so if water changes are frequent, potassium fertilizer will be needed once the plants start growing normally. Potassium fertilizer can be added three months after the plants start growing normally, and a regular comprehensive liquid fertilizer can be added after six months.
• Some people may ask if our aquatic soil can only be used for six months because of its nutrients. However, aquatic soil is not fertilizer, and many people misunderstand that the nutrient content of aquatic soil is equivalent to a mixture of various nutrients. In soil science, the fertility level of soil is evaluated by its cation exchange capacity (CEC), and the higher the CEC, the greater the soil's ability to store nutrients. This data has important significance in aquatic soil, as it helps to maintain the dynamic balance of nutrients in the water, preventing excess algae growth or nutrient deficiencies due to under-fertilization.
• In short, good aquatic soil is equivalent to non-disintegrating soil with a high cation exchange capacity. Currently, the best slow-release fertilizers last for about six months, so if someone claims that their aquatic soil does not require additional fertilization for a year, they are likely a fraud.
• Is the nutrient release of our substrate faster than other reputable brand?
• The nutrient release of our substrate cannot be faster than theirs because the release rate is related to slow-release technology and anti-powdering technology. The anti-powdering ability can be directly equated with the slow-release ability.