which is better

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ecoooo complete always anytime anyplace! eco is my favorite substrate, it leaches no ammonia and has nutrients!

AND it doesnt cloud ur tank
 
Ive used both, there's pros and cons to each.

Eco is nutrient rich, so it will feed your plants. This does, however, eventually run out.

The other stuff is much cheaper.

If you're dosing heavily, the eco isn't necessary, since you're providing everything needed via your ferts.
 
i will probably go with the eco I have low light tank with lots of root feeders and I would more than like benifit more from the nutrient rich substrate.

Thanks Neilanh and runninwolf
 
well since they dont really have their own substrate like they claim.... its just a product use for baseball fields called turface. you can buy it for 20-25 for 50 pounds. since its really lite weight 2 bags would be plenty for a 100 gallon. heck 50 pounds is too much for my 60 gallon tanks.

turface will suck up ferts in the water. even with eco you should still use root feeders. i have both eco and sms/turface. both have their pros and cons. it takes time to learn how to plant well in turface. plants are easy pulled up. in my 120 mostly low light plants like crypts i went with turface on the bottom with a top inch or so of eco. saved a lot of money and get both benifits in one.

the only bad thing about this is if you pull plants a lot and put new ones in often the eco goes to the bottom and turface goes to the top.
 
thanks MG i think i will stick with just eco i really like the black coloring of it and I can't find that in the turface around here.
 
thanks MG i think i will stick with just eco i really like the black coloring of it and I can't find that in the turface around here.

Good choice, go with Eco. I have used the red bucket on a grow out tank and hated it. It is super light and is very tough to keep plants rooted.

Never found the need for root tabs with eco or any other substrate to be honest. Lots of people use them, they don't hurt.
 
sparky the trick is to dig a hole put the plant in the hole cover it up and push the gravel down around it then keep doing it. kind of like out side in the garden. this compacts it some and holds it down.
 
OK going to get the eco this week and tryto change it out this weekend. What or how would you guy/gals suggest is the best way to do this with out hurting any of my stock, I have a couple of big plastic bins that I was thinking of putting my fish in and running my filters on it if I can. I hope that this does not take me but about 2 to 4 hours at the most. I am also going to trim any dead or dieing leaves of of any of my plants.
Let me know what yall think.
 
you know what you are doing. move the fish into the bins. take all the plants out put them in another with any other hard scape. lower the water line by 80% or all the way if you wish. i found it easy with some water still in there. i used a super gulp cup to scoop out the old gravel. i added more water then gravel vac to get what little and some of the dirt out. put the new stuff in fill it 50% put the plants and hard scape back in. then the fish once the temp matches.
 
thanks MG I am glad you think that i know what I am doing i am not so sure but I will do my best,
I can't wait to get started and see the finished project.
 
I do like mgamer said when I change out substrate....I put the old substrate in garbage bags (try to drain water out of the cup before) or you could use a bucket. No easy way to get rid of old substrate IMO. :)

Its a process....and can take some time (especially in a tank your size) but its worth it! Good luck with your change!
 
thanks Kristin, I am hoping it will not take all day but I am prepared if it does, it will just annoy(sp) my hubby.
 
I do like mgamer said when I change out substrate....I put the old substrate in garbage bags (try to drain water out of the cup before) or you could use a bucket. No easy way to get rid of old substrate IMO. :)

Its a process....and can take some time (especially in a tank your size) but its worth it! Good luck with your change!

lol use it to fill holes the stupid dog dug..... trust me i have changed from pea gravel to sms in all my tanks. i must have 400-500 pounds of pea gravel in my backyard covering up holes.
 
lol use it to fill holes the stupid dog dug..... trust me i have changed from pea gravel to sms in all my tanks. i must have 400-500 pounds of pea gravel in my backyard covering up holes.

(HA HA ) that is funny I may have to do that only it is my three boys that try to dig holes in my yard.
 
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