# Eco complete



## matpreec (Aug 30, 2006)

Hi guys

I have had my Eco complete substrate for 3 years (2" deep) now and i was wondering if it loses it's nutrient value over time?

I am due to use the above substrate and start a new setup but its the perfect time to add to it if i need to. What would you guys suggest or recommend?

Thanks


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## NoSvOrAx (Nov 11, 2006)

Most of the nutrients it had were in the blackwater it was packed in. Just stick some root tabs in there.


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

A good water column fertilizing scheme(EI for high light, high tech tank), should compensate for a loss of nutrients in the substrated and you should notice no measureable decline in plant growth, assuming all other things remain equal, lighting and c02 injection(if high tech setup).


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## bradac56 (May 9, 2007)

Yea three years is a bit long for Eco or Fluorite I agree with Homer & NoSvOrAx start adding
monthly fert tabs and use a liquid fert scheme even if it's just Florish and Excel for starters.

On a side note in about another 1 to 1.5 years that Eco is going to get "mushy" and start
compacting, that goes for anything but Aqua Soil as well. If you haven't changed the tank
out by then you might want to regularly poke the substrate with a peace of wood or metal
to areiate it and/or add a bit of pool filter sand to keep it from compacting your plant roots
(it will sink into the mush faster than new Eco).

That's been my experience but tanks very depending on setup, water, & maintenance so your
mileage might vary from mine.

- Brad


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## matpreec (Aug 30, 2006)

Thanks for your replies guys - great help. I guess the question now is... if the Eco Complete has limited nutrients now and it's going to turn to mush in a year or so, why am i keeping it at all? Its probably best if i get rid of it and start afresh with something new?

Things have changed alot on the substrate market since i last looked though... can anyone recommend a good substrate or mix? What about ADA Amozonica?


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## bradac56 (May 9, 2007)

matpreec said:


> Thanks for your replies guys - great help. I guess the question now is... if the Eco Complete has limited nutrients now and it's going to turn to mush in a year or so, why am i keeping it at all? Its probably best if i get rid of it and start afresh with something new?
> 
> Things have changed alot on the substrate market since i last looked though... can anyone recommend a good substrate or mix? What about ADA Amozonica?


Aqua Soil (all three Amazonia, Malaya, & Africana) are probably the best stuff on the market but is
going to be the most expensive as well. If you've got the cash for it and some power sand then go
for it.

As for why to continue with the old Eco - you might like the current tank setup and are not ready to
tare it down yet? Its lack of nutrients isn't the end of the world ether. I'm into inert top-soils that I
can add what I want and I have a better idea of what is going on in my tank. I tend to use Eco and
Fluorite as an additive not as my main substrate. It all comes down to your personal taste.

- Brad


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## matpreec (Aug 30, 2006)

Thanks Brad

The tank setup itself consists of just the Eco-complete and water (no decor or plants at all) so i'm basically starting from scratch anyway, particularly as i have a heating cable to fit too.

I have the cash for the Amazonia and power sand so will probably go with that


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## matpreec (Aug 30, 2006)

So just to make sure... The power sand goes on the bottom, then the Amazonia and then whatever on top?

How much of each would i need? Tank size is 48"L x 12"W x 18"D


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

I would not totally get rid of all the Eco-Complete, consider underlaying a very thin 1/2 inch layer of it under new substrate as it has valuable "mulm" that with good bacteria that your plants and tank can benefit from. And considering that Aqusoil I and II initially leach large amounts of ammonia into the water column, the mulm under the substrate may actually help more quickly neutralize the high ammonia levels and duration of the spike. And yes a thin layer of ADA power sand goes on the bottom. When I set up my Aquasoil experimental tank, I believe the directions were that the power sand needed to be capped with 2-3X as much Aquasoil. I capped mine with twice as much Aquasoil and that worked well.


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## matpreec (Aug 30, 2006)

Good idea Homer thanks.



> And yes a thin layer of ADA power sand goes on the bottom.


Sorry to be particular but how much is a thin layer? Given that there needs to be 2"-3" of substrate... will a 1/2" of Eco, 1/2" of Power Sand and an 1" - 1.5" of Amazonia be ok?


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

matpreec said:


> Good idea Homer thanks.
> 
> Sorry to be particular but how much is a thin layer? Given that there needs to be 2"-3" of substrate... will a 1/2" of Eco, 1/2" of Power Sand and an 1" - 1.5" of Amazonia be ok?


You are welcome  I really don't see a problem with this. If you are worried about getting too thick an overall layer by using any eco-complete undercap at all, you could rinse your old eco-complete in a bucket of *dechlorinated water* and capture as much of the brown slurry(it is the same stuff that settles on the bottom of a bucket when you siphon your gravel and use a bucket to hold the old aquarium water) as you can, perhaps using a strainer. This brown stuff is the mulm and has all the good stuff in it. Then you can just place this slurry on the bottom of the tank, cover with the power sand, and cap with the Aquasoil. From what I have heard, some folks like Tom Barr just layer the bottom of the aquarium with the mulm(slurry) and don't use ADA powersand and swear that they get equivalent or better growth than using a powersand underlayer.


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