[Zapins]

I have been noticing that the BBA in my tank seems to take longer to die when squirted with excel then it used to when I first started dosing excel. The BBA went from turning red the next day after application to requiring 2 applications to turn red.

Has anyone else noticed this in their tanks?

Does anyone think this might be a problem in the future? I haven't found anything else that really kills BBA off like excel (CO2 doesn't kill the tuft, spikey, dark green kind in my tank), so I wouldn't know what to do if it becomes resistant.

 

[bosmahe1]

I've used double what is recommended by Seachem for months and it doesn't seem to inhibit growth of BBA for me. Manual removal during water changes is the only thing that I have been able to do for BBA control.

 

[LAKA]

I have heard from my local fish shop seachem has recently changed the formulation of Excel. Something to do with their Product Disclosure Statement i believe. Any feedback?

LAKA

 

[Zapins]

Hmm... I just recently bought 4 liters of excel about 2 weeks ago. Maybe the new excel is less potent then the old excel?

 

[Bert H]

Hmm... I just recently bought 4 liters of excel about 2 weeks ago. Maybe the new excel is less potent then the old excel?

Why don't you query Seachem directly from our sponsor group forum. In the past they have been very helpful and informative, though I'm sure they won't disclose composition of their stuff.

 

[yildirim]

Composition of excel really seems to be a secret. I believe there are some ingredients acting as an algicide. By time excel becomes less effective and should be consumed in 2-3 months according to my experiences.

 

[cbwmn]

I use 3% H2O2 full strength as a plant dip for algae (including BBA) During WC's I uproot the affected plant and dip the leaves only for a couple of minutes.
Replant and the next day the algae are pink/orange in color. A couple of days later it's gone.
H2O2 used in moderation is safe for fish.
I've tried injecting 2 ml/gallon over the affected plant but it doesn't work for me like the full strength plant dip does.
I buy H2O2 at a local dollar store @ .50 a bottle.
Charles

 

[BryceM]

I just put 80ml every other day for two weeks into my 180g tank. It had no noticeable effect on BBA whatsoever. The Excel was a new 2l bottle I just purchased. Overall, it was like dosing water as far as I could tell.

 

[yildirim]

Spot or regional treatment with a syringe is much succesful. I applied 25 ml everyother day for one of the show tanks, a 100 g. In each aplication with the above method I targeted a different location of the tank and in two weeks no sign of algea since a month. During this two weeks period I applied 30 % WC twice a week (instead of one 50 % in regular) and everything else was the same (dosing, lights, CO2).

 

[Rick778]

Some people seem to have success adding it to the water column. I find squirting it directly on the BBA works best. My Excel is well over one year old and still effective.

 

[Zapins]

I agree, the best way to kill BBA is to use a syringe directly over the BBA. If you wanted to water dose, you would need to add 2x initial dose, and at least 3x the daily recommended dose to get the same effects as with a syringe.

The new batch of excel smells less volatile then the old batch does.

 

[Newt]

Seachem recently upped the price of Excel. It is now retailing for $30+ thru FosterSmith and ThatPet Place. I hope its not less potent for more $$$.

 

[davemonkey]

I noticed with the bottle I just got that it doesn't smell as strong and doesn't give that "wavy-strong-chemical-being-added-to-water-look" that the old excel used to give.

As far as being algecidal, my opinion is that the active ingredient is gluteraldehyde (splelling? ) or something similar that acts like formaldehyde. Adding it directly to the water column gives the chemical a chance to spread out and become 'harmless' and then break down into CO2 + whatever else. When squirted directly on algae, the chemical binds the protiens of the thin-cell-walled algae and kills it.

Before anyone thinks I know what I'm talking about, I'll qualify the above by saying I have no idea how this stuff works, but I've read many, many comments from people who seem to have some "good smarts".

-Dave

 

[ray-the-pilot]

My guess is that Seachem finally realized how dangerous gluteraldehyde is and modified their formula!
If you want the old stuff just buy gluteraldehyde!

My compliments to Seachem for doing the right thing!

 

[BryceM]

There is, at present, a rumor that SeaChem changed formula of Excel. Until we hear it from them or get some verification, I'd leave this firmly in the "rumor" category.

 

[Newt]

I started a thread in the Seachem forum and asked if the formulation and or the strength has changed recently.

 

[Zapins]

Yep, I subscribed to the thread Newt I'm interested in hearing the answer from them.

davemonkey - I think you are correct. Excel is used quite often in botany and other areas of research to bind proteins, and even to "fix," or "cross-link" DNA. I don't think it works well on normal plants because they have somewhat more resistant epithelial cells than algae does. This is probably why plants like riccia can't handle excel.

 

[Newt]

Seachems response to: Has Excel changed. See link below.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/seachem/59506-excel.html#post449407

 

[ray-the-pilot]

Seachems response to: Has Excel changed. See link below.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/seachem/59506-excel.html#post449407

Maybe you didn't ask the right question?

Has anything been done to reduce the level of gluteraldehyde impurities in the product?

A new batch of polygluXXX (whatever it is) may have less gluteraldehyde as an impurity than pervious batches.

I had an old bottle that I threw away a few weeks ago. If I still had it I might be able to do an HPLC and compare it to the new stuff.

 

[Zapins]

Hmm. Still, something might have changed. Perhaps the algae has simply developed a resistance and been spread around from person to person... or maybe it was just the conditions in my tank that made it seem like the algae was more resistant and in fact, it is still as susceptible as it has always been...