Substrate questions.

[jetajockey]

I have bought countless bags of Eco and have never gotten a clarifier packet in any bag! But I also haven't had any dirt/dust issues after using it either. I actually thought maybe they were just adding something into the liquid portion of the bag.

That may be how they do it now, I haven't wasted money on that product in over 3 years.

 

[Fresh2o]

just so that we're on the same page, were you using this? i used it in my nano tank and the water is very clear even if i disturb the substrate when i aquascape.
Amazon.com: CaribSea Eco-Complete 20-Pound Planted Aquarium, Black: Pet Supplies

Yep that's it.

I purchased two bags each on three occasions. The first two went into my 20g planted tank and it has been fine. The next two went into my 20g shrimp tank and I had a mysterious ammonia and bacterial/fungal growth problem (the bags sat in the garage in the winter for a few months...not sure if that had anything to do with it). Restarted fresh and used the last two bags on it and it has been okay so far. Just like the look of black sand.

 

[Rivercats]

I've never had any problems with Eco and it's in all my tanks. It's never clouded up when I disturb the substrate either.

 

[dragonfisher33]

Yep that's it.

I purchased two bags each on three occasions. The first two went into my 20g planted tank and it has been fine. The next two went into my 20g shrimp tank and I had a mysterious ammonia and bacterial/fungal growth problem (the bags sat in the garage in the winter for a few months...not sure if that had anything to do with it). Restarted fresh and used the last two bags on it and it has been okay so far. Just like the look of black sand.

just a reminder, these substrates do have live bacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, in them which will contribute to the ammonia spike if you had it lying around for months.

 

[dragonfisher33]

I have bought countless bags of Eco and have never gotten a clarifier packet in any bag! But I also haven't had any dirt/dust issues after using it either. I actually thought maybe they were just adding something into the liquid portion of the bag.

Rivercats, you misunderstood my statement. i didn't say anything about packet clarifier, what i was saying is that there's liquid clarifier within the bag of substrate. my lfs associate told me about it before i made the purchase.

 

[Fresh2o]

Rivercats, you misunderstood my statement. i didn't say anything about packet clarifier, what i was saying is that there's liquid clarifier within the bag of substrate. my lfs associate told me about it before i made the purchase.

From what I have read from other user's experiences, a separate packet of clarifier was included in the bag. I never suspected it was in the liquid itself.

 

[Fresh2o]

just a reminder, these substrates do have live bacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, in them which will contribute to the ammonia spike if you had it lying around for months.

I bought it on impulse thinking that they mislabeled the product and just left it in the garage in February. I know it got COLD in there.
I did not use it until April. Thinking that the long, cold storage may have been a bad thing, the next purchase I made went straight from the store and into the tank.

 

[jetajockey]

The amount of ammonia generated by dead bacteria is minimal. Not to mention the heterotrophs that they use are most likely the same kind used in various bacteria booster products, i.e. it is in a spore form so it can withstand extreme temps and has an extremely long shelf life.

If it had a shelf life on it, I'm certain they would label it.

 

[dragonfisher33]

From what I have read from other user's experiences, a separate packet of clarifier was included in the bag. I never suspected it was in the liquid itself.

well, if that's the case, that makes two of us. i've not gotten a packet of clarifier at all. i would check the source of this information though because no where does the package itself mention anything about a packet of "freebies". but i told it has a clarifying agent within the substrate to prevent the cloudiness.

well, anyways i'm going to deal with the cloudy issue with the Flourite substrate using poly-fill and see if any improvement in a week.

 

[jetajockey]

well, if that's the case, that makes two of us. i've not gotten a packet of clarifier at all. i would check the source of this information though because no where does the package itself mention anything about a packet of "freebies". but i told it has a clarifying agent within the substrate to prevent the cloudiness.

well, anyways i'm going to deal with the cloudy issue with the Flourite substrate using poly-fill and see if any improvement in a week.

I'm one source of that information, they used to be in there, it was called 'biomagnet clarifier'.

You can see it on the bag in yellow in this pic. From tropicalreef.co.uk

 

[Fresh2o]

I'm one source of that information, they used to be in there, it was called 'biomagnet clarifier'.

You can see it on the bag in yellow in this pic. From tropicalreef.co.uk

For some reason I saved one of the bags (pack rat I am). Yeah, the yellow "bio magnet clarifier" label is absent. This was purchased this year from a local Petco:

 

[Rivercats]

For some reason I saved one of the bags (pack rat I am). Yeah, the yellow "bio magnet clarifier" label is absent. This was purchased this year from a local Petco:

I've never had a bag like that either!

 

[dragonfisher33]

i have half of what i used for my nano tank and it doesn't have the clarifier either



maybe it was for the UK market

 

[jetajockey]

Eco complete has been around a long time. Like I said earlier the last time I spent money on this product was over 3 years ago.

 

[AaronW]

Is it possible to mix Eco complete with sand??

 

[Fresh2o]

Is it possible to mix Eco complete with sand??

I don't see why not. However, over time the sand (and finer granules of EcoComplete) <i>may</i> slowly migrate to the bottom and the larger granules to the top. I don't think that is a bad thing.

 

[Rivercats]

Yes you can mix sand with Eco but the sand will all work down under the Eco. Why not look into the Eco Complete "Fine" grain.

 

[AaronW]

Yes you can mix sand with Eco but the sand will all work down under the Eco. Why not look into the Eco Complete "Fine" grain.

Sounds more up my alley. I really need to take better care of my plants at this point they're just surviving. I want them to thrive.

 

[Scottyhorse]

FloraMax has the bio-magnet clarifier.

 

[Rivercats]

Sounds more up my alley. I really need to take better care of my plants at this point they're just surviving. I want them to thrive.

It's not really hard. Just get the plants that are suitable for your lighting. Use either liquid carbon or CO2 and dose the proper ferts needed for your set up and that is the basic's behind good plant growth.