# eco complete STILL corrupted?



## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

Who knows. I would take it back for sure. But consider testing your phosphates. That will be very evident if you are an unlucky recipient of some of the old stuff that was "corrected" with a pH buffer using phosphates.


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## Brilliant (Apr 11, 2006)

Uhh I think so. I bought two bags recently.
It may have been old stock sitting around the lfs, but the manager assured me its new...so that must not be the case 
I have this yucky milky film on top of my water when I started filtering it.


Uhhh I just tested phosphates and I have 0.5-1.0


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## turbomkt (Jun 9, 2004)

Jim,
As mentioned, check your PO4. Mine were above 10ppm after a 50% water change and near 10ppm after the second water change.

If your bags are contaminated, don't contact Aquatic Warehouse...contact Carib Sea directly. They are quite responsive and will ship you new bags directly.

As for Aquasoil in San Diego...I'm working on it. The owner of one of the shops is supposed to contact me this week.


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## jimjimson (Feb 10, 2006)

thanks guys. of the 10 test kits i have, the only one i can't find is phosphates. i'll have to swing by petco tomorrow to pick up a new one.

if you manage to get aquasoil in san diego, i would love you forever.

eco complete seems to be 90% fine powder and 10% giant rocks now adays. the evenly sized gravely goodness of aquasoil would be a sweet change of pace.


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## Brilliant (Apr 11, 2006)

What should your readings be if its bad? 10ppm+?


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

I recollect the white water wasn't just on top, but permeated the whole. If you are below 1 PPM, you should be OK. There are two really big old threads, and the second one details the phosphate buffer fiasco. Here is the link.http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/s...ls-corrupted-eco.html?highlight=Corrupted+Eco


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## Brilliant (Apr 11, 2006)

OK, thank you!
I dont have anything (livestock) in the tank yet and it was filled with RO/DI water. I was puzzled by the readings.


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## csf (Jul 10, 2003)

A friend had a bunch of the stuff with the high phosphate problem and carib-sea shipped her several new bags to replace them. No questions asked.

I think she ended up capping some of the old stuff with the new stuff.


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## SammyP (Apr 26, 2006)

all i know is that my 10 gal, w/ eco-complete, never turned white or anything like that but my tank water has been extremely hard. the pH of my tap water is 7.2 and the pH in my tank is over 8 by the end of the week and i have CO2 so who knows how much PO4 is being leeched into the water? plus last week i changed out 4 gallons tank water for 4 gallons RO water and still by the end of the week the pH is up over 8. gah. eco stinks!

dont forget the size difference! i have a couple huge pieces, like 1/2" in size, a whole bunch of medium size pieces 3/8-1/4 " that is messing up my gloss patch and the rest is really really tiny pieces that all sank under the bigger pieces.

i've been thinking about buying some ADA aquasoil for a while now.. or maybe just doing some soil/sand/peat/mulm type of substrate. its just that my tank is doing pretty well despite the hard water and i dont want to disturb it. blah.


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## AndyN (Jun 2, 2006)

i just got 5 bags of eco-complete for my 75 gallon and they were all fine


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

SammyP said:


> all i know is that my 10 gal, w/ eco-complete, never turned white or anything like that but my tank water has been extremely hard. the pH of my tap water is 7.2 and the pH in my tank is over 8 by the end of the week and i have CO2 so who knows how much PO4 is being leeched into the water? plus last week i changed out 4 gallons tank water for 4 gallons RO water and still by the end of the week the pH is up over 8. gah. eco stinks!



It should stabalize after 3 or 4 water changes, if not sooner. Troubling at first for sure. I soaked my latest Eco for 3 weeks in 5 gallon buckets doing weekly water changes there to alleviate this problem, which I have experienced in the past. You can pull out the really big chunks, FWIW.


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## SammyP (Apr 26, 2006)

the tank in question has been running since april 22nd so thats been about 6 weeks/waterchanges. the thing that bothers me the most is that i remember this substrate being advertized as water softening stuff. they said that it replicates amazon conditions. i was busy as heck his weekend so i missed doing my waterchanges (doing them when i get off work) but i did manage to chack my pH this morning and it was about 8.6 ! how can they call that amazon conditions?! thats like saltwater pH!!!


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## mecgeorgeneo (Aug 12, 2005)

haha so i finally found the thread about the ec phosphate problems. i should've returned it the minute i found out my bag was milky. i bought it a YEAR ago but i bet the stock is old. it would too much of a headache to return the bags, reaquascape (not to mention i threw away the bags) at this point. DOH! 
how does this work- the substrate has been in my tank for a year (which means ive been doing a lot of water changes at this point) but my phosphate level is sky high? if it's supposed to go away within 3-4 water changes... hmm?


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

SammyP said:


> the tank in question has been running since april 22nd so thats been about 6 weeks/waterchanges. the thing that bothers me the most is that i remember this substrate being advertized as water softening stuff. they said that it replicates amazon conditions. i was busy as heck his weekend so i missed doing my waterchanges (doing them when i get off work) but i did manage to chack my pH this morning and it was about 8.6 ! how can they call that amazon conditions?! thats like saltwater pH!!!


Oh dude, that is a drag. I had that happen on one tank too. But I think it will start to come down soon, hopefully. Its for that reason I opted 100% flourite on a newish 65G. But I put some Eco I soaked for three weeks in a bucket with 50% LFS gravel in a 26 gallon and no probs there. It must be spotty QC on Caribsea's part. If it doesn't change soon, I'd email Caribsea. They'll send you new substrate no questions asked free. At least its only a 10G.


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## turbomkt (Jun 9, 2004)

I did 50% WC's on my 10g for probably 4 or 5 months and PO4 was still off the charts. I directly attribute this as the cause for Cherry Shrimp not being prolific (I'd get one batch of eggs out of a female before she died). Since the change out, I've made no other changes and now have a thriving colony.


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## ddawson (May 16, 2006)

I got a cloudy batch as well. You could not see the back of the tank.

My Phosphates though only showed 1. They sent me a replacement bags and I started over.


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## crshadow (Sep 4, 2003)

mecgeorgeneo said:


> haha so i finally found the thread about the ec phosphate problems. i should've returned it the minute i found out my bag was milky. i bought it a YEAR ago but i bet the stock is old. it would too much of a headache to return the bags, reaquascape (not to mention i threw away the bags) at this point. DOH!
> how does this work- the substrate has been in my tank for a year (which means ive been doing a lot of water changes at this point) but my phosphate level is sky high? if it's supposed to go away within 3-4 water changes... hmm?


Hello, I'm the one who posted the thread about the high phosphate in the corrupted eco-complete. There are a couple things that make it difficult to get your phosphate levels down with the EC. 

First off, the levels of phosphates we are talking about are several hundred PPM, so they are extremely high. 

Second, due to the nutrient absorbing nature of eco-complete, even if you get your phosphate levels down with water changes, whatever phosphate the substrate absorbed will leech back out over the course of a couple days and you'll be back at square one. It ultimately took many 90% waterchanges and good gravel vacuumings over the course of several weeks to get it down. Eventually you'll get it down.

Also, be sure to email CaribSea and let them know about your issue, I'm sure they would gladly send you some courtesy replacements which you can use to replace the substrate in the tank, or save it for another tank.

HTH,

-Jeremiah


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## SammyP (Apr 26, 2006)

Betowess said:


> Oh dude, that is a drag. I had that happen on one tank too. But I think it will start to come down soon, hopefully. Its for that reason I opted 100% flourite on a newish 65G. But I put some Eco I soaked for three weeks in a bucket with 50% LFS gravel in a 26 gallon and no probs there. It must be spotty QC on Caribsea's part. If it doesn't change soon, I'd email Caribsea. They'll send you new substrate no questions asked free. At least its only a 10G.


i guess i could do that.. but... if i'm going to put my fish in a bucket, uproot all my plants (including some cryptos that i'd rather not move right now), swap out all the substrate for new substrate, replant and then acclimate fish, i'd rather just get some aquasoil or do some kind of DIY substrate with sand/soil/laterite/peat/etc.. something new so i can learn something.. i guess i probably should email them and let them know whats going on but i really have no use for another bag of ec.


EDIT: i just read crshadows post. he mentions that he got his phospahtes down after many waterchanges and gravel vacs. I havent touched my substrate with the gravel vac at all since i started the tank 6 weeks ago. i dont have to, though, i feed my fish so sparingly that 90% of it gets eaten before it hits the gravel and the rest gets carted away by the shrimps. that might have something to do with my phosphates not going down. either way, though, this shouldnt happen with substrate that is advertized to replicate amazon conditions.


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## mecgeorgeneo (Aug 12, 2005)

i thought jimjimson started the post. wheres crwshadows post? 
i had posted my phosphate problem in water parameters but never attributed it to ec until sammyp chimed in. and now i know why, because he has the same problem.

i havent tried gravel vac either. that might be worth a shot. 

someone else replied to this thread saying that it would go away within 3-4 water changes so i was trying to point out that it may not go away with just water changes. because in my case the phosphate levels are still high. thats all.


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

mecgeorgneo,here is the link to Crshadows first post of the super high phosphate. It was listed earlier in this thread. link.http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/s...ls-corrupted-eco.html?highlight=Corrupted+Eco


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## mecgeorgeneo (Aug 12, 2005)

thanks bestowess

i emailed carib-sea and they offered to send me more! yay. from reading the crshadows post, it seems it takes about a week to arrive. well, at least now i can re-aquascape and get this phosphate problem under control. its amazing to see a company so understanding.


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## rrguymon (Jul 10, 2005)

Yep they are good. They replaced my contamiated eco too now questions asked.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

I had the KH spike and the PO4 spike from my new eco, 10 bags to be exact, but I am now 7 weeks into it and my KH/PO4 are back to normal. The inital spike caused my CO2 to run out of control and suffocate some of my critters....MAN was I mad. It is now fine. It will take some waterchanges and time.


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

fresh_newby said:


> I had the KH spike and the PO4 spike from my new eco, 10 bags to be exact, but I am now 7 weeks into it and my KH/PO4 are back to normal. The inital spike caused my CO2 to run out of control and suffocate some of my critters....MAN was I mad. It is now fine. It will take some waterchanges and time.


FNewbie, you had some of the new "OK" stuff. Some of these guys have some of an old batch which was wicked bad. Ck out CRShadows thread on it. Pretty scary PO4 levels.


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## XenoMorph2049 (Jun 17, 2006)

Im am in the "Research Phase" of starting my first planted tank. EcoComplete was the substrate I was going to go with, as I have read nothing but good about it untill now. I live in NW FL and we have pretty hard,alkaline water as it is (worked great for my African cichlids and reef tank, PH around 8.2-8.4), What are the odds that I would get contaminated bags if I was to order from Drs. Foster & Smith? Im already going to be tinkering to get the ph down a bit, I dont want to have to fight the EcoComplete as well. I would "think" that the Drs. would have a high enough turnover that the substrate I got would be newer and corrected, but if this was a widespread phenomina, maybe ill go with something else.....


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## turbomkt (Jun 9, 2004)

Here's the maker:
CaribSea, Inc.
P.O. Box 13359
Fort Pierce, FL 34979

Their web site: http://www.carib-sea.com

You may find somewhere closer to you than mail order to get some. ANd with how close they are, I wouldn't worry about contaminated bags too much. They are quite responsive.


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## natx (Jun 6, 2006)

Just got three bags, all fine.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

fresh_newby said:


> I had the KH spike and the PO4 spike from my new eco, 10 bags to be exact, but I am now 7 weeks into it and my KH/PO4 are back to normal. The inital spike caused my CO2 to run out of control and suffocate some of my critters....MAN was I mad. It is now fine. It will take some waterchanges and time.


ok I am responding to my own quote, but....my KH is back down, but my PO4 is still off ther charts. It is ridiculously off the charts. I found out that I thought my PO4 returned to normal when my KH did, but bad timing, my PO4 test kit went bad. I got a new one last week, and tested it based in the fact that so many of you guys are still having trouble, and low and behold, off the charts! I was doing EI light on PO4 thinking I was back to normal, so that wasn't helping my cause that is for sure! So many water changes, I will try to vacuum the gravel, though I have plants all over the substrate, so that stinks, and no more dosing PO4...hopefully that will help? I don't know what else to do.....thoughts?


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## bigstick120 (May 23, 2005)

You could try lots of water changes for a week or 2, maybe get ahold of carib-sea on replacing the substrate


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

bigstick120 said:


> You could try lots of water changes for a week or 2, maybe get ahold of carib-sea on replacing the substrate


I have done like 10 or more so far, and I did email carib sea...the thought of ripping everything up to lay new substrate down sickens me lol


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

I just got an email back from carib sea....their reply? Get more algae cleanup crew and don't dose fertilizers, because with eco complete, there is no need to dose any ferts...hahahaha what?
as for cleanup crew, I have 5 corys, 2 plecos, 10 otos, 20 cherries, 10 amanos, 2 true SAE's and 40 Olive Nerites. I don't think I need more.


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## bigstick120 (May 23, 2005)

fresh_newby said:


> I have done like 10 or more so far, and I did email carib sea...the thought of ripping everything up to lay new substrate down sickens me lol


Yes that would have to suck im sure.

Maybe you need to call them and talk to a person. You will get a better answer Im sure. Thats funny that they said you dont need to add ferts!


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

XenoMorph2049 said:


> Im am in the "Research Phase" of starting my first planted tank. EcoComplete was the substrate I was going to go with, as I have read nothing but good about it untill now. I live in NW FL and we have pretty hard,alkaline water as it is (worked great for my African cichlids and reef tank, PH around 8.2-8.4), What are the odds that I would get contaminated bags if I was to order from Drs. Foster & Smith? Im already going to be tinkering to get the ph down a bit, I dont want to have to fight the EcoComplete as well. I would "think" that the Drs. would have a high enough turnover that the substrate I got would be newer and corrected, but if this was a widespread phenomina, maybe ill go with something else.....


Man, if I was you I would seriously consider the ADA soils. They'll lower the ph and GH etc and are perfect for hard water like you have in Florida. I would use them myself, except I'm on the opposite end of the GH spectrum with nil out of the tap GH,KH and 5.2 pH until I let it stand for a day.


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## XenoMorph2049 (Jun 17, 2006)

Betowess said:


> Man, if I was you I would seriously consider the ADA soils. They'll lower the ph and GH etc and are perfect for hard water like you have in Florida. I would use them myself, except I'm on the opposite end of the GH spectrum with nil out of the tap GH,KH and 5.2 pH until I let it stand for a day.


 From reading, it sonds like the ADA is awsome. Even better than the Eco from some of the postings Ive read. The price is nice as well. Someone linked the website and I checked on the Amazonian small stuff in 4 9liter bags. Toatal came to just under $150. AWSOME. Untill I started to procede with the order and saw $70+ for shipping.....normal, non express, wait a week or two shipping.OWWWW! Not my idea of fun. PLEASE let me know where it might be had without the shipping "fines".
Im with bigstick120. Call them up and talk to someone directly. Let them know all the details (IE-setup, cleanup crew, occupants, plants, ect...)Maybe theyll be able to figure out what happened.If whom everyou talk to at first is of no help, go up the "chain of command" untill you recieve an acceptable answer. I know, form others postings, this is probably the exception, not the rule, but still, with a product that has had a history of problems in the past, youd think theyd be more than willing to offer you a bit more than the "blow off" that you recieved for a reply. This is no better than a LFS telling you "Its probably your tank, they were fine when they were here" when they have half there population of that exact spiecies as "floaters". Just remember, be civil. You never know if they are just multitasking their operator with customer service with only the info found on the packaging as reference. I know that anytime I call the Dr's, I always ask to be transfered back to the people working with the fish directly for specific questions because the people who are actually piad to answer typically dont know the info I want. Their compatability chart is a prime example. it goes by such VAGUE choices like "cichlid"......almost ALL cichlids(and fish in general) vary in there temperment and comptability. As with ALL fish theres few set rules that are 100% correct all the time. Kribs mix well with both cichlids AND comunity fish....most of the time.


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## RoseHawke (Mar 10, 2004)

You know what? I pulled up a lot of plants yesterday, and you know what popped up out of the Eco-Complete? A seashell. Yup. Now I know *I* didn't put it there so presumably it was _in_ the Eco-complete. I doubt I'll ever use the stuff again.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

I finally got someone and they are sending me 8 more bags. Should I even not use it? grrrr A seashell???? how the heck. Answers a lot of questions though. I will test the new bags when I open them to get a reading.





RoseHawke said:


> You know what? I pulled up a lot of plants yesterday, and you know what popped up out of the Eco-Complete? A seashell. Yup. Now I know *I* didn't put it there so presumably it was _in_ the Eco-complete. I doubt I'll ever use the stuff again.


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## XenoMorph2049 (Jun 17, 2006)

A seashell???? Id say heck with it, throw the new coming Eco on ebay and use it to finance something else. Either that or call and find out if "seashell" is one of the natural ingredients used to make it........although I doubt it, considering seashells would raise the ph...


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## Brilliant (Apr 11, 2006)

If you call corrupted when it skyrockets your pH and KH then yes its still corrupted.

I might add that I got the "semi-corrupted" batch I couldnt imagine what the "fully corrupted" batch was like.

I have to try out this new stuff I got directly from Carib-Sea. At least they stand by their product... I have to give them that. I received prompt support from them.


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

fresh_newby said:


> I finally got someone and they are sending me 8 more bags. Should I even not use it? grrrr A seashell???? how the heck. Answers a lot of questions though. I will test the new bags when I open them to get a reading.


I'd consider selling them and use flourite and top dress with your favorite uncoated natural river/stream gravel. Once you have a nice carpet, you won't see the reddish flourite, especially if you top dress it with a dark pebble. But the pebbles have to be larger than the lower substrate or they won't stay on top as smaller fines always end on the bottom.

My LFS has some almost black river pebbles which looked great with Eco. at a 50/50 blend. But that tank is still staying well into pH 7.5 without CO2 and I have put lots of 6.4 water in there. ADA isn't probably an option with soft NYC water. Just some food for thought. 

*But*, I would keep trying some water changes and see if it starts to bottom out. Maybe wait a couple of months before you make a decision to see if things work out without a major re-start.


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## XenoMorph2049 (Jun 17, 2006)

I started thinking on how the Eco could work. Im wondering if its just "super saturated" with nutrients and such and when its added to the water, it dumps a lot of it into the water, killing the paramiters untill something uses up the nutrients and the tank stabilizes itself with the nutrients in the water and substrate. This would explain why some (if im remembering right) have reported that it does (eventually) stop killing the water. If Im not mistaken, Ive also read that it "Helps lower the PH to an appropriate level", but the way it was worded DEFINATELY felt like there should have been a "eventually" added. The way it comes across is that it would absorb all the nutrients neded for plants (besides the initial saturation) through waste, IE- fish waste, plant wastes, ect. Thats the only way I could see them claiming "no ferts are needed".
Id definately keep the new stuff unopened and see if ou can stabilize the old stuff. Id hate to see a repeat of events. Atleast if you could resell the new stuff their sending, you should be able to recoup some funds to supply a diffrent substrate. Please keep in mind that Im still peicing together my first planted tank, and Im a complete newb to them, in conjunction with doing something I really shouldnt be doing ANY way: Thinking.:icon_eek:


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

First, one can not believe marketing hype. Second, Eco is not inert as they claim. And water columns need fertilizing usually, perhaps various doses of NPK and possibly calcium and mg. You can't kill water. It is the universal solvent. But you can have water that kills desireable plants or bacteria. I recommend reading the Rex Grigg section on water parameters to explain some of this stuff at Rexgrigg.com


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

I did a 60% water change to try and get the PO4 down yet again. I haven't dosed macros in 4 days now. I normally dose EI. I did a chem test and I got NO3 of 40-50 STILL and PO4 of 50-100 STILL. My KH is 4 and I normally keep my pH around 6.5 for my pressurized CO2 <I have a pH controller> ANYWAY after my change I went to bed with the pH @ 6.7, but set the controller at 6.5, and the CO2 was going at about 4 bubbles/sec. I ran the airstone too overnight when the lunars were on to help some of my new fish deal with the CO2 and water change easier. WELL, when I woke up, the CO2 was off, as it should be, but my pH was 6.3!!! WHY? I checked PO4 and NO3 , and what I previously stated above were the values I got. What is going on??? I think by now the bogus substrate leeching should be dissipating somewhat, but I am just not getting it. I saw some small spots with a slimy deep green algae kind of material in a few corners and I removed it with my forceps. Its slimey viscosity allowed it to come right up without adhereing to the plant. I am not sure what type of algae it is, but I am ready to scream...


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## cbennett (Oct 20, 2005)

wow, i am so bummed to hear about your troubles with the eco. That's the last thing you want to fiddle with when you're starting a new tank.  I can't recommend AS enough, I didn't have to rinse it, it's a nice dark brown and it really really does lower the KH and pH. My water here is not terribly hard but as soon as I started the new tank with the AS my apistos started breeding.  My GH is about 1, KH is 3 (added baking soda to keep pH stable) and pH is hovering about 5.9-6.0. My old tank had the same equipment on it, and the readings were: GH about 4, KH 4 to 5, pH around 6.5. I also like that it's soft so I don't have to worry about scratching the tank or it hurting catfish. Aquaforest in San Francisco will also ship, it may be worth it to call them and see how much they would charge. I was lucky and was able to go to their store to get my AS but it would have been worth the extra expense of shipping.


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## TINNGG (Mar 9, 2005)

fresh_newby said:


> I did a 60% water change to try and get the PO4 down yet again. I haven't dosed macros in 4 days now. I normally dose EI. I did a chem test and I got NO3 of 40-50 STILL and PO4 of 50-100 STILL. My KH is 4 and I normally keep my pH around 6.5 for my pressurized CO2 <I have a pH controller> ANYWAY after my change I went to bed with the pH @ 6.7, but set the controller at 6.5, and the CO2 was going at about 4 bubbles/sec. I ran the airstone too overnight when the lunars were on to help some of my new fish deal with the CO2 and water change easier. WELL, when I woke up, the CO2 was off, as it should be, but my pH was 6.3!!! WHY? I checked PO4 and NO3 , and what I previously stated above were the values I got. What is going on??? I think by now the bogus substrate leeching should be dissipating somewhat, but I am just not getting it. I saw some small spots with a slimy deep green algae kind of material in a few corners and I removed it with my forceps. Its slimey viscosity allowed it to come right up without adhereing to the plant. I am not sure what type of algae it is, but I am ready to scream...


I'm thinking I wouldn't have put livestock in there without testing a bit first. Although... the one tank I have EC in, I didn't test. Didn't have any problems with it so I got lucky I guess but... I didn't know others were (and you're the first who's had these sort of problems)

I wonder...if you could fill it up with fast growing plants (literally fill it up, not landscaping or anything) and that would help. It's almost like it's contaminated with fertilizers.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

cbennett said:


> wow, i am so bummed to hear about your troubles with the eco. That's the last thing you want to fiddle with when you're starting a new tank.  I can't recommend AS enough, I didn't have to rinse it, it's a nice dark brown and it really really does lower the KH and pH. My water here is not terribly hard but as soon as I started the new tank with the AS my apistos started breeding.  My GH is about 1, KH is 3 (added baking soda to keep pH stable) and pH is hovering about 5.9-6.0. My old tank had the same equipment on it, and the readings were: GH about 4, KH 4 to 5, pH around 6.5. I also like that it's soft so I don't have to worry about scratching the tank or it hurting catfish. Aquaforest in San Francisco will also ship, it may be worth it to call them and see how much they would charge. I was lucky and was able to go to their store to get my AS but it would have been worth the extra expense of shipping.


But my Kh out of the tap is between 0 and 1...I use bicarb to bring it up to 4. Last thing I need is AS, as it softens the water even more.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

TINNGG said:


> I'm thinking I wouldn't have put livestock in there without testing a bit first. Although... the one tank I have EC in, I didn't test. Didn't have any problems with it so I got lucky I guess but... I didn't know others were (and you're the first who's had these sort of problems)
> 
> I wonder...if you could fill it up with fast growing plants (literally fill it up, not landscaping or anything) and that would help. It's almost like it's contaminated with fertilizers.


I had livestock in there from day one cycling the stems, and the tank is now 8 weeks old and the livestock are breeding like mad, so I doubt that is an issue. Everything has been spot on but the PO4, and from the beginning, I figured it must be the test kit. After getting my third kit, 8 weeks later, it is still the same. Trust me, livestock is not suffering. I want to come back in my next life as one of my animals/critters.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

TINNGG said:


> I'm thinking I wouldn't have put livestock in there without testing a bit first. Although... the one tank I have EC in, I didn't test. Didn't have any problems with it so I got lucky I guess but... I didn't know others were (and you're the first who's had these sort of problems)
> 
> I wonder...if you could fill it up with fast growing plants (literally fill it up, not landscaping or anything) and that would help. It's almost like it's contaminated with fertilizers.


oh and I did 6-7 weeks of cyclling with a forest pf plants.


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

fresh_newby said:


> I did a 60% water change to try and get the PO4 down yet again. I haven't dosed macros in 4 days now. I normally dose EI. I did a chem test and I got NO3 of 40-50 STILL and PO4 of 50-100 STILL. My KH is 4 and I normally keep my pH around 6.5 for my pressurized CO2 <I have a pH controller> ANYWAY after my change I went to bed with the pH @ 6.7, but set the controller at 6.5, and the CO2 was going at about 4 bubbles/sec. I ran the airstone too overnight when the lunars were on to help some of my new fish deal with the CO2 and water change easier. WELL, when I woke up, the CO2 was off, as it should be, but my pH was 6.3!!! WHY? I checked PO4 and NO3 , and what I previously stated above were the values I got. What is going on??? I think by now the bogus substrate leeching should be dissipating somewhat, but I am just not getting it. I saw some small spots with a slimy deep green algae kind of material in a few corners and I removed it with my forceps. Its slimey viscosity allowed it to come right up without adhereing to the plant. I am not sure what type of algae it is, but I am ready to scream...


Lynn, the controlers will be off by a few 10ths for sure... sometimes it will click off at X pH and the other side of the tank is a bit lower and it takes a little bit for that side of the water to get over to the probe. I wonder if the PO4 and NO3 readings are changing from decomposing foods showing up later. But I don't get the 50-100 on the PO4. What are you refering to...ppm? A bit odd after a water change. Tests are often inaccurate anyhow. Algae is normal in a healthy tank. You will have some to varying degrees, so I would not worry about it. Give things some time and keep checking the Parms. Good luck.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

Betowess said:


> Lynn, the controlers will be off by a few 10ths for sure... sometimes it will click off at X pH and the other side of the tank is a bit lower and it takes a little bit for that side of the water to get over to the probe. I wonder if the PO4 and NO3 readings are changing from decomposing foods showing up later. But I don't get the 50-100 on the PO4. What are you refering to...ppm? A bit odd after a water change. Tests are often inaccurate anyhow. Algae is normal in a healthy tank. You will have some to varying degrees, so I would not worry about it. Give things some time and keep checking the Parms. Good luck.


Thanks Bob for the words of encouragement....


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