# Alternatives to Equilibrium



## Jjonesls1 (Apr 26, 2017)

Is there a natural alternative to using seachem equilibrium? I'm going through a ton of this stuff in my planted discus set up. I do 3 water changes/week and dosing equilibrium at the necessary levels is going to bankrupt me. My tap water is 0gh/0kh/6.5ph. great for discus but not awesome for plants. Is there some sort of stone I could put in my sump that would raise both, as well as adding surface for bb?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


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## Surf (Jun 13, 2017)

this is the Tom Barr recipe (he originated EI dosing methode):
https://barrreport.com/threads/can-someone-please-tell-me-the-gh-booster-recipe.6629/

It is almost the same except that it doesn't have iron and Manganeses sulfate. Most GH boosters don't include iron and manganese. If you are using a plant fertilizer you will have iron and manganese.


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## micheljq (Oct 24, 2012)

https://aquariumfertilizer.com/

On the page Order Now!
Look for a GH booster like Barr's GH Booster, 8$ for 1lbs, more economical.


Michel.


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## AbbeysDad (Apr 13, 2016)

Crushed coral? 
Although potentially messy, I wonder about powdered egg shell as a calcium booster?


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## micheljq (Oct 24, 2012)

AbbeysDad said:


> Crushed coral?
> Although potentially messy, I wonder about powdered egg shell as a calcium booster?



Chrushed coral will send calcium but most probably no magnesium nor potassium. Most of the time it is Aragonite (dead coral's structure), 99% CaCO3, from what i understand.

Michel.


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## Surf (Jun 13, 2017)

The problem with coral or egg shells is that it doesn't dissolve in water with a PH of 7 or higher. At a PH of 6 it will dissolve but very slowly. So carbonates are not good for maintaining a stable GH. In a tank with CO2 injection the GH would continuously climb because the CO2 wakes the water acidic.


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## AbbeysDad (Apr 13, 2016)

Surf said:


> The problem with coral or egg shells is that it doesn't dissolve in water with a PH of 7 or higher. At a PH of 6 it will dissolve but very slowly. So carbonates are not good for maintaining a stable GH. In a tank with CO2 injection the GH would continuously climb because the CO2 wakes the water acidic.


I was questioning powdered egg shells - it seems to me that when ground to a fine powder, it would readily dissolve, but I don't know how much calcium it would provide. (For a daphnia culture bin, a piece of cuttlebone is suggested for increased calcium, but I doubt that dissolves very well!)


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## asquirrel (Jun 28, 2015)

"On the page Order Now!
Look for a GH booster like Barr's GH Booster, 8$ for 1lbs, more economical."

It seems that after shipping the price is about the same as Seachem Equilibrium. $8 + $6 shipping = $15. 

On Ebay you can pick up 600g of Equilibrium for $13.50.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

asquirrel said:


> "On the page Order Now!
> Look for a GH booster like Barr's GH Booster, 8$ for 1lbs, more economical."
> 
> It seems that after shipping the price is about the same as Seachem Equilibrium. $8 + $6 shipping = $15.
> ...


Hi @asquirrel,

"Expedited Shipping = 9.95" on Ebay


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## asquirrel (Jun 28, 2015)

Hi Seattle_Aquarist! I can't post the Ebay link, but the seller is toffgap01. It's 600gm and fee shipping for $13.50. I'm on a tight budget so I can live without expedited shipping.


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