Possible Stupid Question Alert

[bobross]

Hello everyone,

I'm in the process of setting up a 30g tall planted tank. Well, it's gonna be a while before I can set the tank up fully. Currently, I just have water in the tank with a couple of filters running on it that way I have something to look at. There's no heater, no substrate, no plants, nothing. Just a tank with lights and 2 hob's running. I don't even have a heater for this tank yet.

A while ago I bought a bag of eco-complete and it also has just been sitting in its bag waiting.


Here's my questions.

Can I just add the eco-complete right now? or should I wait until the tank is ready to be planted? I wasn't sure if the nutrients in the soil would die off if I did this. I wanted to add the substrate now that way it's one less thing I have to do later. Does this make sense? I just don't want to add the soil now if it's gonna go 'bad' by the time that I add plants. I don't even know for sure when Im gonna set this tank up, it might be a month before plants and a heater go in.

I hope this question isn't stupid. I couldn't find any info about this anywhere so ANY answers to this would be super appreciated.


BobRoss

 

[chr15_8]

Personally i would add it when i set the tank up. only real reason is it will only tank a few seconds to put it in.

Are you going to put in any wood/rock? If so i would say now is the perfect time to put this is as you can move it about and get a proper look at it before you plant around it.

 

[bobross]

Are you going to put in any wood/rock? If so i would say now is the perfect time to put this is as you can move it about and get a proper look at it before you plant around it.

Yeah, that's what I started doing. Since it will be a while before this tank is set up, I've been taking my time and looking for the right pieces of driftwood. So far, I only have one decent sized piece of malaysian drift wood in there.

It works out right now because that way I can soak the wood in the tank and let the tannins soak out. It was funny because the day I bought that piece, the guy that sold it to me told me three separate times to use bio chemzorb. I don't mind the water changing color (boy did it turn yellow!). I also rinse my other tank filter pads in this tank too. Im not too sure what good it does, but it seems to make less of a mess this way. Also, this spare tank allows me to use the water in it as top off water for my other tanks.


Do I need to rinse the eco-complete at all before adding it to the tank? My gut tells me no, and so does the bag it comes in, but just asking for good measure.


BobRoss

 

[FlaNoob]

pro's:
Tank is "nicer more attractive" to look at, less work to do later, you can add and remove things with out disturbing Flora or Fauna.

Con's:
my initial impression is that you would get an algae bloom.

that said however i am also new to the Eco complete and as such await responses from those more experienced....

well ...
.

 

[aaronnorth]

eco-complete raises the kH and Gh. So if you add it now then it may stop doing this by the time you add the fish, although it wont be too much as a problem as they will be used to it when you acclimatise them.

 

[bobross]

eco-complete raises the kH and Gh. So if you add it now then it may stop doing this by the time you add the fish, although it wont be too much as a problem as they will be used to it when you acclimatise them.

Okay, so just to make sure I'm clear on this, it's okay if I add it now? I was concerned that everything beneficial in it would die off if I added it now. That's why I wasn't sure. I also wanted to add it now that way it has time to settle and clear up, too.


Thanks,


BobRoss

 

[aaronnorth]

It will be fine to add now. Eco complete has a high CEC (cation Exchange Capacity) so it will draw positive elements into the substrate to make them available for plant roots so it will last a very long time!