How Deep Should Substrate Be

[phishstixx]

just recently purchased 55gallon tank. Being that I would like to eventually have it planted(in the next few months) I purchased 20lb of eco-complete and 25lb of regular gravel (45lbs total). Was wondering if that would be enough, or should I get another bag of eco-complete. How many inches should the substrate be, would i benefit by having the back higher sloping to the front or is that just for looks?

 

[DevUK]

EcoComplete is generally designed to be used without another substrate on top but I dare say you can top it with gravel.

I'm not 100% sure on depth for Eco, but with Tetraplant complete substrate (which is designed to be topped by gravel) they say about 2cm of tetra and 3 or 4 cm of gravel.

I would think you need at least 2cm eco though.

Too quote a webpage I found after a quick google search:

Instructions:
Use 1-2 pounds per gallon of aquarium water. Two pounds or more per gallon will deliver best performance. An ideal depth is at least 3".

It is designed to be a complete substate but may also serve as a bottom layer with your choice of non-carbonate substrate on top (do not use marble, dolomite, limestone, crushed coral, shells aragonite etc.).

For new aquarium set-ups simply pour in the entire contents of this bag and fill aquarium with de-chlorintated tap water or, for best results, de-ionized or distilled water. It will automatically segregate into 2 distinct layers with the finer material on the bottom.

Hope that helps

 

[phishstixx]

EcoComplete is generally designed to be used without another substrate on top but I dare say you can top it with gravel.

I'm not 100% sure on depth for Eco, but with Tetraplant complete substrate (which is designed to be topped by gravel) they say about 2cm of tetra and 3 or 4 cm of gravel.

I would think you need at least 2cm eco though.

Too quote a webpage I found after a quick google search:

Instructions:
Use 1-2 pounds per gallon of aquarium water. Two pounds or more per gallon will deliver best performance. An ideal depth is at least 3".

It is designed to be a complete substate but may also serve as a bottom layer with your choice of non-carbonate substrate on top (do not use marble, dolomite, limestone, crushed coral, shells aragonite etc.).

For new aquarium set-ups simply pour in the entire contents of this bag and fill aquarium with de-chlorintated tap water or, for best results, de-ionized or distilled water. It will automatically segregate into 2 distinct layers with the finer material on the bottom.

Hope that helps

Sorry if miss understood but I do not have the eco-complete topped off I have it mixed guy at lfs said that i could do that with eco-complete. Plus i like the way it looks mixed light brown with the dark eco.

 

[R1ch13]

Have around and inch and a half in depth at the back at least ...

And slope it to the front ...

You could make it really shallow at the front if you wer just thinking of planting the back,

But if you want a foreground plant like Glosso I'd go with around 2 inch at back and around an inch-inch and a half at front!

Hope that makes sense!

Its late here after all!

Richie