Caribsea Eco-complete Plant Substrate & Nitrate

I've had a freshwater tank for 9 years or so. I haven't had the best luck with my live plants (with gravel substrate) so I decided to switch out my substrate. I used caribsea eco-complete plant substrate black with some red for accent. I took the old gravel out. Called the caribsea company and they said not to drain the bio liquid out from their substrate since I took the gravel out of my tank so I left it in. A couple days after switching my nitrates have shot up and I have done two 50% water changes in a week. Still very high nitrates. In the meantime my plants that I have just put in are getting brown spots, and the stems are rotting.

I have also put in some nitra zorb which isn't helping too much. any suggestions?

 

the plants might be melting and did you keep the filter media in there what stock?

 

Wish you would have come here and asked about the change. Nothing good about eco-complete. Sorry.

 

the plants might be melting and did you keep the filter media in there what stock?

I think they are melting. Not sure why other than all the sudden I have high nitrates. I do not understand your question.

 

What kind of plants? What size tank? What kind of lighting? Do you use fertilizers?

 

What kind of plants? What size tank? What kind of lighting? Do you use fertilizers?

I have 2 cardinal plants (lobelia cardinalis), 2 pigmypot pigmy chain sword (they aren't doing well), 3 golden lioydiella (these are doing the best), alternanthera reineckiI roseafolia (getting some stem rot and brown leaves), 2 bucephalandra sp godzilla, 2 bucephalandra sp ; 2 ancharis egeria densa, 3 java fern, 2 petite anubia nana petite (can't keep them rooted - think I'm going to try and super glue them to the plastic bark that all the fish love), 1 driftwood covered in marimo ball and 1 vallisneria spiralis which isn't doing well at all.

55 gallon tank; fluval aquasky lighting (appropriate for low to medium light - not the 48" but one size down), I am fertilizing a couple times a week with Flourish and Flourish trace. I am avoiding the excel because the place I bought the plants said that Excel melts the vallisneria spiralis.

I did a third 50% water change tonight but rather than use my well water (which I've realized has 30ppm of nitrates) I used all distilled water which is nitrate free.

 

Picture would be great. Some plants grow other don’t. Just happens. Work with the ones that are growing. Root tabs and more lighting for the chain swords. More lighting for the reineckii. The anubias do not get the roots planted. As you said glue or ty rap them to rocks wood or ornaments. The buce plants too.
Flourish is good for now. It’s what I use. There are better but flourish will do.
Val’s melt excell or not some melt. They may grow back so don’t rip them out right away.
What are the tank nitrates?

 

Picture would be great. Some plants grow other don’t. Just happens. Work with the ones that are growing. Root tabs and more lighting for the chain swords. More lighting for the reineckii. The anubias do not get the roots planted. As you said glue or ty rap them to rocks wood or ornaments. The buce plants too.
Flourish is good for now. It’s what I use. There are better but flourish will do.
Val’s melt excell or not some melt. They may grow back so don’t rip them out right away.
What are the tank nitrates?

I am battling with the nitrates. I had the nitrates at 0 - all levels for everything was perfect. but after I switched the substrate to caribsea and planted, the nitrates have shot up. I've done three 50% water changes and still high. I realized my well water has 30 ppm nitrates so I used distilled for my last water change and got the nitrates down to 40 ppm. will do another distilled water change today. I also have nitrazorb pillows. never had this type of problem with nitrates before.

After plants started having issues:

Aquarium

• yvonnedono
• Mar 4, 2019

when I first planted, before plants started having issues:
View media item 247708

 

I understand your problem I’m just over a year with eco-complete and just can’t get a lot of plants to grow in it. I’ve added everything but co2.
Notice the sword is in a pot. Just added that a week ago. Over the last year I’ve been through about 20 plants. I’m useing root tabs and liquid ferts. Front center is crypt wendit it’s growing great as are a few other crypts. There are about 4 swords that are just struggling to survive. Best is behind the wendit a kliener bar sword that gets an osmocote root tab monthly. It’s in there around 3 months. Even anubias are having problems in there. I have other tanks with plain gravel that are doing great. Only difference is the eco.
Your nitrates should go down but it may take a few months. I blame 5he high nitrates on the liquid in the eco. My nitrates rarely get higher than 20ppm. I change water at 30% weekly.

 

I understand your problem I’m just over a year with eco-complete and just can’t get a lot of plants to grow in it. I’ve added everything but co2. View attachment 534505 Notice the sword is in a pot. Just added that a week ago. Over the last year I’ve been through about 20 plants. I’m useing root tabs and liquid ferts. Front center is crypt wendit it’s growing great as are a few other crypts. There are about 4 swords that are just struggling to survive. Best is behind the wendit a kliener bar sword that gets an osmocote root tab monthly. It’s in there around 3 months. Even anubias are having problems in there. I have other tanks with plain gravel that are doing great. Only difference is the eco.
Your nitrates should go down but it may take a few months. I blame 5he high nitrates on the liquid in the eco. My nitrates rarely get higher than 20ppm. I change water at 30% weekly.

Nice tank! I agree that it is the eco complete that created the nitrate. And then the fact that my well water has 30 ppm (app) in it. I finally have gotten the nitrates down by buying a couple new nitra zorbs. I think I was using nitra zorb pillows that were old.