Help identify substrate.

[ah_Dan]

Any one know what kind of substrate are these?
Found two bucket from my dad's old fish items.
They looks like ADA soil, but are they still usable?

[CRS Fan]

Looks like ADA to me too (with lots of MTS shells). This susbstrate is currently dry, correct?

Best regards,

Stuart

[neven]

looks like akadama to me

[davej]

Looks more like RedSea Florabase to me. The ADA color is darker brown almost black. Whereas the Florabase is a reddish brown much like yours.

[gimlid]

the florabase I am using is alot more red than that.
If you look closely you can see red granules mixed in. Perhaps well used florabase?

[ah_Dan]

I dried up a portion of it and it turns like that. Its been sitting outside so it is damped.
Wonder if I should even use it?

[tang daddy]

that is ADA, I had some and when it sits it's not as dark. I would say it is fine to use but if your setting up a shrimp tank I would let it cycle for atleast 2 months before adding shrimp...

especially CRS if their cherries 3 weeks, and make sure you do heavy water changes when you first add it in.

After adding the substrate, on the 3rd day do 80% WC, 6th day 50%, 12th day 30% then continue weekly. I also forgot 1 thing adding a seeded filter and used tank water can speed up the cycling process....

[effox]

Don't bother with the used tank water, but do use a seeded filter, especially with the ADA as it spikes ammonia hard core.