does tetra easy balance really reduce nitrates?

[tcarswell]

There really aren't any "experts" at the petsmart or petco I have seen. They are salesman remember that. Nitraban may work only time and lab testing will tell. I personally own this product and have found it mildly useful If I have to stretch a water change over a week. But thats only happened twice. So my advice if you are leaving for a week and you havent changed water in a week and cant change it. Dose with easy balance. Its a good tool to have in the shed I know that much.

 

[stezatois]

is tetra easy balence not just another declor?

if your dechlorinating your water then many of us use Seachem Prime. It removes Chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, and detoxifies Nitrite and Nitrate as well as providing slime coat.

This does not eliminate the need to WC i still do 50% weekly.

Beware though, the 'experts' at chain stores are not always experts. I was in a chain store one time where the 'expert' was going to sell a newbie with an uncycled tank 9 poop machines, one of which being a sailfin pleco to go into his 10 gal. I actually talked his customer out of the sale.

 

[stezatois]

omg ok i just read up on the stuff...

Eliminates frequent water changes. Keeps aquarium water biologically balanced for 6 months. Stabilizes pH and alkalinity. (KH) levels for fish and plants. Reduces phosphate levels for improved water quality. Also adds vitamins and trace elements. Use 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons weekly. Freshwater use only

HELL NO lol.

 

[tarquin375]

What every one seems to fail to realize is just because it says you can go six months with no w/c doesn't mean you have to wait that long!! I don't use this product for the "six months of no w/c" feature, I use it for the other things it does. I still do water changes. I struggled with ph issues (my water source has a very high ph, higher than a normal range ph test kit measures) every time I did a water change my ph would get whacked, I always had to adjust it back. I discovered EasyBalace while trying to solve my problem. I tried what the lfs had to offer to no avail. My ph reamins stable now. I have read blogs, whos links I discoverd on AC, that talk about this product. It does do atleast some of what it says it will........but.....I still wouldn't go six months with no water changes. If you search the forums you will find more info on this and the links to the blogs.

BTW It is not a dechlorinator, Tetra makes one though, AquaSafe.

 

[H3D]

ive used tetra easy balance before, it didnt do a thing. I found the best way is through frequent water changes.

:werd:

 

[Star_Rider]

I wouldn't say it's bad but it is not cheaper (for some) than a water change.
as far as using a chemical in an aquarium..
we all do it to some extent.


Prime is used by many as a dechorinator and it also detoxifies ammonia. it locks heavy metals etc..etc etc.

who's to say this stuff doesn't do this.. we don't question prime but question other products?

it's up to the user..but simply put it's hard to fathom an additive that can reduce or replace what we accept as the best method...water changes.

 

[stezatois]

lol fair enough your using it to balance ph, it does worry me sometimes when products say things about reducing wcs so long. I was talking to my aunt and they tried to sell her this product at a chain store and told her she wouldnt have to do wcs, and it would sort her ph out. There is nothing wrong with her ph, it remains stable at 7. They also told her she would have to change the whole contents of her flter every 2 months, nothing like praying on a newbie for a quick and easy sale.

 

[NeonFlux]

Water changes

 

[Slappy*McFish]

If you want to throw your money away, then by all means, buy it. It's a marketing gimmick that targets the inexperienced, lazy, or time-constrained aquarists looking for a quick-fix, magic in a bottle, all-in-1 product. Albeit, a mediocre one. Water changes and live plants are the way to go.

 

[excuzzzeme]

I use NO chemicals period. I do not put my trust in a chemical to fix issues that most of the time a WC will fix. This is not to say that there may not be a time and place for the use of a chemical. I take the position that a body can be so accustomed to a particular chemical that it's absence might cause issues. So in that regard, I don't advocate the use of them. I do understand the need for a dechlorinator and support the use of one when required. Aside from the use of a dechlor, I can find no supporting need for continuous use of a water additive.

(Because I am on a private well, chlorine and chlormamine are non-existent.)