# Cycling with Eco-Complete



## Madfish (Sep 9, 2007)

The best thing to do is put your eco in there and stuff that tank with as many stem plants that you can get your hands on. Then next so a search on this fourm on cycling your tank and it will come up with all the answers that you will need. There is so many different ways to cycle a tank you just have to read about them all and find out whats going to work best for you. Best of luck with your tank and dont give up its hard at first but it gets easyer and you will get better enjoyment out of it later on. The biggest thing is not try to rush it to much just sit back and enjoy it.


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## Left C (Nov 15, 2003)

You need to follow Madfish's recommendations. Stuff your new aquarium with a lot of plants. You'll be adding some of the good nitrogen using bacteria this way. This will drastically shorten the cycle time. You can add some mum from another aquarium to shorten the cycling time. Marineland's Bio-Spira is good too, but it's a bit expensive. It contains the good bacteria that you need to shorten the cycle time.


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## TheSoftParade (Jan 24, 2008)

Ok thanks guys, Ive been reading and decided to go with Bio-Spira, but will I still need to stuff it full? I wasn't really even planning on having a heavy planted tank.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

I don't think you have to stuff it full if you're concern is cycling and you're using bio-spira. But do follow the directions on the bottle. It's intended for you to add with your fish, not after the fish are already in the tank. I've heard of people overstocking their uncycled tank, panicking, and then buying bio-spira in hopes it will cure their woes. But it doesn't.

I would highly recommend that you do add as many plants as you are wanting as that will naturally help not only the cycling process, but it will make the cycling process much easier on the fish. Even with bio-spira, it's possible to get an unexpected spike here or there, and the plants help tremendously to keep the water parameters much smoother. Consider them a type of water stabilizer of sorts.

Best of luck to you! It sounds like you've got a good start going for you.


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## TheSoftParade (Jan 24, 2008)

Thanks complexity, I'll just go ahead and add all the plants at once then.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Absolutely. Add as many plants as you like. The more, the merrier. And don't feel bad if you start having any problems with plants. I am indeed an algae grower at this stage myself. It takes a bit of time to learn how to get everything adjusted.

I can now personally recognize fuzzy algae, black beard algae, hair algae, and my latest addition is staghorn algae! :icon_lol:

And I'm also learning which plants can't take Excel the hard way. Here's my method:
(1) Buy plant.
(2) Read that plant will melt with Excel.
(3) Moan.
(4) Buy another plant.
(5) Read that plant will melt with Excel.
(6) Moan again.
(7) Ask which plants melt with Excel.
(8) Get list that tells me I'm finally safe to get more plants.
(9) Find out Excel is not good for my shrimp.
(10) Cry.

:icon_lol:

The point being, it's a learning process. It's all part of the fun, though. So when pin holes start showing up in your leaves or your water suddenly turns green, don't worry. You're in good company.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

just right after you fill with water, stuff as much hornwort in there as you can. it grows extremely fast and will outcompete algae with no problem and keep you from outbreaks of beard, hair, and BBA.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Marko, I think I'll take your advice, as well. My 20L is not working out the way I had hoped (but a great lesson learner!). My fast grower was supposed to be anacharis, and it does grow fast, but what a mess. It's what is getting the staghorn algae. So I'm about to yank it all out, but I was trying to figure out what I'd replace it with because taking all the anacharis out all at once without any replacement would be quite a jolt to the balance of things.

How well does hornwort do in med-low light? No co2. Can't use excel (amano shrimp). I'm looking at a small co2 of some kind (bought one, but don't like it). I know I can (and will) look all this up. I'm just thinking out loud.


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## aqua50guppy (Apr 3, 2016)

i use api leaf zone and co2 booster and am considering eco complete i had hornwort only draw back is it can shed and is fragile at times but it does grow fast ,ine had grown to the top in 2 weeks i have 4 18'' t8 2 aqueon full spectrums in front and 2 aqua glo middle they grow plants good totally worth it if you like but i switched to cabomba love it less shedding and just as good as hornwort

i use api co2 booster and leafzone in my 50 gallon i have java fern,cabomba green,red ludwigia,money wort and small riccia flutan carpets started my setup is 4 24" fixtures midground lights are 2 18" aqua-glo t8's and foreground are aqueon full spectrums 2 "18 t8's ,heater a aqueon submersible 150 watt,2 air pumps a marina 75 and a 100 with t valve and a few fizzer air stones and 1 diy egg tumbler 2 aqueon versa glass tops and my filter is a aqua clear 70 and national geographic white sand my fish are many guppies some neon tetras and 9 corydora 6 pandas,3 peppered and 3 yoyo loaches all healthy

hornwort is a bit messy and sheds a fair bit i was not a fan reccommend cabomba


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Wow, what an old thread revival!


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