AV8TOR

Just curious because I dose bottled CO2, but how high will Excell raise the CO2 to? Say even with a dose of 5x.

gnatster

Excell does not raise the CO2 level, it does increase the availability of Carbon.

John P.

CO2 levels ~30ppm (@ peak) decimated the Staghorn Algae that I had for a while after moving a tank, but I still have Thread & Hair Alagae.

I'm curious if anything in Excel acts as an algaecide in a way that pressurized CO2 does not. I currently use pressurized CO2. Nutrients are all balanced, lighting period is 10 hrs/day (~3 watts/gallon), etc. Can't figure out what could be causing it & would rather spend a little $ on Excel if it would get rif of the algae.

plantbrain

I don't think it would hurt, but then again, careful dosinjg of many things will kill the targetted algae, whikle leaving the plants alone.
Copper has been used for over 60 years, H2O2 hs been used for over a decade, perhaps longer. Dips have been for about the same time.

A good prune, rotate to substrate under, corrected conditions have always worked and the algae has gone away. Bleach any equipment with it attached etc, clean things good.

That will make the tank look better, harassing the algae only here and there or little does no good. A good attack will really do it in.

Excel will not add enough carbon to the plant's needs to drive high light tanks. It takes longer for the plants to use it than CO2.


If the tank has high CO2 and you are certain of it and good nutrient levels and you are sure, and the algae is actively growing, then adding it might show a cause=effect without other confounding issues.

Be careful in assuming something caused something else.
PO4 can get rid of algae too after all

Regards,
Tom Barr

Simpte 27

The tank does have CO2 (although it hasn't been steady over the last 2 weeks before starting with excel. It was fluctuating from 12ppm to 18 ppm. It is now a steady 23-28ppm so I'm sure increased CO2 helped. The problem (or question) I see is with the increase in CO2, the bba was still there but not expanding at all. With the addition of flourish excel, it not only halted, but has completely left the tank. My question is does the co2 directly affect algae the way h2o2 does or allow plants to outcompete algae for nutrients. If the latter is more accurate, then how and why? Algaes need very little nutrients to thrive (even less than most of us can measure). I'm beginning to think that carbon (in either form) directly affects algae. And is there a direct relation to the amount of carbon vs nitrogen in a tank? Does carbon prevent algae from fixing nitrogen? Back to the net for research......

John P.

Simpte -- that's what I'm wondering, too. I've read a lot of writings/interviews with the Seachem founder about Excel (as well as the FAQs on their site), and he always dances around the "algaecide" topic for legislative reasons. He also states that the reason it affects algae is clear. I wish it were clearer.

As Tom states, though, raising CO2 enough also affects algae. Maybe I'll call Seachem today for some input from them.

Also, Tom, I have a Glosso lawn where the majority of the hair algae embeds in the EcoComplete. I hope I don't have to dig it all up to get rid of it. I already 86d almost all of my Java Moss & Rotala to attack the Thread Algae.

Gomer

I would say that Excel does indeed act as an algaecide. If it has the ability to kill clado, that is all the proof I need LOL.

John P.

I just spoke with "Rusty" at Seachem--he kept the party line about not going into detail about how it might work to combat algae.

Nice guy, though!

I guess I'll buy it to see for myself. The Otos & Shrimp are going to hate me for doing this (if it works).

Its_only_me

One theory on how it acts against algae is that the organic carbon enables the plants to steal the nutrients from the algae.

plantbrain

We tried on a victim's tank using CO2 etc.
Did not do anything. 2x the rec dosage. I'm leary about the fish and have no test tanks without fish to try higher dosing. If the fish die in the process, so what.......I can use a number of things then........

Regards,
Tom Barr