Using Excel Normally

[Themuleous]

Just wondering if using excel as per the instructions has any effect at keeping algae away? Or is it only when adding at 3x the does?

Also, as you have to add it daily does this mean it breaks down quite quickly? I want to make up a stock solution so that each time I do a water change the tank gets a dose automatically, rather than having to measure it out every time. It also makes getting the dilution rate easier with a barrel of water then into a very small tank! But if it breaks down/becomes unusable within a day that'll not work I guess.

Thanks people

Sam

 

[mattb]

I think it breaks down within 24 hours. Hence the daily/ every other day dosing.

 

[JamesC]

Yep it does break down fairly quickly in water so I've read. Can't quite remember the exact figures but the half life is about 9 to 12 hours.

James

 

[Themuleous]

Oh pants! Oh well worth a try, so thanks

Is there any evidence that it works against algae at the normal dose rate?

Sa,

 

[reggieschuey]

Oh pants! Oh well worth a try, so thanks

Is there any evidence that it works against algae at the normal dose rate?

Sa,

I have used excel everyday with the reccommended dosage, what i found was it doesn't completely remove algae, or not at all ! I have a case of staghorn algae and green hair algae. What i found was overdosing sure works , and it fine for my fish. Another way i found really effective was to directly inject the excel onto the algae using either a tranquiliser or just the eye dropper, within days the algae died turning brown red.

 

[Themuleous]

Right Oh, I've tried overdosing before but it didn't seem to work in my tank, but will give it a try, the bottle is rather old now so that could explain it.

Sam

 

[DevUK]

I'm dosing my 180 litre with 1 capful a day, which is slightly over the daily dose (1 cap per 200 litres). It got rid of nearly all of my hair algae and most of the BBA. Still working on it though

I'm conisdering going pressurised CO2 in the next few months though.

 

[nry]

The half life has been stated as 24 hours - this doesn't mean the whole stuff is gone within 24 hours, it just means that half of the original dose is gone within 24 hours:

Dose - 100%
24 hours - 50%
48 hours - 25%
60 hours - 12.5%
72 hours - 7.something %

So on and so forth for ages if I understand it correctly.

I found it works well at standard dose for BBA, can't comment on other algae, never seemed to do much for my tank but I didn't have huge huge problems. I found that adding a small amount daily was not as effective as adding the bottle-stated dose of once or twice per week. I think the initial concentration was the key.

 

[Themuleous]

Thanks Nry, I had come to the same conclusion about the daily dosing over a large dose every few days. As my nano gets a 50% every other day it'll be receive a large dose each time, hopefully that'll work

Sam

 

[JamesC]

The half life has been stated as 24 hours

That's interesting. All the reports I've read on it suggests that it is less than 12 hours. Do you know where it has been stated as 24 hours?

James

 

[nry]

Ahh, err my bad, it would have been 12 hours