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The joy of using eco-complete

7K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  hubbahubbahehe 
#1 ·
Welp, I just set up my 20 gallon vivarium tank. I used eco-complete for a substrate (one and a half bags were plenty for this smaller, semi-aquatic tank).

Anyway, here are my thoughts (so far):

1) Excellent color--a nice, dark coloration that isn't so black that it looks fake. Eco-complete is a nice, subtle blend of different colored gravel--hardly noticable, but enough to make the substrate look natural.

2) Absolutely no rinsing or cloudy water--and I have a decent current flowing through this stream tank! This is what originally sold me on eco-complete...I have had bad experiences with laterite and flourite in the past.

3) Plants (including glosso) were a breeze to plant and keep in place--not a single plant has come loose, and the gravel isn't all that thick (about 2-3 inches).

4) Cheaper than flourite--and 20 Lbs goes further! Go look at a bag of flourite and a bag of eco-complete...the eco-complete is clearly larger and (at least at my LFS) cheaper.

Of course, since I just set up this tank I have no feedback on the long-term benefits of eco-complete. So far, things are going well...

^iMp^
 
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#2 ·
i have eco-complete in my 30 gallon and ,my plants look great- i love it--tank has been set up about 5 months now. i put flourite in a 10 gallon 2 weeks ago and i hate it, i wanted to try it out and wish i had stayed with eco-complete. but at least i know what to put in my 90 when i get it going. my water in the eco tank is clear and no trouble---the flourite tank looks like muck. and i rinsed it a dozen times. ECO-COMPLETE IS GREAT and my #1 choice :D plus i love the fact you just pour the eco directly in the tank.
 
#7 ·
The other day I saw both flourite and eco-complete at my local PetSmart. So local stores might stock differently than on-line.

Note: this particular PetSmart is doing a GREAT job with its plants. Nothing exotic, but it you want some java fern, moneywort, hornwort, sag, etc, they have really healthy large bunches for cheap $.
 
#9 ·
I'll check next time I'm in, which might not be for a while. So you might be better off asking them yourself.

I mainly checked cause when I was amending my gravel a few months back I was having trouble finding flourite locally. Petsmart said they normally had it, but were out of stock at the moment. So when I went in the other day I checked.

BTW - I ended up adding sand and laterite instead.

I may be completely off-base, but I think flourite might have been in the mid 20s, maybe $22-25 for a bag. Not sure how heavy either. Maybe 18" across and 2 feet long. Maybe 25#.

Didn't check the eco.
 
#11 ·
Over the weekend saw flourite at Petsmart for $25.
No eco on shelf, but didn't ask.
 
#12 ·
One aspect of Eco-Complete that I like is the fact that the bacteria-containing water that comes with the substrate is the exact amount I prefer to have covering the substrate when, say, I am planting Glosso. It's a simple thing, really. But it is very much appreciated when starting a new tank.
 
#13 ·
Local Petsmart here in Erie, Pa just started to carry Flourite in-store, so I'm hoping they get some Eco-Complete in. LFS carries Flourite as well, but they haven't got any Eco-Complete, but I plan to ask them about it.

3) Plants (including glosso) were a breeze to plant and keep in place--not a single plant has come loose, and the gravel isn't all that thick (about 2-3 inches).
I just planted some Anacharis in my 6G w/ Flourite & had lots of fun trying to plant one while not uprooting another >_<
 
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