Do I need to pre-wash Eco-Complete? Also Q re:Cories on EC

[FishyMamma]

I already have several inches of black aquarium sand mixed with a bit of Eco-Complete leftover from a old rescape with a different tank. Since I am thinking of more plants now, can I just add in a bag (maybe two) of Eco-complete and stir it in? I don't want the substrate to be too heavy (55 gal.).

Do I need to pre-wash the Eco? I didn't last time I used it in a small tank a few years ago and it always clouded the water.

Lastly, I'm planning on a large school of Cories. Will the sand/Eco mix be gentle enough on their barbels

Thanks,


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[jetajockey]

It's not supposed to be pre-rinsed. It will cloud the water for a little while, but clears up pretty quickly.

 

[FishyMamma]

Thanks, Jeta!

If it's still cloudy tomorrow or ever overly cloudy from a PWC or something, are water clarifiers unsafe or destabilizing to BBs?


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[ScaryFatKidGT]

Yeah the eco-complete comes in a bag with water for a reason.

Dumping substrate into a tank is always going to cloud it, what do you have for filtration?

 

[himdie]

Cories are fine on it I've got some corys on the fine eco complete and theyre doing great

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[Fresh2o]

Cories are fine on it I've got some corys on the fine eco complete and theyre doing great

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How about the regular grain size EC? I only ask because the fine grain type is either being discontinued or the availability is quite low.
I have regular grain EC and am thinking about getting kuhli loaches.
When I setup my tanks with EC, they did get cloudy for a few days at the most. I did some water changes to clear them up.


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[himdie]

I dint wash mine wen I added it lil cloudy but it goes away and I haven't used the regular grain so I woulnt know but I'd think they would do ok

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[FishyMamma]

Thanks, everybody, for responding.

I bought the only kind of Eco-complete I saw, which was unlabeled as to grain size. It did say it would naturally separate into larger grains on top and smaller underneath - which was described as ideal for roots.

So glad to know Cories can handle it.

Re Pre-rinsing: there were different instructions depending on whether it was being added to a new tank or one with aquatic creatures already inhabiting it.

Looks like only red and black are available now. The manufacturer's website was updated in Nov. 2014

http://www.caribsea.com/pages_caribsea/page_product_eco_complete_planted.html

"When setting up an aquarium with CaribSea's live products please do not rinse the substrate! The susbtrate should be carefully placed on the bottom of the aquarium, and your preconditioned water should be added carefully..."

I tried to find the directions from the current bag printed online but did not see them, so here's a pic of my bag. If you can read it, you'll see the instructions are *different* for new or established tanks. This info may be useful for anyone coming across this thread when searching on Eco-complete.






Keeping my sleeve wet...

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