# seperating substrate??



## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

Long story short, I'm going to redo my aquarium. I have eco-complete as my bottom layer, and sand as my top layer. Now, since I am going to redo my aquarium, I don't want the sand substrate. The problem is that over three months, the sand mixed with the eco-complete.

How can I separate the eco-complete from the sand?

Blah...looks like more fun for me :boom: 

-Jeff


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I would use a colander made of wire or very small holes, so that the sand passes through it and the gravel stays in.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

It's a little like getting one color back out of a mixture of paint - pretty hard to do. Trena's idea is a good solution if the sand is quite a bit smaller than the ecco. If not, you're kind of stuck with buying new ecco. You could always pick it apart grain by grain.........


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## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

lol...I spent about $60 on the eco-complete. I guess I'm going to use a colander. Blah...what fun....at least it's my spring break.


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

I have used the colander method in the past. It is time consuming but it does work. I ued it to remove plansyand from some Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil. You will loose some of the smaller grain sizes of the Eco but if you can find a size that only the sand will pass through you will be able to save your Eco. 

Let us know how it goes


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## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

Blah...I finished...kind of. It took me a whole day (today). It was pretty easy since it was kind of layered. But still, there is some traces of sand in the eco-complete.


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