Substrate

[Maddybelle]

I want to use Ecoearth/compressed coconut fiber for my 20 gallon tank. How much/how many 7 liter blocks should I need?

[J Teezy]

neherp had a substrate calculator in excel form you could download to plug in numbers to determine the amount. I can't seem to find it on there anymore but i have it saved on my computer. Give me the length and width of your tank in inches and the height level you want your substrate to be (i typically use 2-3 inches of substrate) and i can plug the numbers in and tell you roughly how man gallons of substrate you will need to achieve that height

[Maddybelle]

Its your basic 20gal tall. I'm going to make it 1/2 land, 1/2 water, so about 12"x12".

[J Teezy]

you have to tell me the length and depth of the land area. Then how high you want the substrate layer (meaning how thick). If it's 12x12 and you are doing half water then i'm assuming your land area is going to be 12" x 6" ? how thick of substrate layer you wanting? 2,3"

[DonLisk]

1 brick makes a ton. You should be fine with just a brick but I always keep an extra on hand just in case.

[xStatic]

For reference, I expanded roughly half a brick of EcoEarth and it was able to create a layer of about 2 inch deep substrate that totally covered the floor of my 10 gallon aquarium. For a 12x12 inch area I would think half a brick would be plenty for 2-3 inches of substrate. You can expand half of the brick by filling a good sized bowl (think salad bowl) with dechlorinated water and then standing the brick up vertically and leaving it for about 10 minutes. Then the brick should be soft enough for you to break off about half of it and let that half sit and soak until it totally crumbles apart.