Planted to fake question.

[Posivated]

My question is, will having a 3 inch eco complete bottom negatively affect anything in my aquarium? Currently I'm having problems with some algae that I've been battling with peroxide. Ill give my setup below.

I have a 20g long and I need a new light and that isn't in the budget at this time. Currently I have a Marineland Double bright LED which isn't enough, I've been dosing flourish comprehensive and leaf zone. The only plants I have left are some anacharis and cabomba. I also have an eco complete bottom.

 

[Rivercats]

Your substrate doesn't have any effects on the tank. Plants like Water sprite, Wisteria, or Hydro's would grow under that light. Crypts would also be a good choice. Then you always have Java fern, Anubia, and Bolbitus for plants to use on DW that are all lower light tolerant.

 

[Posivated]

Can't seem to find anything on hydros, what is the full name? Thanks for the info.

 

[Fresh2o]

Can't seem to find anything on hydros, what is the full name? Thanks for the info.

I think you are looking for Hygrophila species

 

[Rivercats]

Yes, that is it. There are different ones.

 

[bshenanagins]

Angustifolia is nice when you get bunches of it. Creates ain't leafy and wavy forest.

 

[aqua_chem]

If I had a low light plant, I would be tempted to just crypt (cryptocoryne) the crap out of it. They're extremely hardy and do well in surprisingly low light levels.


To answer your question, an ecocomplete substrate isn't going to be doing anything negative for the tank.

 

[Jkeating8]

@Aqua I think that Eco Complete/ Floramax can raise ph levels? I have read several post on TPT of people complaining of it raising their ph. My tap Ph is 6.6 out of tap and 7.6 in my tank. I have Floramax. Can you weigh in on this?

 

[aqua_chem]

Per CaribSea, Eco Complete has a coating of something that includes calcium carbonate, so you may see a bump in pH/GH/KH in the first few weeks, but it should subside shortly.

If you're worried about changing pH from tap to tank, I would take a glass of tap water and a glass of tank water, and let both set out for a few days, then check pH. Tap water often has all sorts of gases and other things dissolved in it, which may very well be throwing off your pH measurements. My favorite case is the water at my parent's house. 8.9 out of the tap, 7.2 after 24h of equilibrating. It runs red wine blue in dilute concentrations. It's an absolute trip, but I was raised on the stuff.



Either way, unless you have a reason to specifically worry about pH (eg discus, eriocaulon sp., etc), I wouldn't sweat it.

 

[Jkeating8]

Hmmm. Thanks. Ill experiment a little this week I guess. I don't have any concerns really. Other than the fact that I will be keeping semi delicate. I guess AR mini and Rotala Macrandra being the most delicate.

My Kh is 0-1 and Gh is 4 after RO Right

 

[Coursair]

My question is, will having a 3 inch eco complete bottom negatively affect anything in my aquarium? Currently I'm having problems with some algae that I've been battling with peroxide. Ill give my setup below.

I have a 20g long and I need a new light and that isn't in the budget at this time. Currently I have a Marineland Double bright LED which isn't enough, I've been dosing flourish comprehensive and leaf zone. The only plants I have left are some anacharis and cabomba. I also have an eco complete bottom.

Algae issues ?

The main thing is to address why you have Algae.
http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/algae/a/attackalgae.htm

Too much Light
Too much Food
Not enough Water Changes
Ferts out of balance

It's one or all of them.
A little Algae is normal, a lot means something is out of balance.

I don't have an algae problem.
I do have algae eaters, but I supplement them.
Otos, snails and Shrimp. Plus LOTS of plants to compete with the Algae, plus lights are on timers, plus weekly PWCs.

Your substrate should be fine. How old is substrate ? Even EC may need root tabs eventually.

+1 for Crypts

 

[Rivercats]

Honestly I have both Macrandra and Mini AR growing in a tank with a KH and GH of around 8 or 9 and both are doing fine.