Eco-complete - worth adding soil?

[shift]

I'm thinking of swapping my white rocks to either fluval stratum or eco-complete. From what i have read neither one has many nutrients Is it worth putting a base layer of miracle grow organic soil underneath?

[msawdey]

yes and yes.... i love eco, but unless your doing EI dosing, go with the mts

[Yankee]

Yes - either cap your dirt with Eco complete or flourite (my favorite). The high CEC will help keep the nutrients near the roots.

[shift]

Should I pre soak the mgopm for a day or so first? I going to swap the substrate soon!! May go shopping today

[shift]

What's mts? I'm doing low tech with a half dose of ferts every in a while

[junglefowl]

MTS is mineralized topsoil substrate!!!

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=152027

This thread may be helpful

[Option]

Originally Posted by Yankee

Yes - either cap your dirt with Eco complete or flourite (my favorite).

+1 for flourite...my favorite as well.

I recently tried Eco complete and I absolutely can't stand it! Pumped up my pH way too high plus the size of the substrate is way to big & course for my liking.

[Yankee]

Originally Posted by shift

Should I pre soak the mgopm for a day or so first? I going to swap the substrate soon!! May go shopping today

Depends on if you're swapping the soil into a tank with fish. If you are, then soak it for a week as it releases ammonia for quite some time. If not then make sure to let it stand in the tank for a week and make sure the tank is cycled before adding fish.

[shift]

There is fish/shrimp in the tank.. I will temporarily remove them when i do the swap.

I guess I will give the MGOPM a few days in a bucket to save the sea creatures.

I ended up getting eco-complete

[shift]

HOw much ammonia will it actually leach out? Will the plants handle it or is it best to soak it for a few days?

[Yankee]

Originally Posted by shift

HOw much ammonia will it actually leach out? Will the plants handle it or is it best to soak it for a few days?

They'll handle it - just plant the heck out of the tank so it absorbs all of the other nutrients that are released initially otherwise you'll get some algae.

[shift]

Its decently planted. maybe ill grab a few more stems just to be safe




thanks

[shift]

Now that was a mess! hopefully the muddy lake that is my aquarium clears up by tomorrow. I think i went a little overboard on the substrate thickness.. but to late now!

[shift]

Is there any tricks to clearing the murky swamp water or is it just a mixture of the waiting game and an excessive number of water changes?

[wkndracer]

Originally Posted by shift

Is there any tricks to clearing the murky swamp water or is it just a mixture of the waiting game and an excessive number of water changes?

read more before you leap LOL never a horror story to date in house using soil base set ups.
how thick a soil layer did you use, how thick a capping layer?