# NOOB Question...Eco Complete under regular gravel



## Clownloachlover (Apr 21, 2010)

I am setting up a 220 gallon tank and don't feel like spending my life savings on special substrate for my tank. I was thinking of putting say 1" of eco complete and then covering it with standard aquarium gravel...is there any benefit to this or am I just wasting money? this will be a relatively low tech set up...not planning CO2 at this point in time and my light fixture is a 8 bulb 39 watt per bulb T5HO fixture which I think would be considered a low to medium low lighting situation.


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

Hello.

You could do a cap on Eco Complete if you like. Or you could wait for someone to sell off some used substrate and just enhance it with new Eco Complete. I suggest something like Flourite Black, Flourite Black Sand, onyx sand, or more Eco Complete.

JMHO.

Best regards,

Stuart

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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

CRS Fan said:


> Hello.
> 
> You could do a cap on Eco Complete if you like. Or you could wait for someone to sell off some used substrate and just enhance it with new Eco Complete. I suggest something like Flourite Black, Flourite Black Sand, onyx sand, or more Eco Complete.
> 
> ...


I agree with Stuart, Flourite is inert but will absorb and hold nutrients for when plants want to access it. Dosing with ferts or simply letting the fish do their thing will mean that eventually you'll have substrate that is nutritious for plants. It's also quite cheap when compared to the other substrates that are already high in nutrients.


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## Clownloachlover (Apr 21, 2010)

well my issue is I have 5, 5 gallon buckets of good old regular gravel, which as you know does not really have a lot of nutrient value for live plants...I don't want to go out and spend a ton of money as I already have a stretched budget and 5 buckets of gravel. I thought I might go out and buy 3 or 4 bags of eco complete and use it as a base under my gravel a compared to several inches spread out over 12 square feet.


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