Eco-Complete Substrate prices. [Archive]

Yuri De Lima

01-05-2006, 1:21 AM

I've been trying to buy some Eco-Complete Substrate for a 10G and possibly a 55G which I plan to turn into planted tanks. But as all of us I alwaysreluctant to just give my money away without getting something worthy. So I did some research here online because my LFS is out of the question ($26.99 per bag). Here are 2 prices which I found for a 20lbs Eco-Complete Substrate bag.
www.DrsFosterSmith.com =$21.99
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=9087&N=2004+113555

www.BigAlsOnline.com = $14.99
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=20557&category_id=3145&pcid1=3349

I was wondering why their prices are so different? Does anybody know?

Lady G

01-05-2006, 2:44 AM

Well Big Al's adds a "heavy item" charge on top of the shipping charge I know because that is what I ended up ordering to for my 55 I'm getting ready to set up. I was going to go with Florite because I heard so much about it here but when I went to Big Al's the eco-complete was on sale (that's why it's cheaper) not sure what the reg. price was though.
Not sure about Drs foster smith though, they may just charge the regular shipping
cost.

Gin

Lady G

01-05-2006, 2:50 AM

Just went to my confirmation email invoice and the shipping was 7.45, oversized item charge was 7.49, now I ordered some florish excel, and a driftwood piece so that may of made the shipping a little more (not by much I wouldn't think).
Alway's remember the shipping charges at these places.

Good luck,

Gin

Yuri De Lima

01-05-2006, 3:05 AM

Yea, I always try to watch out for the shipping charges as they sometimes can be more expensive than the total price of the products you are buying.(I dunno who would make such deal).

That's why I emailed BigAlsOnline and asked them about the charges and their justifications. Still waiting for response.

tre8160

01-05-2006, 4:16 AM

Dr. Fosters did away with freight charges on subsrates (kind of). They've basically added them to the everyday price. Eco used to be around $17 a bag there until they did this a couple months ago. The price you see everywhere else is without freight. www.aquariumplant.com has it for $9.99 a bag advertised on their website plus $9.99 for shipping. You can have this pricematched at either www.bigalsonline.com or www.petsolutions.com and possibly save a little on the freight depending how far away it has to travel to get to you. I got mine from pet solutions for around $16 a bag shipped.

Yuri De Lima

01-05-2006, 12:18 PM

wow, amazing how prices move up and down

hurricanejedi

01-05-2006, 1:11 PM

http://aquariumplant.com/cgi-bin/cart/SS695.html
Is this sand or gravel?

Yuri De Lima

01-05-2006, 1:29 PM

ummm both?

Lady G

01-05-2006, 2:05 PM

I can tell you in a day or two once I get mine...didn't think about it just assumed it was rock like florite, good questiom!!

hurricanejedi

01-05-2006, 2:11 PM

I'm planning on a black sand bottom thats why I'm curious. I know Eco-Complete makes a sand but I'm not sure this is it or not. Heck I'm thinking I might go for it anyway. It looks like a really good choice for plants and the price is very nice at that site.

reiverix

01-05-2006, 3:37 PM

Eco Complete doesn't isn't really a sand. The grain sizes range from sand like to pea size with a few larger grains here and there. Over time it settles with the smallest particles on the bottom and the largest on the top.

If you want finer grains then Onyx sand might be more to your taste although it's not as dark as eco, but still quite nice looking.

tre8160

01-05-2006, 9:49 PM

hurricanejedi

01-05-2006, 10:00 PM

I'm such a doof. I thought I had a bag of the onyx upsairs as a while ago I was able to get it for $10 with no shipping charge (no idea where) but I didn't order enough. I think for a 46 gallon I might need 1-2 more bags at 20lb per back (suggestions???). I heard the onyx sand is light and kept thinking the stuff I had was pretty dark...well yah I have the eco-complete sitting upstairs not onyx. I guess it is sort of mixed but it certainly isn't gravely, but not necessarily uniform either.

Lady G

01-09-2006, 11:35 PM

I FINALLY got my eco-complete, this is the longest I have waited on an order from BigAls, normally 2-3 day's tops but this took a full week to make it to me, anyway now that I have it I see you already know what it is, strange stuff eh? It's grainy, but chunky I haven't opened it yet don't want ti until I'm ready to put it in the tank..just waiting to get the lighting and the heater now and will be ready to go, my light should be hear before long just getting ready to send my payment for it then it will be shipped!!

pwrflpills

01-10-2006, 7:49 PM

I bought Eco-complete at my LFS for $26.99 last weekend. What the heck - better support the guys if I want them to stick around. And I was able to take it home right there, no wondering. I think the regular flourite was about $20. I don't know cause I didn't want it.

pwrflpills

01-10-2006, 7:56 PM

http://aquariumplant.com/cgi-bin/cart/SS695.html
Is this sand or gravel?
Hey Jedi, sure you noticed, but that place has a 10 bag minimum.

Whatever process they use to break it down causes some of it to break down into a very fine size. Sand-like if you will. As far as I know, roots grow better through this consistency. Otherwise it's basically like gravel.

hurricanejedi

01-11-2006, 10:52 AM

Hey Jedi, sure you noticed, but that place has a 10 bag minimum.

Whatever process they use to break it down causes some of it to break down into a very fine size. Sand-like if you will. As far as I know, roots grow better through this consistency. Otherwise it's basically like gravel.
Theres an option for less than 10 bags for lower 48 states.

A while back I ordered a bag from a place that was having a sale with $9.99 per bag and free shipping. No idea where that was, maybe same place though. Thats how I ended up with one bag, as at the time I didn't know how much I would need. Now I wish I had 2 more bags.

TetraFreak

01-11-2006, 1:19 PM

What you may want to do is layer the eco-complete on the bottom, then sand/Gravel over it to get the desired depth. I did that in my 25 Gal and it's awesome! Also thinking about doing that in the 55 I'm setting up.

pwrflpills

01-11-2006, 3:39 PM

Theres an option for less than 10 bags for lower 48 states.

On that note, I probably need some more and that place is cheap! :D

I stink at math...can anyone suggest how many bags I need to fill my 20 gal without mixing in the old stuff? I'd like to go all black like EMG. Not too deep though.

hurricanejedi

01-11-2006, 4:15 PM

pwrflpills

01-11-2006, 4:26 PM

Um, I tried to buy one bag from aquariumplants.com. I put in my zip code and the cheapest shipping was $19.54. Forget that!

Yuri De Lima

01-11-2006, 5:19 PM

Um, I tried to buy one bag from aquariumplants.com. I put in my zip code and the cheapest shipping was $19.54. Forget that!

You think that's too much? Try buying a bag for $26.00 plus tax from my local fish store.

Man do those guys cheap to make profit. :duh: :thud:

Lady G

01-11-2006, 5:33 PM

Um, I tried to buy one bag from aquariumplants.com. I put in my zip code and the cheapest shipping was $19.54. Forget that!

Big Als shipping was 7.45 or something like that...but then they add the "heavy" item charge it was 7.49 I think so around 15.00 all together but it was on sale to so the eco-complete was cheaper not sure if it's still on sale or not but you could check, also www.thatpetplace.com had some not sure on the price or shipping since I went with www.bigalsonline.com I think the eco-complete was 14.something at big als.

Good luck, shipping is NUTS everywhere!

:fairy: Gin

Yuri De Lima

01-11-2006, 7:00 PM

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=20557&category_id=3145&pcid1=3349

They also got an offer which if you buy something today till tomorrow noon you'll double your points! Pretty sweet, the clock is ticking...ticking..ticking...

That's big al's price, $14.99, a good price withouth shipping. What kills you is the shipping.

dha300

01-11-2006, 7:03 PM

i picked up locally for 20 a bag

pwrflpills

01-12-2006, 3:15 PM

You think that's too much? Try buying a bag for $26.00 plus tax from my local fish store.

Man do those guys cheap to make profit. :duh: :thud:
Yuri, you misunderstood. The shipping is $19.54. The total is $29.53...AND I have to wait lord knows how long to receive it.

I like the $26.99 at my LFS option.

pwrflpills

01-12-2006, 3:20 PM

I think I heard a pound per gallon? Maybe I'm wrong but perhaps you can get away with just one bag or have a second as backup in case you needed it. I'm getting a 46 gallon and was figuring 3 bags though I don't think I would need it all...

Anyone else with any thoughts on this?

I look at the bag and I look at my tank and there's no way one bag would be enough. At the same time, if someone can prove me wrong, I'm more than happy to save the $26.99+ tax and gas. :mad2:

hurricanejedi

01-12-2006, 3:24 PM

I've about given up on this stuff. I'm going to my lfs and seeing what they have for plants. I'm about to put in an order at bigals and it isn't cheap. I need to cut corners somewhere.... (thread in newbie forum)

IceH2O

01-12-2006, 8:46 PM

I stink at math...can anyone suggest how many bags I need to fill my 20 gal without mixing in the old stuff? I'd like to go all black like EMG. Not too deep though.

http://www.plantedtank.net/substratecalculator.html

just put in length,width and how deep..it'll tell you how many pounds you need..It covers eco,florite,silica sand and regular gravel.