# Seachem Equilibrium



## GadgetGirl (Sep 25, 2013)

What are your thoughts on using it? I hear pros and cons. Some say the sulfates can contribute to anaerobic conditions in the soil, others use it with no problems. I bought some but haven't used it yet. 


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## GadgetGirl (Sep 25, 2013)

Somebody must have an opinion! 

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## Tugg (Jul 28, 2013)

No experience with it here, but if Seachem put their logo on a bottle of dog waist and it would fix my problem, I'd give it a shot. But I'm also very cheap, and I would likely just but the dry ingredients if I was routinely reconstituting RODI.


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## GadgetGirl (Sep 25, 2013)

Haha! 
I have the dry ingredients ingredients too (and a scale). Haven't used either yet. I have bags of crushed oyster shell in canister filter, but it doesn't seem to do much. I need to compromise the GH between the needs of my Tetras and the needs of my snails/shrimp. 

I don't have RO water, just very soft water. 


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## CRS Fan (Nov 25, 2008)

I use Equilibrium and have been doing so for years. If you are keeping Cherries, Blue Pearl, Amano, or some of the less sensitive shrimp, it's not a problem. I also add a KH buffer Kent PH stable to all my tanks. I use pressurized CO2 on my tanks and have extremely soft tap water.

Best regards,

Stuart


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## GadgetGirl (Sep 25, 2013)

Do you have a dirt substrate?

I finally found where I read that it causes a problem with dirt - it was in Diana Walstad's book. She states that the sulfate salts are converted to H2S by soil bacteria. 

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## CRS Fan (Nov 25, 2008)

I use ADA Amazonia in my tanks.

Best regards,

Stuart


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

GadgetGirl said:


> Do you have a dirt substrate?
> 
> I finally found where I read that it causes a problem with dirt - it was in Diana Walstad's book. She states that the sulfate salts are converted to H2S by soil bacteria.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4


Unless you can find sulfate free fish food (impossible) and sulfate free trace mix (almost impossible unless you make it yourself) you'll have sulfate in your water. I don't think this product will change anything for the worse.

H2S is only produced in anaerobic environments. This means that as long as your substrate is water permeable and/or lots of plants with long roots that produce oxygen, this isn't going to happen. I know people worship this book, and I didn't read it so I can't comment on this, but if it states what you say above, I think the problem was something else. I've seen it happen in reef tanks with thick substrates as well. No water movement in the substrate, no plants to provide oxygen, lots of organics (fish feces and food left overs) and it went wrong. The same tank with some snails and sea stars that uproot the substrate and no H2S.

IMO as long as you setup the substrate right and prevent anaerobic circumstances, it will be no problem, with or without this product.


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## GadgetGirl (Sep 25, 2013)

I definitely have tons of plants and a properly prepared soil, so maybe I'll give it a try. 

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## GadgetGirl (Sep 25, 2013)

In case anyone is interested, here is what Seachem had to say in response to an email I sent them:
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"Thank you for your email. When used as recommended, Equilibrium is safe for all aquarium inhabitants (including shrimp species) It will only add trace levels of elements to the system which will replenish only the beneficial nutrients to your system, and is designed to be used in a planted aquarium.
I do not have any reports of the sulfate blends included in equilibrium causing any specific conditions in dirt substrate, but if you have any first hand data on this as it pertains to your system we would be happy to look over it."



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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

You won't be adding enough sulfate via a GH booster to make a big difference in your system. Most of it will get taken into the plants and not even see the substrate. All things considered, the materials in the substrate are a much larger pool of sulfate than a GH booster/water reconstitutor.


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## GadgetGirl (Sep 25, 2013)

That does seem to be the general consensus! 

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