Easycarbo Easy Life : the liquid carbon that transforms your planted aquariums
Easycarbo is a liquid nutritional supplement developed since 1998 by Easy Life International B.V., a Dutch manufacturer based in Duiven and recognised as one of Europe's leading references in aquarium products. It supplies carbon in a stable, directly assimilable form to aquatic plants, without requiring a pressurised CO2 setup.
Available in more than 60 countries and used by hobbyists, specialist retailers, zoos and fish importers alike, Easycarbo has become a standard for modern planted aquariums.
🌿 Why carbon is essential for aquatic plants
Along with light and nitrogen, carbon is one of the three pillars of photosynthesis. In an aquarium, plants normally take it up in the form of dissolved CO2. But in most tanks without pressurised injection, this atmospheric CO2 is largely insufficient : growth slows down, leaves turn pale and algae gain the upper hand by exploiting the nutrients left available.
Easycarbo provides a simple solution : a liquid organic carbon source that is directly absorbed by the leaves and sap of the plants. After 2 weeks of use, plants show visibly denser growth, more saturated colours and better resistance to algae competition, particularly marsh plants (Cryptocoryne, Echinodorus) that often struggle to extract dissolved CO2.
⚗️ A simple alternative to pressurised CO2
Installing a complete CO2 system (refillable bottle, regulator, solenoid valve, diffuser, pH controller) represents a budget of €200 to €600 and a certain amount of setup complexity. Easycarbo delivers 80 to 90% of the plant benefit of a conventional CO2 system, for a fraction of the cost and with no equipment to install : a simple dosing cap and a daily dose are all you need.
Note: Easycarbo and pressurised CO2 are perfectly compatible and can be used together. Marsh plants, which poorly assimilate dissolved gaseous CO2, particularly benefit from this synergy. It is a common approach in high-end aquascapes.
🐟 Compatibility with fish, shrimp and sensitive plants
Easycarbo has been formulated to remain safe for aquarium fauna at the recommended dosages : fish, Neocaridina and Caridina shrimp, snails and the filter's nitrifying bacteria. Invertebrates tolerate the standard dose very well, provided you do not overdose and respect the gradual introduction steps.
Some plants do, however, remain sensitive and may show signs of stress (yellowing, melting) : Vallisneria and Egeria densa (waterweed), particularly in soft fresh water. In these cases, halve the dosage and space it to every other day for 2 weeks before returning to the normal dose.
💧 Dosage and duration of use
The reference dosage is 1 ml of Easycarbo per day per 50 litres of water, preferably administered in the morning before the lights come on, to synchronise the supply with the peak of photosynthesis. For heavily planted aquariums (60% surface coverage or more), the dose can be raised to 2 ml per day per 50 L. Beyond that, overdosing becomes counterproductive and stresses the fauna.
A 1-litre bottle covers about 166 days of use on a 300 L tank at the standard dose, i.e. more than 5 months without refilling. For a 30 L nano aquarium, the same bottle lasts nearly 4 years, making it a particularly economical format over time.
🏠 Recommended uses and suitable tank types
Easycarbo is designed for freshwater aquariums of all sizes. It is particularly suited to planted tanks without CO2 injection that want to boost growth, to Iwagumi or nature aquascapes that require steady, uninterrupted development, to densely planted nano aquariums where installing a CO2 system would be oversized, to Neocaridina and Caridina shrimp tanks, to beginners' community aquariums that want to avoid the complexity of a CO2 kit, and to home aquaponics setups where the aquatic flora plays a filtering role. It is not used in seawater or reef aquariums.
📊 Technical specifications
- Brand: Easy-Life International B.V. (Netherlands)
- Product type: liquid carbon for aquatic plants, an alternative to pressurised CO2
- Format: 1-litre bottle with an integrated dosing cap
- Water type: freshwater only
- Standard dosage: 1 ml/day per 50 L (lightly planted tank)
- Maximum dosage: 2 ml/day per 50 L (heavily planted tank)
- Compatibility: fish, shrimp, snails, nitrifying bacteria
- Synergy: can be combined with pressurised CO2 and with ProFito fertiliser
- Sensitive plants: Vallisneria and Egeria densa (halve the dose)
- Indicative coverage: 5 months for a 300 L tank, over 3 years for a 30 L nano
- Storage: keep the bottle closed, away from direct light and heat
- Country of origin: Netherlands
📕 Guide and practical tips
First dose: if your tank has never received supplementary carbon, start with a half dose for the first 2 weeks, to give the plants time to adapt. This avoids any visible stress on the most sensitive species and lets you observe how each variety reacts.
Best time to apply: add Easycarbo in the morning, ideally 30 minutes before the lights come on. This is when plants start their photosynthesis cycle and carbon uptake is at its highest. Avoid dosing in the evening, which is less effective.
Combining with ProFito: the manufacturer recommends pairing Easycarbo (carbon) with the fertiliser ProFito (complete NPK + trace elements). Plants need both to reach their full potential. It is the combination most used by European aquascapers.
Mistakes to avoid: do not double or triple the dose to speed up results, effectiveness peaks at 2 ml/50 L and the excess stresses the fauna. Do not mix several different liquid carbon sources at the same time. Do not overdose while another medical treatment is in progress.
What to do if you forget: a day, or even a weekend, without a dose has no negative impact. Simply resume the normal dosage the next day. Do not try to 'catch up' by doubling the dose, there would be no benefit.
