# Eco- Complete™ Planted



## Park (21 Feb 2011)

I've bought alot of this very cheap and as I can read it's not "complete" - _"EcoComplete is a misnomer. In fact it isn't really "complete", because it has no NPK. This is not a big deal, especially when dosing the water column, but the fact is that you're paying category 3 prices for a category 2 product. It really should be called "EcoSemiComplete". A claim to fame for this product is that it's sold in a bag with bacteria soup. This is another marketing ploy because you can get bacteria anywhere for free."_, but will I have any advantages by adding NPK by putting osmocote in it? Or is it a waste when dosing EI every day?  :?: 

And any experiences? It looks very like a very "natural" soil, but will it dissolve quickly?


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## GreenNeedle (21 Feb 2011)

NPK inclusion in substrates is not a biggie.  A lot of the cheaper ones have that.  NPK depletes over time.

What is important is that the product has CEC which means it can replensih itself.

Eco-Complete does have some CEC.  Not as much as some other but still it has some whereas some other 'completes' have loads of additives yet are relatively inert when they deplete.

AC


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## ceg4048 (21 Feb 2011)

Hi,
    It's always a good idea when quoting someone to reference the thread, post or website. That avoids having the reader lose the context of the quote. You would have read that bit from the thread Flora max V Eco complete

In that same post it was also specifically stated:


> Plants feed from both water column as well as sediment as the opportunity presents itself. Therefore we are free to choose the nutrient location. Ideally, we would like to have nutrients located in both locations...


Therefore, the answer to your question of whether it is worth it is yes, it can be worth it depending on ones dosing habits and lifestyle. If one is fairly disciplined in dosing then there is less importance in enhancing the substrate. If one is inconsistent with dosing, or out of town often, then it might be worthwhile considering fortifying the substrate.

As SuperColey1 mentions, the Cation Exchange Capacity of the clay pulls nutrients from the water and delivers it to the plant roots, in effect, acting as if the sediment were fortified with nutrients.

If you have the sediment in hand,  you'll find that EcoComplete is hard baked, not soft, so it's rock hard and maintains it's integrity.

Cheers,


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## Park (21 Feb 2011)

Sorry 'bout the missing ref.  

But thanks for sharing   I'll give it a try and start a journal soon


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