ADA Malaya substrate

[albash]

After juggling fluctuating pH over weeks, I've decided to try ADA Malaya (normal) on my 4ft tank. Initially I had fluval substrate and always give me high pH readings - between 6.6-7.0. This tank has 4 sections which I keep varieties of shrimp - CRS, red cherry, red rili and mischiling.

 

Now, pH issue is solved (now it's approx 6 which I'm happy with) - daily reading over last 4 days but ammonia spike becomes a problem now for first 2 days - I've been keep changing water (RO) drastically almost 50% to bring down ammonia and got tired at end day 2. Then remember had Hydra internal filter which claims that can bring down ammonia and nitrate level down. On day 3 and 4, level ammonia at 0.25 and nitrate 5ppm and shrimps look OK. Couple of them even berried. Even so, I still monitor WP.

 

Any feedbacks for ADA Malaya? How long does ammonia spike last?

 

 

[jayc]

Depends if you seeded the tank with a mature filter with lots of bacteria.

Malaya doesn't have as much ammonia as Amazonia. So cycle times will be much lower.

For the record, ADA Africana will get pH down to the 5s.