# How many bags of eco complete?



## icex (Dec 4, 2007)

Sorry, the eco-complete is a 20lb bag.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

Just to give you an idea I needed 5 bags for my 55...


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## imeridian (Jan 19, 2007)

2 bags is definitely not enough, plus with the Eco a bit of that weight is the 'magic water' they unfortunately pack it in. I say that based on having about 7 or 8 bags in my 75 and having used 2 bags in my 25 gallon.

Maybe using the substrate calculator will help? http://www.plantedtank.net/substratecalculator.html

I'd pretend your bowfront is a standard rectangle, taking the width measurement from the widest part of the bow (more than enough is better than not enough, after all).


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## icex (Dec 4, 2007)

Ok, I figure I'll need about 4 bags then. Is Eco-Complete all I need? Can I put a layer of gravel over it? And most importantly, can I put it in the tank filled?


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## imeridian (Jan 19, 2007)

Eco Complete is.... complete.  No need to put anything under or over it. Regular black gravel is sort of shiny and looks surprisingly out of place against Eco Complete, as I discovered much to my chagrin.

I dumped my bags into the aquarium with water in it, I did that because I wanted to then do a complete water change to suck out all that 'magic water' and all the other light free floating gunk that may have been present. It's absolutely nothing like flourite from a dirty water standpoint.


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## icex (Dec 4, 2007)

indiboi said:


> Eco Complete is.... complete.  No need to put anything under or over it. Regular black gravel is sort of shiny and looks surprisingly out of place against Eco Complete, as I discovered much to my chagrin.
> 
> I dumped my bags into the aquarium with water in it, I did that because I wanted to then do a complete water change to suck out all that 'magic water' and all the other light free floating gunk that may have been present. It's absolutely nothing like flourite from a dirty water standpoint.


Ok, so basicaly just dump it in and of course it'll be cloudy for awhile but will eventualy clear up? I'll be ordering it within a week or two.. Uhm.. anywere besides bigalsonline.com that sells it cheaper?


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## imeridian (Jan 19, 2007)

Well, like I was saying, I just dumped mine in, did a 100% water change, and then done, clear water. I haven't checked prices for that lately, I picked mine up in person at That Pet Place.


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## icex (Dec 4, 2007)

Ok, thanks.


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## markdadof2 (Dec 11, 2007)

I went with 4 bags in my 55 and I will probably be adding one more over time.


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## Trace63 (Dec 23, 2007)

Big als has them for 16 and change now.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

If that's Big Al's price, they're cheaper even with the heavy shipping than what stores are charging around here!

I put 6 bags in my 75, and it's not enough. I bought two more bags tonight. I have 1.5 bags in my 20L, and that's nowhere close to being enough. I probably need to add another full bag (although with that tank being so low, I have to watch the height of the substrate).

Personally, I'd say figure out how much you need and then add 1-2 more bags to the batch. It seems to not be as much as you'd think, probably because of the water weight compensating for the actual substrate in the bags.


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## icex (Dec 4, 2007)

Thanks for the replies. Do you all think that my kuhuli loachs will keep the substrate stirred up so much that the tank will stay cloudy if I get eco-complete? Because they like to burrow themselfs.. alot.. lol.


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## imeridian (Jan 19, 2007)

I've never had kuhli loaches, or really diggers of any kind unless you want to count cory cats. I can say that, at least in my tank, Eco really isn't very 'dirty' when I pull up plants, etc. There is a small cloud of light colored dust if I yank a plant up too quickly, but I don't think that's particularly because of the Eco. I hope that helps.


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

FWIW, as far as the bowfront dimensions go. I have a 72 bow and I used the calculator by taking the width of the outside, then the width of the inside and averaged the two. In other words, I have 12" on the sides, 18" in the middle, I entered 15" in the calculator. Not 100% accurate, but got me close enough.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Trace63 said:


> Big als has them for 16 and change now.


I priced out 3 bags Eco from Big Als $45 and change- I was so excited!

Then I got the shipping quote- $35! LOL 

Drs.Foster&Smith ends up about $10 cheaper shipped...


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## icex (Dec 4, 2007)

lol, I got a quote for 4 bags shipped for $98.xx... now to just save up the money and quit spending it on plants


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## markdadof2 (Dec 11, 2007)

I have a few kuhli loaches in my 55 with Eco complete - no issues with them stirring it up and making the water cloudy.


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## icex (Dec 4, 2007)

markdadof2 said:


> I have a few kuhli loaches in my 55 with Eco complete - no issues with them stirring it up and making the water cloudy.


Thanks for the info.roud:


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## icex (Dec 4, 2007)

Will eco-complete be good for growing hard plants like eriocaulon (spelling?)? The more I read it doesent seem like eco-complete is a good choice..


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