Greetings,

Whilst browsing an aquarium website, I came across a link to a water 
conditioning product from Tetra called EasyBalance - 
http://www.tetra-fish.com/catalog/product.aspx?id=74 - it's main 
claim-to-fame being that it can keep your water biologically healthy for up 
to 6 months, thus reducing the need to perform regular water changes.

This product really does seem too good to be true, but, if it does "exactly 
as it says on the tin", it will surely revolutionise this great hobby of 
ours!

Has anyone got any experience or knowledge of this product?

Regards,

Paul

"PABBY" <AsIfIWould> wrote in message 
news:44075b03$0$5009$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk...
> Greetings,
>
> Whilst browsing an aquarium website, I came across a link to a water 
> conditioning product from Tetra called EasyBalance - 
> http://www.tetra-fish.com/catalog/product.aspx?id=74 - it's main 
> claim-to-fame being that it can keep your water biologically healthy for 
> up to 6 months, thus reducing the need to perform regular water changes.
>
> This product really does seem too good to be true, but, if it does 
> "exactly as it says on the tin", it will surely revolutionise this great 
> hobby of ours!
>
> Has anyone got any experience or knowledge of this product?
>
I have used it after getting a couple of bottle free with Tetra water 
conditioner. Adding to the water does in fact lower the nitrate levels, 
takes about a day. I have used it when I have been too busy to have enough 
time to do a water change and nitrate levels have been high, ie after coming 
back from holiday, add this and quickly change filter floss.

Does appear to encourage some algea growth, water seems to take on a slight 
brown tinge, probably due to organics and filter floss seems to block much 
quicker. I assume its organics in the water, not being removed by water 
changes causing this issue.

I used this for a while, and there were pros and cons. On balance I 
decided to stop.

Pros - fewer water changes, good toxin levels.

Cons - an actual *increase* in unexplained mortality rate, 
stale-smelling water, black "hair" algae.

My LFS told me that the product works by "neutralising" rather than 
removing toxins - I presume by some sort of chelating chemistry - in a 
way analogous to an air freshener. Thus there can be toxin "spikes" when 
the EasyBalance is saturated...?