Florite Black, Floruite Sand, And Eco Complete?

[spazzinout53]

Ok well im going to start a 20 gallon tank soon and after going around to all of my local fish stores over the weekend, i have so many choices for substrate!!!!

So i first saw Eco Complete, i liked how the pieces are different sizes and most of the store people said it was deff the best.

Then i saw Flourite Black, very nice looking, and around the same price of the Eco, but i heard if you are moving plants around and such that it will cloud the water before it all settles.

THEN i heard about Flourite Black sand, another really cool looking substrate but you cant vacuum it, On the sites that sell it , they also say like 5 other chemicals you should buy to dose the aquarium, so is this stuff just basic sand?

Im going to have fairly easy plants in the tank, java ferns, crypts, maybe baby tear and vails( or some other tall growing plant).
The reason i don't want to do just basic black gravel is because thats what is in my 5 gallon tank now and it seems that after washing off all the extra collor, it started to chip off and now in the aquarium it seems more and more pieces are loosing there color.

The question is , Which one would be the best! I know thats a broad question , but like what type do you have?

Thanks and please help!!

 

[garuf]

Odd, sounds like you used resin coated gravel a terrible product.
All of the substrates you mentioned are good. I can't tell you which are inert and which aren't but if you email the manufacturer's they will no doubt be able to help.

The other thing is that just because you have a nutritious substrate it doesn't mean you don't need to dose, dosing is pretty much vital even in low light tanks, Its a matter of how often and how much rather than dose or not.