Excel CO2 system

CBWMN

AC Members
Oct 11, 2007
443
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El Paso, TX
I’m wanting to change from DIY CO2. Has anyone tried this system?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7775220499&ssPageName=MERCOSI_VI_ROSI_PR4_PCN_BIX&refitem=200156184480&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&refwidgettype=osi_widget

I know that I would have to hide the unit inside the tank.
My largest tank is a 46 bowfront with sword plants, crypts & anacharas.
I’m using Seachem ferts but I’m not to happy with them. After dosing the water turns cloudy for a day.
It seems a lot simpler than buying a bottle, regulator, pin valve, etc.

Thank you,
Charles
 
This is not a legitimate product. If it was so simple to "convert water into hydrogen and oxygen by hydrolosis", we'd all be driving fuel cells. This requires a tremendous amount of energy, so, if it is converting ANY water at all, a very small amount, and it is doubtful that the separated oxygen is combining "with the carbon in the carbon plate." IF oxygen is separated, it's probably combining with itself.

Final thought, IF this thing works, it's a great way to add oxygen to your water.
 
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I know that DIY CO2 can be frustrating at first, but you just have to work out all of the kinks.

I'm pumping 3 2L of DIY into my tank right now. This morning I switched my diffusion method from the Hagen Ladder to a micro bubbler(Lee's ceramic airstone) that's run into my cannister intake. I did that 4 hours ago and the results are already tremendous. In just a matter of hours, my R. mancandra and L. aromatica are starting to turn red, meaning they are utilizing the nitrate and iron I'm suppling to a higher degree.

I'm watching my drop checker, and probably pushing a little over 30 ppm. I'm going to watch it over the next few days and am probably going to have to drop down to 2 2L.
 
I was confused at first too, so let me state the Seachem Excel is a common liquid carbon supplement and this is completely different and not affiliated with Seachem.

This appears to be perhaps a knock off of the Carbo Plus co2 system? Several have tried the Carbo Plus and I dont believe anyone has been happy with it and many ended up spending more than a full pressurized co2 setup since they had to replaces a lot of the parts (even the stainless steel parts get corroded like mad) and were left with insufficient co2 levels still. It will suck KH from you water like crazy, youll have to constantly monitor and dose for KH, as well as raise your hardness I believe. You'll be far better off to do lots of research and put together a pressurized setup. Often times you can get almost everything you need for much cheaper second hand, like from the classified section on the forum.

It seems everyone wants to find alternatives when it comes to co2. The way I look at it, is if you cant afford a pressurized co2 setup then you cant afford a high tech planted tank, stick to low tech. DIY would be an option for smaller tanks. Seachem Excel might also be an option, but its effectiveness is said to be much less than gaseous co2 and its expensive unless you get it in larger quantities.
 
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