Ultimate Substrate Guide For Planted Tanks

[@TorrieHalz3]

0:27 when that betta popped out i was like :o

[@frankschindler7073]

I use the eco complete. I swear by it. I even used it in my fluval flex 15. Great video very informative. Thanks for the upload

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

Yeah I think Eco-Complete is very under rated!

[@frankschindler7073]

J'sAquaStuff I agree. One of my old KZbin video shows the tank just packed with plants. You are correct on the fact it takes a while to kick in. Great video

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

Thanks!

[@dennisbinkhorst2039]

I currently have a 96L tank up (first 3 weeks hardscape only + liquid starter bacteria on day 2, and 2 weeks planted now) on Oliver Knott aquasoil. This soil leaks ammonia, however, instead of the recommended daily 50% waterchanges to get the ammonia out, I let the hardscape only run for 3 weeks without any waterchanges during those 3 weeks. After 2,5 weeks my ammonia, nitrite and nitratelevels were 0. The bacteria fed and multiplied on the ammonia and literally cleaned the aquasoil. I added my fish 4 days ago, which triggered a diatom outbreak, which I feel has really never been out of my control. Hopefully the diatoms will disappear as quickly as they turned up soon.

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

For me diatoms always go away. Look at it as a sign of your tank maturing!

[@johnkiunke4508]

would you recommend a layer of dirt under eco-complete to get it going initially? what if you mixed eco-complete and aquasoil?

[@wendyjo6233]

Great video. I found it very helpful. I’m desperately trying to figure out what substrate to use. This will be my first nano planted tank and I am completely overwhelmed with conflicting advice on what equipment! Very confused! I wanted to ask, do you use tab and Liquid fort in same tank? I’d not do you prefer one over the other?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

It depends what types of plants you have and what type of substrate you are using. For a beginner I would highly recommend using aquasoil. It provides everything your plants need and mixes well with using liquid fertilizer because it has a high cec value which means it's really good at absorbing nutrients from the water column. I use both but dont always read the instructions so you dont go overboard and end up growing algae and not your plants. Hope that helps! ✌🙂

[@lydkid68]

I love your 5 gallon tank!!! Thanks for the advice😉💜💞

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

Thank you!

[@emilygillikin6396]

Would you be able to mix the two substrates? So that in the beginning the plants are offered the nutrients they need while the Eco Complete is maturing?

[@sofi_ahh]

that’s what i was wondering too

[@parachuteaquatics7233]

Thank you so much for this video I just started my second planted tank and I use Eco-Complete and I’ve see sea-chem which cost a fortune and I always wondered if i made the right decision but now I know I’ve been doing the right thing great great video

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

Haha Glad I could help! Eco-Complete is awesome! Now your set for life! Thanks for stopping by!

[@parachuteaquatics7233]

J'sAquaStuff anytime brother thank you

[@ACAquatics]

First to like and comment. Great advice. I personally like eco complete and it works for me so that is the substrate for me.

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

I love eco-complete. I'm thinking about setting up another tank with it. Thank you!

[@dbachelorsplantedaquarium4711]

I agree with all man! Great video again.. thumbs up!

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

Thanks D!

[@lesleyannehall8040]

Just a thought, might be a stupid one. Do you think Its possible to use fluval stratum as a base layer and cap with eco complete. That way the plant roots have a nutrient rich substrate to grow into and maybe the eco complete would soak up the excess. Or would that get messy?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

Haha I've had that question a million times. They are both best on their own! For several reason! 🙏🙂

[@ballistic350]

So if the one substrate is just crushed lava rocks etc then your plants only get food from the liquid fertilizer?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

Yes and the eco complete is meant to trap fish poo and detritus to feed the plant roots.

[@stevesharpe1648]

Hi. I have a large tank 200 gallon..to keep the cost down can I mix eco complete with fine gravel sand ? Thanks

[@jackievarughese3945]

Eco Complete, is it safe for Corys? I've been running stratum on my 2 nano 10 gallon tanks and have sand in my 25 with the cory cats, i'm planning on changing the substrate to a pla ted substrate so i can have some rooted plants ( 25 gallon only has floating plans and anubias on rocks ) is eco complete safe for my corys or will it damage their barbels ?

[@budfahnestock2418]

so if one has nutrients but loses them, and the other starts with none but gets them over time, why not mix both together and get the best of both worlds?

[@jackievarughese3945]

You got a point there bud😂

[@bigmoose7]

@@jackievarughese3945Or why not just use the one that gains nutrients then fil the tank with nutrients???? Now you have permanent nutrients ))) Theres always one man who thinks outside the box,, or in this case aquarium hahahahaha

[@jackievarughese3945]

@@bigmoose7 😂😂😂😂True true

[@peekaboo9976]

Dude what are those floating plants you got? I thought floaters couldn’t handle rough surface agitation

[@MrEbrahimBalwa]

Should I turn the filter on after putting the sand substrate on day 1? The water is really foggy. Also I have not put the plants yet. Have put them in quarantine. Once the water settles down after 2 days, should change the water and add fresh water?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

I would just do a water change and you are good to go!

[@dirtyoldfarmhand3]

Bravo!

[@daily_pocket_review]

Can you use power sand or other base layers with eco complete to give it more nutrients from the get go?

[@shell7629]

Absolutely gorgeous 💖

[@DebsInManchesterUK]

I just bought another 5 gallon tank today i just put gravel in it lol i would have bought these you recomend for plants but i had a bag of normal gravel so i useing that up Please can you look at my betta on my last video i got more close up of him I just need you to say he looks healthy i worry so much about him Thank you if you find a fault with him please tell me so i can fix it

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

Okay I'll check it out!

[@gerardocarrillo2548]

I have a 5 gallon setup right now and I have a spare ten gallon just sitting there and I want to switch my 5 to 10 gallon but I don’t want my plants to die and recommendations on what to do?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

I always trim the roots and replant into some good nutrient rich substrate. That will promote new healthy growth! ✌🙂 You plants should be fine!

[@renzjosephomila8304]

how many inches does the height of your substrate and how do you apply the root tabs?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

Renz Joseph Omila I wouldn’t use any less than 2 inches in the from and no more than 4 in the back. I use my tweezers to push the root tab into the substrate close the the plants that need it like swords and such. Hope this helps! ✌️😍🌱✅

[@renzjosephomila8304]

@@ThePlantedTankTV how many kilos is your substrate and is it ok to use nutricote as a fertilizer?

[@pattonspetsofficial9779]

So I just dirt my tank if I use Eco Complete?

[@miquelmontgomery2542]

What kind of liquid fertilizer do you do suggest for the eco-complete and how many times do you fertilize the soil/plant?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

I use NilocG Thrive not the Thrive + and I use a syringe to dose not the pump. I dose a small amount every day.! ✌😁

[@KevinsCaninesAndAquatics]

How do you know how much substrate to add?

[@ooooitsmisaoooo]

This may be a stupid question, but is it possible/advantageous to mix the two that you mentioned?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

ooooitsmisaoooo mixing the too can create anaerobic conditions so most people try to stay away from it.

[@ooooitsmisaoooo]

thanks for the info!

[@nitrogen3514]

Wait do you have a stock trading channel lol?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

haha I do not. That would be awesome though!

[@epicgamers3048]

I know its an old video, but can someone tell me if those plants in the bottom left and right are ludwigia atlantis?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

EpicGamers 30 negative 👎 they are Ludwigia Repens ✌️🙂

[@epicgamers3048]

Is it a fast médium or slow growing plant? Btw thanks for the fast response:)

[@Jack-di4ox]

EpicGamers 30 depends on your set up low light slow growing co2 and ferts speed it up

[@colinheslet5926]

Would you ever consider mixing two soil brands? For example the eco soil and fluvial soil?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

I've gotten that question a lot. lol I would recommend not mixing. I like to just throw some seachem root tabs in first and then soil on top. Doing that gives you a ton of nutrients to the roots!

[@xKarma93]

What kind of filter is that on the right? I’ve been looking for one like that

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

It's a 4$ cheapo dual sponge filter! It worked great!

[@bibinjaboy]

Can flourite be arranged above pebbles?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

You can but it is better to be used as a base layer.

[@rockfella27]

How long do these tanks last without breaking down??

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

The tank itself or a planted tank in general?

[@rockfella27]

@@ThePlantedTankTV planted tanks in general

[@rmk22sr.2]

Hey Jay Great Video I’m just starting up my new Planted tank I want to have Cory Dora cats in the tank I want to use eco Complete could I cap that with sand Thanks Rob

[@Castleman811]

Did you end up capping with sand?

[@inbedf]

you can mix both? means bottom fluval stratum and top eco complete?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

Most people do Eco-Complete on the bottom and Aquasoil on top. The Eco-Complete will act as a false bottom!

[@inbedf]

@@ThePlantedTankTV any advantage if I mix aquasoil and eco complete. I already purchased eco-complete but want to try what's best. mix or only eco-complete.

[@paulrivera6120]

What if you mix both substrates together, would you get the best of both worlds in your tank?

[@alexzhang3761]

Great video! I started use Eco-Complete recently, and I am running root tabs while waiting for it to mature. Thanks again!

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

Yeah I always you Root tabs in the beginning too! That's something I forgot to mention!

[@SurroundedByIdgets]

Could you mix the two together? Get the benefits of nutrients right away from one and the other has time to build up its own?

[@emanon888]

Is 3 inches for the soil too much ?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

No such thing. Lol

[@RAZOR12334]

I have been using dirt soil for almost 11 years and the results are fantastic. They fancy soil are nothing but rip off.

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

I strongly disagree. There is a reason all the professional aquascapers use it. Look at all of Takashi Amanos work. All of his tanks makes your comment sound pretty stupid.

[@notmissing-gonefishing50]

@@ThePlantedTankTV but did you have to say stupid? Uninformed maybe?

[@bryanrothe4245]

So can you do half and half ?

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

Bryan Rothe it usually isn’t recommend!

[@pistachoo.]

Very interesting; I had no idea about EcoComplete; it was sold to me years ago as nutrient-rich and I was so disappointed to see it looked like a bunch of rocks. I still have it; now I know not to throw out the "mature" stuff!

[@ThePlantedTankTV]

pistachoo yeah it is soaked in nutrients in the bag that’s why they say that. But it is good stuff!!! ✌️😍

[@pistachoo.]

I still don't like the look of it all that much, but I don't want to (1) throw it out if it's good, or (2) spend a ton of money on a clay based plant substrate when I already have something that works. lol

[@pistachoo.]

Could I do a dirted tank and cap it with the old stuff? Or is that not worth the trouble?

[@seandroid23]

@@pistachoo. I just watched a video on Dustin's fish tanks that said mixing eco and dirt may be a bad idea

[@pistachoo.]

@@seandroid23 Oh? Hm....