Aquario Neo Essence

A highly concentrated liquid of natural amino acids extracted from plants, aimed at making the fertiliser you already dose more available to your plants.

This one only makes sense if you already add plant fertiliser. It does not feed plants itself — it helps them take up the food that is already in the water.

In Aquario's own words, Neo Essence “contains high concentrations of natural amino acids extracted from plants”, which “maximizes the absorption of fertilizer by the water plants, promotes photosynthesis and growth of the water plants, and enhances color development”.

They also describe a second mechanism worth understanding: when several fertiliser components bind together they can become insoluble and unavailable to plants, a situation Aquario say “promotes the occurrence of bad algae”. Insoluble means the nutrient has stopped being dissolved in the water and dropped out of reach of the plants. The natural chelate in Neo Essence is meant to prevent that binding, and to break down components that have already bound so the plants can take them up — a chelate being a molecule that wraps around a nutrient and keeps it dissolved and available.

What that does in a tank: this is a plant-side additive, not a water-safety product — it changes nothing about chlorine, ammonia or hardness and does not replace a dechlorinator (the tap-water treatment that neutralises chlorine). Aquario note that increasing the dose is more effective and “does not directly affect bad algae”.

Dosing: 5 ml per 60 L. The 300 ml cap holds 5 ml and the 1 L cap holds 10 ml. Aquario recommend using it with their liquid fertiliser, or on its own.

• Concentrated natural amino acids extracted from plants
• Aquario claims: maximises fertiliser absorption, promotes photosynthesis and growth, enhances colour
• Natural chelate prevents fertiliser components binding into insoluble forms, and breaks down ones already bound
• Dose 5 ml per 60 L · 300 ml cap = 5 ml · 1 L cap = 10 ml · shake before use
• Overdosing can cloud the water; a slight smell and visible natural ingredients are normal and dissolve shortly
• Not a dechlorinator or water-safety product