New tank

F fishorama beat me to mentioning CEC 🤣

But I concur it looks to be like eco-complete, I still use it but it does start as inert, it's not going to feed your plants well at first, so maybe think about adding complete root tabs (macro and micro nutrients, lots are very heavily micro.. read the label) if you will use heavy root feeding plants (say swords or crypts)

I would not believe them about containing bacteria, or instant cycling.. be sure to test frequently just in case or cycle your aquarium as if you were using dry substrate.

Don't rinse, fill slowly over a bowl or plastic wrap or such, your water shouldn't end up cloudy
 
Well, dougall, remembering back to when I first tried Eco, it did seem to cycle faster with the liquid than without...But that was a long while ago...a different house, state & water. I may have used 6 in 1 strips (OMG!! Really, they're not that terrible) but maybe API kit...22+ years ago 🤷

I'm sure dougall would have a better simple explanaton of CEC, lol. You know, planty minds think in similar ways...
 
dougall said:
F fishorama beat me to mentioning CEC 🤣

But I concur it looks to be like eco-complete, I still use it but it does start as inert, it's not going to feed your plants well at first, so maybe think about adding complete root tabs (macro and micro nutrients, lots are very heavily micro.. read the label) if you will use heavy root feeding plants (say swords or crypts)

I would not believe them about containing bacteria, or instant cycling.. be sure to test frequently just in case or cycle your aquarium as if you were using dry substrate.

Don't rinse, fill slowly over a bowl or plastic wrap or such, your water shouldn't end up cloudy
Click to expand...
technically my tank is cycled but I did not feel safe introducing uknown liquid into my tank.
 
Adler said:
technically my tank is cycled but I did not feel safe introducing uknown liquid into my tank.
Click to expand...
Unless you plan to dry the substrate completely, then you are going to be introducing an amount of the liquid.

(Personally I have done it many times and am completely comfortable)

But..

Also note it is sold by weight, so you are paying for the weight of the liquid as well as the weight of the substrate.

It doesn't matter if you use the liquid or not... I'm quite sure there's no benefit to using it.
 
I know we don't often disagree dougall, but I thought there WAS a small benefit to using the Eco liquid, as compared to inert substrate like sand. But to honest, I almost always use some filter media or substrate from a healthy tank to cycle my next tank if I can after a move. It could be from a fertilizer "effect"...but that can help cycling too, don't you think? Most ferts usually have the big 3 macros & probably at least some micros. Maybe not in a very balanced way...that's why we test is to know better...or at least why I do in my lame testing way.
 
If there's a benefit to the liquid, I have no clue what it is.

If it's bacterial there's a good chance it is dead at the time of use, if it contains nutrients for plants it will be gone with water changes.

Assuming it hasn't leaked out of the bag in the first place.

Any benefit I get from it, it's from the actual substrate itself and the high CEC.

I want to say I recall it being tested, but I cannot remember where, and do not have time to look it up, so take that with a grain of salt.

I have used it. And am currently using it (until I break the tank down that it is currently in). But I have so much new aquasoil stored in the basement I'm unlikely to use it.

If the liquid was nutritious, plant wise, it would end up in the gravel (CEC related) but I think I remember seeing a breakdown of it, and pretty sure it wasn't beneficial to the plants outside of maybe a few micro nutrients.
 
See, I should always bow down to your superior experience lol, of both CEC & ferts. You have WAY more experience! But...well, I'm not all the way there...but I'm trying to get there!
 
I wouldn't bow down to me at all!

I wouldn't say I'm an expert, not by a long shot.

I have just spent far too long with failures on newly setup tanks.
 
OK, you can say that dougall...but I know it means you've grown many more plants successfully than I ever have, lol. That's OK, I'm still learning...& killing plants...That's 1 of many things I love about my plant club. Pass the bag'o'plants. Try it a fourth time? OK, kill it 1 more time, it's so pretty! Or maybe finally happy growth this time? It does sometimes happen, lol.
 
I have probably killed way more too ;)
 
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