CaribSea · Inert nutrient
CaribSea Eco-Complete Planted
United States · Black volcanic basalt · grain 2 to 5 mm
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TL;DR, CaribSea Eco-Complete Planted
Eco-Complete is a black volcanic basalt gravel coated with a mix of micronutrients including iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Hard-water regions where active soils' pH-lowering effect would force the keeper into RO water.
Full specs
- Brand
- CaribSea
- Country of origin
- United States
- Category
- Inert nutrient
- Colour
- Black volcanic basalt
- Grain size
- 2 to 5 mm
- pH target
- Neutral (slightly buffers up)
- pH effect
- Neutral
- KH effect
- Neutral
- Ammonia release
- None
- Nutrient content
- Medium (pre-loaded with iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium)
- Buffering longevity
- Permanent (no buffering, never exhausts)
- Recommended water
- Tap or RO (any hardness)
- Difficulty
- 1 / 5
- Shrimp-safe
- Yes
- Best for
- Hard-water keepers, low-tech tanks, livebearer planted tanks
How it works
Eco-Complete is a black volcanic basalt gravel coated with a mix of micronutrients including iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. The substrate itself is inert and does not change water chemistry, but the coating provides slow-release nutrients to plant roots for the first year. After roughly 12 to 18 months, the coating effect diminishes and the substrate behaves like inert gravel that needs root tabs.
Best use cases
Hard-water regions where active soils' pH-lowering effect would force the keeper into RO water. Livebearer tanks (mollies, platies, guppies) that prefer harder water and need plants that tolerate it. Low-tech tanks where heavy ammonia release would complicate cycling.
Common mistakes
Expecting Eco-Complete to drive plant growth as fast as active soil. It will not. Heavy root feeders (Amazon swords, Cryptocoryne) need supplementary root tabs after the first year. The coating washes off slightly when the substrate is rinsed too thoroughly.
Pro tips
Do not rinse Eco-Complete before adding to the tank. The bag's liquid contains beneficial bacteria and dissolved minerals that are intended to seed the substrate. Pour the entire contents in directly.
Plants that thrive in this substrate
Hand-curated pairings based on the substrate category, not a relational query.
- Vallisneria SpiralisVallisneria spiralisLong-runner background grass that pulls iron and trace minerals from Flourite/Eco-Complete.
- Amazon SwordEchinodorus grisebachiiTolerates inert nutrient substrates well if root tabs are dosed every 3 to 6 months.
- Cryptocoryne WendtiiCryptocoryne wendtiiAdapts to inert substrates with the help of root tabs at planting time.
- Bacopa CarolinianaBacopa carolinianaStem plant that draws most of its nutrients from the water column anyway, so inert is fine.
Sources & further reading
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