adding Eco-Complete

[pufferdude]

How do I go about adding Eco-Complete? Do I just open the bag and pour it in or what? The tank is already established with 6 dwarf puffers.

[Buck]

Add it slowly and you will be fine.
EC comes packed in a liquid , I am not to keen on adding that liquid to an established tank since nobody seems to know what the "juice" really is... :roll:
I have used it on new tanks twice now "liquid and all" with no problems but if I was to add it to an established I would be leary. If you rinsed it before adding it to the tank you will not hurt its effectiveness so its up to you on this one.
Personally, I would rinse it and add it slowly with a good sized plastic cup and keeping the stirring to a minimum. It does have some very fine granules mixed in.

[pufferdude]

Thanks I havent got it in yet. I ordered it on friday so its not here. I think I am just going to pour it in. If the puffers start looking sick then I will move them to another tank. I just hope it doesnt cloud up the water with the liquid or anything. I am really looking forward to my first real planted tank.

[Daemonfly]

I rinse mine as well. The "magic liquid" seems to be debateable in what it really does. Personally, I wish they just shipped the stuff WITHOUT the liquid, as I don't need it, and it just raises shipping costs.

[Ben fishin]

I just added some Eco-complete to my tank by dumping a bag into a bucket then draining off most of the liquid. Then I scooped small amounts into the aquarium, and after I covered the surface I went back and mixed it in. I did that 3 or 4 times.

It says on the bag that the liquid is a blackwater mix with an established bacterial system or something like that. It also says on the bag to drain most of the liquid off before putting it into an established tank.

[pufferdude]

Thanks I will drain the liquid out then. Another question I have another tank that I will be putting some in, this tank has not completley cycled yet would you put the liquid in that tank?

[Ben fishin]

It would depend on how long the tank has been set up. If it is recently set up like 7-10 days I would probably put all or most of the liquid in. Any longer than that and I would put in less, but thats just what I would do.

[Raul-7]

I have an idea that will the problem, but I'm not sure if you will agree. CaribSea should make Eco-Complete without this "magic liquid", rather they should bottle it and sell it for those who want it. This way more customers are satisfied with cheaper shipping, and no risk of leakage; and for people setting up a new tank they can just add it to the water like BIO Spira. I'm pretty sure this would probably attract more customers?Maybe we should send CaribSea this idea? :?

[pufferdude]

I think that would be a good idea. My newer tank has been setup for a couple of weeks now, so I dont think I will add the liquid. I put a filter from a established tank on it and added some gravel from the established tank as well. So I think it is almost done cycling. I dont know how much this Eco-Complete will effect that but I hope its not too much.

P.S. The Eco-Complete is supposed to be here tomorrow.

[pufferdude]

I didnt get the substrate today like I was supposed to. That really sucks, hopefully I will get it tommorow.

[malkore]

Hmmm...my bag said to add the liquid into the tank. It's not a 'black water' mix...cuz the liquid is almost crystal clear!

In an established tank, there's no need to add it. In a new, uncycled tank, this stuff's supposed to remove the need to cycle.

I changed out from flourite to Eco, used 2 bags in a 20gallon, with all the 'juice' and have 0 problems, not mini-cycle, and crystal clear water.

[Ben fishin]

Hmmm...my bag said to add the liquid into the tank. It's not a 'black water' mix...cuz the liquid is almost crystal clear!

The bag does say to add the liquid to the tank if it is not cycled because the it contains bacteria and other mircrobes that get an early start on the cycling process, rather then waiting for them to develop naturally. It says on the bag that they recommend not to put the liquid in established tanks, like you said there is no need for it.

The liquid is clear but, although I don't have the bag in front of me, I am pretty sure it says on there somewhere it is blackwater something. Maybe the manufacturer has it labeled as blackwater but actually mean something else. :?

[pufferdude]

Okay I finally got it in and have added it to both aquariums. I drained out most of the liquids before adding. The liquid was crystal clear and it does say something about black water. This is from the bag "Contains live Heterotrophic bacteria to rapidly convert fish waste into natural food for your aquatic plants." Also it says "Packed in Liquid Amazon buffered "Black water" solution for immediate oraganic water conditioning. It did cloud up my water a little bit but everything is going good so far.

[Buck]

Black Water is a term not a color... if you dose with "Black Water Extract" it is concentrated, giving it the dark coloring but that dissipates in a day leaving a very slight "tint" to the water which totally dissappears after 2 days.

[pufferdude]

The Eco-Complete has been in there for more than a week now. Everything is going fine. I have also made a DIY Co2 system, thanks to this site. My plants are looking much better. I am almost done planting it as soon as I finish I will post some pics.