Eco Complete Or Aquasoil Amazonia?

[backtotropical]

I'm setting up a 70 litre tank for a pair / trio of Apistogramma Cacatuoides. I want black substrate and the tank will have some live plants so I thought I might as well go for a nutrient rich substrate.

Which is best? I'm not going to be injecting CO2 or dosing EI, just regular plant ferts every week or so, and it'll be low light, so about as low tech as they come.

I know Aquasoil leaches ammonia but I'm doing a fishless cycle anyway so it's not really a concern.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Cheers

BTT

 

[aibo210]

Eco Complete is really good! need about 2 bags for 100L aquarium I got mine cheep at £20 a bag! Good thing about it is it comes in black amazon water you just dump it in the bottem and fill up! water is clear within an hour or so!

It does say on the pack its got live bacteria aswell but I aint hopeing for much on that but I guess if it has would cycle the tank quicker!

Just get it from a local shop as some batches are not black there like mixed grey colour with flecks of red clay with large and small pieces in!

 

[backtotropical]

Thanks Aibo.

To be honest, I am starting to sway towards Eco-Complete purely because its cheaper. I can pick it up at my LFS for £25 per bag.

Aquasoil Amazonia is going to be £30 from The Green Machine, plus postage totalling almost £40.

Can anyone convince me otherwise? Is there really that much difference?

BTT

 

[Truck]

i would go ADA, its quality stuff, looks great, its great for planting in. i tried a bit of this in a nano and loved it, my plants thrived, i have yet to try eco complete though, but i have heard of it clouding water?

 

[plantbrain]

Since you are going non CO2, I'd strongly focus there.
You can go either way, EC has no nutrients to speak of, ADA AS is loaded.

The issue with non CO2 methods is avoiding water changes, planting heavily with easy to grow weeds(Hygros, Egeria, Floating plants, water sprite, java fern, Crypts etc), and just adding some water for evaporation losses. Dosing is really done via fish food/waste, you cna top off some ferts once a week very lightly, and you will not need to do that if you chose the ADA for perhaps months, with the EC, you likely should do it right away.

The other option is water changes + Excel or easy carb dosing for Carbon.
You can expect about 300% more growth this way.
With CO2 gas, about 1000% more growth vs no CO2/ noExcel at all.

Up to you really, I'd suggets the non CO2 method personally based on what you have said/goals, EC will work fine, but do not fall for that it has nutrients, it's pretty inert, they say all sorts fo baloney to get folks to buy it through. I test sediments and soils in my other job.......

You can add about 1 handful of ground peat to the bottom prior to adding the EC.
You can also use Black Flourite sand, looks really nice, easy to plant things in.


Regards,
Tom Barr