ummm...ok,,,why not?
- Thread starter Swimfins
- Start date
Daily dosing is an impossibility, the co2 runs full time, the fert doses are broken down as much as I can based on my work schedule. I have to dose 4 days worth minimum on monday morning because I don't see the tanks again until friday usually. on weeks when I am home (4 weeks a year or less) then I dose daily. The excell is something I just started trying on a whim because of the claims. I don't need the carbon as my Co2 level is fine. I just wanted to see if it would hinder the hair algea. As a rule adding a carbon source will fight off algae, and that is the suspected reason that excell helps out with the battle. Since I already had a good carbon supply, I thought I'd check the theory that Excell magically kills algea. So far I'm not convinced.
dave
dave
Dave, your last post pretty much sums up my feelings on why Excel is reputed to fight algae. I suspect that most of the folks who report it having a positive effect on algae/plant growth are under conditions of carbon limited growth. Since you're not, it shouldn't have any notable effect.
Although I suppose that there could potentially be a benefit to supplementing C in a form unavailable to algae, I believe that this benefit would be limited to tanks where algae already had the upper hand and you needed something that would give higher plants the edge. You know, without all that hard work of getting your parameters right and balancing nutrient, feedings, and water changes for long term tank health
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As for the original question, I'm going to go with the unusable by simple plants (algae) theory. As for why they cannot discuss it, I'll guess that it has a lot to do with corporate espionage, which is apparently a really expensive concern.
Although I suppose that there could potentially be a benefit to supplementing C in a form unavailable to algae, I believe that this benefit would be limited to tanks where algae already had the upper hand and you needed something that would give higher plants the edge. You know, without all that hard work of getting your parameters right and balancing nutrient, feedings, and water changes for long term tank health
.As for the original question, I'm going to go with the unusable by simple plants (algae) theory. As for why they cannot discuss it, I'll guess that it has a lot to do with corporate espionage, which is apparently a really expensive concern.
I don;t think I have a problem with the transition ergo, as I discovered a few days ago that my co2 has dwindled down to 0, due to a cap leakage. I checked my ph and noticed it was back up to 7.2 from about 6.8 a week ago.
I don't feel like re-guling and to be honest I'm tired of the bottle rotation, also being lazy
Sooooooo, until I can pressurize the big tank, I'll go with excel.
Corporate espionage eh? That' was my thinking as well..... Ya don't want people like Kent Pharmaceuticals or others mixing it up a tad cheaper....now do ya?
I don't feel like re-guling and to be honest I'm tired of the bottle rotation, also being lazy
Sooooooo, until I can pressurize the big tank, I'll go with excel.
Corporate espionage eh? That' was my thinking as well..... Ya don't want people like Kent Pharmaceuticals or others mixing it up a tad cheaper....now do ya?
I have no idea what the chemistry is. I just know that about the third or fourth day after adding excel the hair algae started into retreat. Which is why I asked about the daily doses. I am still adding plants to this tank, so that might have something to do with the green algae. (I waited until the hair algae was in retreat before adding any new plants)
I am adding CO2 but not in any regular way, just a can I had and a tetra bell. I do it in the morning. When I test the Kh and the Ph they vary between 1 or 2 degrees Kh and 6.4 to 6.6 Ph. So I figure the CO2 is between 7 and 23. Who knows? I don't find these test kits very accurate. Maybe I need better kits?
I only have about 1.5W/g. One 35W 10,000K bulb on a 30g tank. This does seem to limit what I can grow. But I just adapt to that by planting the more demanding plants directly under the light and using the less demanding plants in the 'shadows'.
I strongly suspect that excel is in fact an algaecide, (at least for hair algae) but that Seachem does not want it classified as such because of US law.
I am adding CO2 but not in any regular way, just a can I had and a tetra bell. I do it in the morning. When I test the Kh and the Ph they vary between 1 or 2 degrees Kh and 6.4 to 6.6 Ph. So I figure the CO2 is between 7 and 23. Who knows? I don't find these test kits very accurate. Maybe I need better kits?
I only have about 1.5W/g. One 35W 10,000K bulb on a 30g tank. This does seem to limit what I can grow. But I just adapt to that by planting the more demanding plants directly under the light and using the less demanding plants in the 'shadows'.
I strongly suspect that excel is in fact an algaecide, (at least for hair algae) but that Seachem does not want it classified as such because of US law.
Dave and Happy - It definitely has a positive affect on hair algae, regardless of whether CO2 is injected simultaneously or not.
I tried it on my 10 gal. tank which is injected and it removed every trace of algae in a couple of weeks. It must, IMO be dosed on a daily basis, to be effective.
2mls./day in my 10 did not do the job. 3mls. worked very well. I've cut the dosage to 2 and will try 1 in a week or so, if no signs of the algae develop.
Len
I tried it on my 10 gal. tank which is injected and it removed every trace of algae in a couple of weeks. It must, IMO be dosed on a daily basis, to be effective.
2mls./day in my 10 did not do the job. 3mls. worked very well. I've cut the dosage to 2 and will try 1 in a week or so, if no signs of the algae develop.
Len
