Topping substrate help please

[fishkeeper]

Hi

My tetra plant complete is jsut over a year old, but is still going well, however, now Ive redone an aquascape for my tank, I need to top up the black gravel, Im thinking that if I brought a substrate like eco-complete I could put it on top and add extra nutrients into my tank, without having to take everything out of the tank to replace the tetra.

Which substrate would be better for this? I will be adding it straight to the tank with all livestock inside, so ideally I want something that doesnt cloud up. I was thinking eco-complete or seachem flourite black? The oliver Knotts substrate looks quite expensive and I dont know if my idea will work, as in putting nutrients back into the tank for plants.

Please leave your views

Edit: The tank is a Juwel rio 125l so I dunno hwo many bags would be needed to cover it (mostly where the plants are), 1 of eco-complete/flourite or 2 of olviver knotts 3l?)

 

[Tom]

I don't know about eco complete, but most substrates will cloud the water very badly if you just put it in while water is still there. I would remove water and fish to a bucket or container, saving as much water as poss. Then fill up the tank again gradually once the substrate is in, making sure you don't disturb it. Then add the fish again and you're done.

Tom

 

[fishkeeper]

After a quick look in the garage, Ive found a small 60l tank that could probably house my fish for a small while so I could drain out 60l and put them in there while it clouds over.

Gives me time to plant some plants without fish in the way aswell 😀

The question still stands- which substrate would be better and will my idea of the substrate giving out nutrients eventhough its on top still work?