2 Year Old Eco-complete Past It?

[hunterm8]

My plants dont seem to be growing to well especially the so called fast growing stem plants. i am using e.i method but seem to be struggling. Is it possible my 2 year old eco-complete needs changing.

180l lighting 2 hour 50w, 6 hr 160w, 2 hr 50w

co2 30ppm

 

[cheesy feet]

Even if it was the fast growing stem plants should be thriving with 30ppm co2 and those light levels.

Maybe its a combination of the lights becoming older and duller and the substrate loosing its nutrients?

 

[SuperColey1]

If you look at some peoples tanks. JamesC is the only one I can think of of the top of my head. They use inert sand or gravel with nutient rich substrate.

Even heavy rooted plants like crypts will take nutrient from the water column before going to their roots as it is much easier for them.

As to wether your substrate is exhausted the answer is probably yes but it depends on how much you fertilise the water column and how often you disturb the substrate.

If you dose the plants required amount then they will hardly consume the nutrient from the substrate at all but of course it will still get exhausted after a while.

If you disturb the substrate a lot then you will release the nutrient bit by bit into the water column.

So in answer to the original question. Probably but not definately past it, but it shouldn't matter.

Andy