Formalin And Plants

[littlest]

I'm currently using Interpet Anti-Whitespot Plus medication in my small tank with anubias, java fern, java moss and giant duckweed. The med is formalin based. Are there any issues with using Formalin at the same time as Seachem Flourish or Seachem Flourish Excel? I usually use both but haven't been since the meds went in in case they will react with each other somehow and create some nasty chemical that will kill my fish.

Does anyone know if it is safe to use Formalin at the same time as Flourish or Flourish Excel?

 

[Themuleous]

Cant say I do sorry, have you tried contacting seachem about it?

Sam

 

[littlest]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I emailed Seachem and got this response (thought I'd post it since it might be of use for others at some point)

"Hello,

Flourish Excel and Formalin medications should NOT be used
together. Both are reducing agents and can react
negatively together if used in a high enough
concentration. To avoid any potential for this I advise
not using them together. Flourish can be used safely.
Seachem Support
10202
Tech Support"

Not totally sure what reducing agents means or what is considered a "high enough concentration" but I like to err on the side of caution so won't be using Excel for a while. At least I know I can use Flourish though.

 

[Themuleous]

Interesting, very helpful of them, cant knock their customer support (if only all companies were like that!)

Re reducing agents, wikipedia says this, if you can understand it!

http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reducing_agent

Sam

 

[littlest]

Yeah I was quite impressed with the speed of the response.

So reducing agents are less stable because they easily give off electrons. I remember some of this from GCSE chemistry. You would think that a reducing agent is more likely to react with an oxidising agent though, rather than another reducing agent, but wikipeadia does state that some elements and compounds can be both, and either way, both formalin and excel are unstable compounds and therefore have the potential to react.

Sadly, after two weeks with neither fertiliser or co2 (in the form or excel) my plants are looking rather sad. I dosed the Flourish yesterday though so hopefully that will help. Lucikly my plants aren't very expensive and I'd rather replace dead plants than kill my fish.

quick Q, with the lack of CO2 from the Flourish Excel, would it be better for the plants if I reduce the lighting period?

 

[Themuleous]

Depends on the amount of light, whats your tank size and WPG? It cant hurt though, but dont go below 6hrs.

Sam

 

[littlest]

My tank is about 7.5 gallons with an 11W light so only about 1.4 WPG. Plants are all low-light types (java fern, java moss, anubias, giant duckweed). Currently lit for a total of 9 hours with siesta.
I don't know if this matters, but my lighting period is a bit odd. Because I work evenings I like to have the lights on in the mornings (while I'm in) and on when I get home at night so its 4.5 hours on, 5 hours off, 4.5hours on. Is this an issue for my plants in general?

 

[Themuleous]

Dont know to be honest, but plants need time to get going when the lights come on, so a very long siesta might prevent them from getting going enough to do enough photosynthesis for the day, if you see what I mean.

At 1.4WPG you shouldn't need to reduce the lighting while you're not dosing excel.

Sam