I was looking for more information on this product. It is dificult to find a review. I found it through Google, it is from a pop up window from the English Tetra Club webpage. I entered to the webpage but I couldn't find the source.
I told you about my own experiences with EasyBalance (EB). When I started using it, I thought it a rather mysterious product, with a touch of black magic about it, so to speak. How did it work? What did it actually do? And above all, what was actually in it? The EB packaging is very stingy with its information, so I thought I would do a bit of ferreting.
Whats in it?... I had a number of concerns on this front; would it effect fish if, say, accidentally overdosed? Was its operation affected by water quality? Or vice versa? And then there was the absence of any advice on the packaging about how to apply it. Should it be diluted first, and if so by how much?
The most that Tetra will say is that EB contains “essential elements” and vitamins which are often absent from tapwater. “Essential elements” I take to mean minerals and trace elements, and I have myself confirmed that their claim that it contains all of the nutrients needed for plant growth. I have never fertilised my aquaria in two years.
Harmless and Non-Toxic...They are quite adamant that this is a harmless and non-toxic product and add that since it has to be activated by the aquarium’s natural filter and gravel bacteria, there is even no need to dilute before dosing.
The only consequence of overdosing would be an increase in oxygen consumption, which would be a problem only in heavily stocked or poorly aerated tanks. They recommend aeration for 24hrs when EB is used, and although I started doing this, I gave it up after a few weeks, and have had no adverse effects. But then my aquaria are very thinly stocked, and it would be wise to heed Tetra’s advice on this.
Whilst overdosing does no harm, it appears to have no benefit either, and under-dosing is not helpful, which I discovered for myself. After the first six months I reduced my doses to 80 percent of the recommended level, and by the time the next water change was becoming due, the tank was looking distinctly tired; in fact I advanced the water change by a month. Since then I’ve reverted to the correct dose, which has clearly improved matters.
As to water quality, if you use this product in aquaria with a KH of 2 degrees of below, it will reduce pH by 0.2 to 0.5. If you are maintaining a softwater set-up of this type for any reason, it will behove you to be very cautious in using this product if you are also employing CO2 injection. Otherwise, at higher KH, it actually stabilises the pH at its existing level, which is yet another bonus.
Keeping Properties... This information really ought to be on every product and I hope Tetra will remedy this soon. In the meantime, however, I can tell you that shelf life is three years; opened and properly stoppered, one year.
Fish Load...Tetra’s lab boys tested the product based on fish stocking levels measured in terms of cm of fish length per litre. They say there is a safety margin built in, but that if a level of 1.5cm per litre is exceeded, the functionality of the product will be impaired. This is actually a very generous stocking level indeed, and higher than I would ever contemplate myself.
Finally, there has apparently been a further programme of independent trials which have shown that EB additionally improves water clarity, filter function, and fish condition.
The last I can say with certainty is the case; I demonstrated this on the first tank I used it in. I have never had any water clarity problems, but then I wouldn’t expect any anyway.
Expensive?... A clear benefit of EB is that it reduces phosphate levels. How it does so is a closely-guarded secret, but believe me this is one of the most important advantages for a planted tank freak. My phosphate levels, albeit with a light fish load, are running at 0.1mg/l towards the end of the six months. Tetra say that in a heavily stocked tank, EB would keep it down to 0.5-1mg/l. This is still too high comfort, but at the stocking levels Tetra have been working on, without EB you would have to spend a small fortune in phosphate resin to keep the algae at bay.
Equally, if you carried out the old fashioned regular fortnightly water change regime, and you had to process your water because, say, it contained high phosphate and nitrate levels (like mine) or was too hard and alkaline (like London water), you would spend a fortune on RO membranes, replacement minerals, nutrients, vitamins etc, not to mention the capital cost of RO units, and the huge water wastage they incur.
In my case, I’ve also spent far less on replacement plants for this 600 litre tank than I did on its 250 litre predecessor.
The Future?... I’ve concluded that in the longer term this product is going to prove far more important than people have give it credit for, and I would bet that Tetra’s competitors are already working on competing products. I hope so, because healthy competition is in our best interests. In the meantime, EB has the monopoly, and Tetra has my money.
