# Adding Eco Complete to Existing Aquarium?



## kaldurak (May 2, 2010)

It can be rinsed and added without issue, it's an inert substrate, so nothing is going to leech into the water and harm the fauna like how aquasoil leeches ammonia for a time.


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## Little Soprano (Mar 13, 2014)

I had no issues when I added it to my old tank. I did end up removing the fauna though as I was removing an old under gravel filter along with the old gravel, so I wanted to minimize exposure to any nasty gas coming up. No ammonia spikes were observed.


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## snakeybird (May 19, 2014)

Thanks! The Eco Complete has been added. I guess I should start a tank journal.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

Make sure monitor for ammonia spike. Anytime you change out gravel there is the chance will go through mini-cycle.


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## Asteroid (Jul 26, 2018)

If your simply adding an inert substrate to the existing one you don't have to worry about the cycle.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

You can most certainly get an ammonia spike from changing out gravel. The issue is not if the substrate is inert or not, it is that you are taking out a substantial portion of your beneficial bacteria from your system. It will take time for this colony to again grow to match bio-load. Especially if your tank is newly established.


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## Asteroid (Jul 26, 2018)

Based on OP no one is changing out gravel. Read the thread!


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## kaldurak (May 2, 2010)

snakeybird said:


> Thanks! The Eco Complete has been added. I guess I should start a tank journal.



Always have a tank journal 🙂


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## snakeybird (May 19, 2014)

None of the original gravel was removed. The Eco Complete was added to the existing gravel, and the two were hand mixed together. The aquarium was recently set up, and a sponge filter is in use for extra bacteria back up (I took the cannister filter off prior to adding the new substrate, as I was concerned particulates might damage it). Additionally, at this point the 3 goldfish are still pretty small in 46 gallons, and weekly water changes occur, as the tank owner is well aware they are messy fish. 

The photo is directly prior to adding Eco Complete; tank clouded up a bit, and I have not visited since to take an updated photo. Additionally, an LED light replaced the old T-8 fluorescent fixture in the photo.

I have some gel caps filled with Osmocote + for the sword Ozelot and Red Flame swrd plants. I have not used them before, so it will be interesting to see what happens.


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## snakeybird (May 19, 2014)

As an update to the original post, it is 10 days post mixing the eco complete with the existing aquarium gravel; no spike in ammonia has been observed. I am updating just in case someone else has the same question at some point, and comes across this thread.


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