hamstermann

how do those of you with eco complete manage to suck up the fish wastes in the tank without sucking up the substrate? I'm still trying to figure this out.

sirdarksol

I don't have eco complete, but I do have sand and fluorite in one of my tanks. I just barely graze the top of the substrate and then pull the tube back. Most of the substrate will fall out of the tube as the waste gets pulled out. A little bit of sand ends up in the bucket, but not much.

Radcliffe

That has puzzled me as well. It seems with regular gravel, I need to pull gravel all the way down to the bottom. With Eco-Complete, it seems I need to only brush the top, otherwise it gets way too much in the tube. I worry a bit that I am not getting it as clean, and wonder if I should stir it carefully now and then, all the way to the bottom. I do have a heavily planted tank though, and perhaps the bits that fall to the bottom are good for the now rather thick roots. If I did mix it all up, it would bother all of the roots systems of the plants though, and I am just getting them all starting to look good.

So, yeah, I have the same question as you do!

--R

sirdarksol

I have heard that you want to aerate the substrate periodically by poking it with a straw or fork or something. (Or, if you've got Malaysian Trumpet Snails, they'll do the job for you)

Butterfly

The fish waste doesn't seem to sink down into the eco-complete like it does gravel so I just wave the siphon over the top of it. what little if any gets sucked up isn't enough to matter. Yes if you don't have Malaysian trumpet snails you can aerate the substrate by poking a straw or your fingers down in it every few days.
Carol

Radcliffe

I recently introduced trumpet snails to the tank, yes. Only about 5 snails to a 29 gallon but I see more than 5 already so they are likely doing well.

--R

Butterfly

Yes MTS are live bearing snails. The just new ones are really tiny, it doesn't take them long to grow. Watch your feeding so they don't over populate.
Carol

sirdarksol

I have never had an overpopulation problem, and I'm pretty sure I overfeed my fish. I have no idea why, though.