Eco-Complete or Flourite

[theokie]

i was planning on using the ADA range of product to do the substrate in my new planted tank but was unable to find much information on how to get their line of products in Canada, so I'm left with choosing Flourite or Eco complete as I can get both locally.

I'm planning on using 2 to 3 inches of substrate in the planted areas of my tank and using acrylic dividers to keep the non planted sand area seperate. Eventually planning on a few discus but will outline that in more detail in another thread. As far as plants that will be planted in the planted area, I'm planning on using Gloss, as my foreground plant with mainly swords as a background and one tiger lotus off to the side. I'm planning on growing anubias on driftwood, as well as a Christmas moss wall, though these are not really substrate dependent plants in a 30 inch tall tank. I plan on using fertilizer tabs under the swords to give them a help and most likely will be dosing fertilizers and of course pressurized CO2.

My main concerns with the substrate are:

Eventual break down, I've read that some substrates basically turn into mud after a year or so, something I would greatly like to avoid.

And basic overal balance of nutrients when paired with our local water.

Over on planted tank it appears that apart from the ADA line of products, eco complete and flourite appear to be tied as second runner up as the preferred substrate.

I've also seen on aquariumplants.com that they have their own line of substrate, and when factoring in with shipping and the amount that I need for a 150 gallon tank, is in the ball park of the other two. Has anyone ever used their products?

[Blue Ram]

Aquariumplants.com sells good products - I have not tried their substrate. Out of eco-complete and flourite, I have always used eco-complete. I have had it in tanks for several years and have found that the plants still grow well. Eco-complete is also a lot less messy to work with. Add it to the tank and add your fish and you are ready to go!

[jvision]

I have a 120gal planted tank, and have had a 135 in the past. I stopped using expensive substrates a long time ago b/c they put my large tanks out of budget. If you need a high CEC in the substrate, stop by All Seasons Garden Centre and pick up a bag of clay balls to place under your heavy root feeders (work great for Crypts, Swords and Lotus, so far).

I use Play Sand in pretty much all of my tanks ($8 for 55lbs @ HD), but for my show tank, I did splurge and buy some black sand. It's hard to come by these days, so the price on a big tank can be steep (in my 135 the sand was the 2nd highest expense behind the tank/stand/filter) - but it's still cheaper than going 3" deep with brand name "Plant" substrates.

Have I noticed a decline in plant health since changing from specialized plant substrates? NOPE! Most plants will take up nutrients from their leaves, and I dose ferts to the water column, so no loss. The ones that do feed heavily from the roots get some clay balls which will hold the ferts there until the plants need them.

[Kronosdelsol]

Hi theokie, welcome to our Forum. I have both Flourite and Eco complete in my tanks. They are a slow release substrate and will take many years before they deplete. These two products won't turn into my mud over time. I read somewhere that Flourite (gravel, not sand) will actually recharge itself, but Eco complete won't. Then again, Eco is so much cheaper than Flourite.

The two substrates will eventually mix unless you avoid uprooting plants and vacuuming in that area. You can always cover the acrylic with rocks or just build the different layers using rocks in general. I would avoid the acrylic because it doesn't look natural. See here. But then again, this person didn't do it well.

I tried ordering from aquariumplants.com before and got no help via phone or email. They are known for bad service. But then again, Blue Ram did have success.

[cale262]

I put about ten bags of Flourite in my 85G hi-tec (4WPG, co2, very little liquid fert added biweekly, 20% weekly WC, heavily stocked), that tank is a year old now and the plants are growing crazy fast and zero algae...

I've used Eco-Comp in other hit-tec tanks and no issue there either....

I've tried 90% sand (HD playsand) 10% Flourite mix and never really had much luck with it, but then again I was not really dosing allot of ferts either...

I say Flourite if you have the coin, big upfront investment but worthe every penny in the long haul IMHO.

Sorry for the crappy photo, I just took it, bubbler stays on until 11am, lights and Co2 come on at 12noon until 10pm bubbler comes back on at 11pm.

Edited September 19, 2010 by cale262

[theokie]

Thanks for all your words of wisdom reguarding the substrate issue, and I do think I will be leaning towards the Flourite for the heavily planted areas and will be using playsand with tabs of some sort, for the sandy area that the spouse and the discus will like.

As for the acrylic divders, I have seen a few of the pourly terraced ones and hope i can do my best to avoid it, I'm thinking a divder no higher then .5 inches below substate max. just to keep the bulk of the sand at bay. I plan on bending it with a torch so I can get some more organic shapes out of it. Drawing much of my inspiration from This tank, though modifying it for my larger tank, and the moss wall that the other half demands.

The way I see it, if all I have to do to keep the other half happy is, 1. Have an area of white sand, for the sorta path/stream between two hills look, 2. Have a moss wall instead of a cheap background, and 3. not have hoses all over the place for water changes. and then I can have my 150 gallon planted discus tank, it is a compromise worth doing.

Cale262, I'm totally inlove with your Lace Plant, I had one years ago that complete filled my 42 gallon bowfront, sadly the bulb was consumed by a BN that didn't like the driftwood, algea wafers and zuchini I was offering him. I would love to do one in this tank, but I don't know how they would stand up to the higher temperatures of a discus tank or if I could even work it into the "approved" landscape plan

[jewels]

aquariumplants.com ,,, have their own line of substrate,,, Has anyone ever used their products?

The dark stuff is ap.com substrate. The lighter stuff is Shultz's pond soil. Same product different colour.

The substrate in the photo is more than two years old. It came with a whack o' non-P tabs complete w/ applicator. $80.00 delivered.

It is a pleasing colour and light enough for shrimps to scour.

[Evolution]

Very nice A. madagascarensis, do you refridgerate it?

[cale262]

Very nice A. madagascarensis, do you refridgerate it?

No, the tank is kept at a nice warm 78*-80*F...I've never had any melting issues with it even with the undergravel heater, I was told that it wouldn't likely get bigger than a 10" spread in a warm tank but this one has to be at least 30"s.

[Evolution]

It's a beauty!