Big Problem With Eco-Complete

Will give it a try

HappyChem,
Thanks for the reply. Will let the tap water set over night like you instructed and see what happens. Will test in the AM, more to follow.

Aquabum,
Sent a letter to CaribSea today, return recipt requested. Attached a copy of my e-mail. Also indicated to them that a non-response no matter what the method of media was not good for them ($$$$) or for us as the end user of the product.

I did plant about 20 plants in the tank about a week ago and so far so good.
The Tetras and Golden White Clouds do look good with the dark background.
Now if the brown Algae will just go away.

Thanks to both of you for the postings, it is an edcuation!!
 
Pffff brown algae, it'll be gone in a couple weeks. Just keep cleaning and water changing. If they fit in your final stocking plan and you think that they're as cool as I do a few Otocinclus will cut through the brown algae in no time.
 
w9nwr,

You're welcome. This is like going back to school all over again.

Lissette :cool:

P.S. Please let me know if Caribsea answers you.
 
pH after 20 hours test

HappyChem,

Saucer test, after 20 hours or so. pH 6.6 near as I can tell.

(Aquapharmacutical test kit)

Chuck
 
Is your water's pH stable? You probably have very soft water so it really wouldn't take much to change your pH. Keep an eye on it, check it one day after and right before water changes, small increases over the week are okay, but it you're noticing a big drop you may have to do 2 water changes spaced out over the week or look into a slight pH increase with a baking soda solution at water change time.

Nitrification naturally decreases pH in time, normally you rely on your buffer to handle this for short time spans (read: one week), but with exceptionally soft water this isn't a safe assumption.
 
Happychem,

I took the test this afternoon. The results from tap: Ph: 6.6, Kh: 0

Results with gravel: Ph: 6.4, Kh: 0

Lissette
 
I think it will stabalize over time

HappyChem,

Based on what I see on my records (Aquarix4 database) The 7.6 reading has slowly ebbed to 7.4 in the tank so I think what we are going to see over time ( x number of weeks) is a reduction as normal maintenance continues. At least its not off the chart!!! I wish I could justify a digital pH meter, sure would make it easier, this interpolation of colors just sometimes just does not hack it. The color; "is it really 7.4" ........ :o How blue is blue, or how brown is that brown!!

I thank you for your time and will let you guys & gals know when (IF) CaribSea answers the snail mail.

Plants doing ok after the first week, took a toll in transport 0 deg temps, but thats another story.
Fish are ok...4 Neons & 3 golden clouds.
 
Lisette, those are pretty close, at least if your test kit is the same as mine (nutrafin, but check the indicator, if it's bromothylmol blue then it's the same). I usually have a pretty hard time telling between the yellowish colour of 6.6 and the slightly more yellow yellowish colour of 6.4.

At any rate I'm going to stick to my original theory of having some acid left behind. If Eco-Complete has a good Cation Exchange Coefficient it should grab hold of masses of H+ (the ultimate cation) and slowly release it like it would with other positively charged nutrients like iron (Fe 2 or 3+). I never thought of it before now ( :rolleyes: , sorry), I should have considered the effect of adding an acid to something with a high CEC. Over time it should slowly release the excess H+ and approach water pH.

w9nwr, you've pretty much got the opposite going on, each water change you'll remove a little of the extra base and slowly approach equilibrium.
 
Thanks Happychem for helping us out and many others who are going through the same thing.

Lissette :D
 
I've got the same problem. pH running through the roof and GH up to 11 (3-4 from the tap). It is terribles stuff and I don't know what to do. Wrote to Caribsea, but I guess they don't care. Going to report them to the bbb for false advertising.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom