# Partial bag of Eco-Complete



## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I need to open a new bag of it for just a few cups (thanks to you guys talking about your nano tanks... :roll: ).
Anyway, when I re-seal it, do I need to dump the water out, or just seal it back up and hope I don't spill it accidentally some time and make a mess?


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

it says on the bag dump water out before you put it in the tank.


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## SnyperP (Dec 10, 2004)

LOL i was going to start up a nano soon myself, but i can't bring myself to buy a whole bag for just a few cups. I suppose i'll just set it up a grow out tank for my christmas moss, or at least i think it is. It's in pretty bad shape atm.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Jans... I would say to re-seal it with the water. Put the Eco-complete bag into another bag in case it leaks.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Thanks for the replies.
My first though was to leave the water in the bag too, so I guess I'll leave it in there, double bag it (I hadn't thought of that, duh) and put it somewhere out of the way.


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## cS (Jan 27, 2004)

I'd vote that you discard the water. Sure you paid for the water, but it's nothing more than a buffer solution, one which the manufacturer does not recommend you add to an established tank. New tanks will be planted so the cycling bacteria is redundant. Keeping the water is more hassle than it is worth IMVHO.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Well,

To be honest I completely agree with cS but will say I have alwasy just rolled the top of the bag over and stuck it in the corner of my closet. Months later when I needed more, it seemed fine and the water was still in it. I believe the bag can"breathe", meaning that water cannot pass through but oxygen can, could be wrond though. Either way I would not worry about how you store it, as long as you don't store it all over the floor


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## gnome (Jan 27, 2004)

The best way to store extra substrate is to get a large, glass container, preferrably (at least for me) in a rectangular shape. However, don't exceed 3". Store with liquid, but fill the glass container with water up to the top. If the container wasn't large enough to fit all of the excess substrate without exceeding the 3" limit, get another smaller glass container to hold the rest and again, store with water to the top. However, to keep the substrate in really good condition, it's best to have a light over the container(s), which stays on for at least 8 or 9 hours a day. And to keep the supposed bacteria alive in the Eco-Complete, make sure you keep some critters in the glass containers storing the substrate. Oh, and I also heard that including a bunch of plants with the substrate, water and fish is advisable. This is the *best* way I can think of to store extra substrate, but my husband doesn't seem to think so. 

-Naomi


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## ringram (Jan 10, 2005)

So what you're saying is, the best way to store it is to use it?


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## gnome (Jan 27, 2004)

SHHHHH!!!!! It's called "_creative storage._" I store a lot of my extra Flourite this way. I even store some extra filters (plugged in) hanging on these glass containers. Doing this will maximize the shelf life of the substrate (although this information cannot be found in published literature - I have my sources).

-Naomi


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

LOL! That's the best creative storage method I've heard yet.... I'll have to give that one a shot....


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