Flourite or Eco complete?

Hello,

I'm planning to be setting up a 10 gallon high tech and also redoing my 6 as a high tech. Right now i have a 5 gallon hex dirted and capped with eco complete that i will be taking down, and a 6 gallon dirted capped with eco complete that i will be taking down. I think that flourite seems like a nice option. I would probably go with the black sand. The thing is Eco Complete is on sale a lot for 16-17 bucks for a 20lbs bag, while flourite black sand is 32 bucks for a 16 pound bag. I would like to know your experiences with them and what do you guys think is the best? I'm planning to be using root tabs, ferts, DIY co2, high lights, and then plants like glossostigma, dwarf hairgrass, rotalla walichi, java fern, ludwigia, cyperus helferi,crypts, and possibly some dwarf baby tears. I'm deciding to ditch the dirt in this tank and just spend the extra money to get he plants looking good. What do you guys think? Also could i get the flourite black sand for my 6 and then reuse the eco complete from my 5 and 6 in the 10 or would you just reccomend getting a new bag? I might just get a new bag and start fresh.

Thanks, Braden

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Permalink Reply by collin on April 1, 2012 at 6:31pm

I just set up a 45 gal with only eco complete and put a few plants in a week ago. I just moved one of my crypts and it had a brand new 4 inch long bright white root on it. I haven't used flourite before but my eco complete seems to be working great.

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Permalink Reply by Mc Fish on April 1, 2012 at 8:09pm

I think they're both pretty comparable to one another. If the eco complete is cheaper, I'd lean towards that.

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Permalink Reply by Adam Carbary on April 1, 2012 at 8:18pm

I have used both eco complete and fluorite in two separate tanks with equal growth from both tanks. That being said I prefer the fluorite over the eco complete because it is a finer grain. I found that it was much easier to plant in the fluorite and didn't have many issues with the plants popping up when planting close together.

Either one you go with I am sure you will be happy and your plants will be happy with.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Jango on April 1, 2012 at 8:36pm

Seachem flourite is clay. Use non-clumping kitty litter - its cheaper. Eco-complete is OK but expensive. I still like soil.

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Permalink Reply by Braden on April 2, 2012 at 3:40pm

Thanks for the replies everyone! I talked to someone and not many people have been having success with non clumping kitty litter, turface, moler clay, whatever people call it. The whole reason is to not do dirt and try it with high tech substrate. IF you see the difference from a dirted tank you will get pretty good plant growth, but a non dirted and high tech, while it is cheaper is a lot more nicer and grows plants wonderfully. I found seachem flourite for 20 bucks for a 16.4 pound bag so i think i will just get two bags of those for the 10 and 6, and then i will have some leftover for whenever i do a small nano or possibly a shrimp tank :D