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Thread: How safe is Seachem Excel?

  1. #1
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    How safe is Seachem Excel?

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    Hmm, since Seachem Excel's active ingredient is derived from glutaraldehyde, a disinfectant, are we at risk here since some of us dose our plants directly with Excel and dip our arms into our acquarium daily?

    Extract from a scientific report showed...

    Abstract
    The biocide, glutaraldehyde, is a potential environmental contaminant due to its widespread use in medical applications, off-shore oil extraction, and pulp mill processing...

    For the green alga, significant decreases in growth were observed at glutaraldehyde concentrations greater than or equal to 1.0 mg L−1.

    Embryos of Trout demonstrated a similar sensitivity with exposures of 2.5 mg L−1 resulting in a 97% reduction in hatch rate...

    In contrast, reproduction and mortality rates in C. dubia (Daphnia) were not as sensitive to glutaraldehyde: decreased reproduction was detected at 4.9 mg L−1...

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    yes, it contains a hospital disinfectant, which is why most of us are using it against our fight vs BBA. However, i have used seachem excel when i ran a low tech setup last year with no issues. Just remember to stick to dosage or shrimps/fishes usually dies from such an overdose.

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    Quote Originally Posted by torque6 View Post
    yes, it contains a hospital disinfectant, which is why most of us are using it against our fight vs BBA. However, i have used seachem excel when i ran a low tech setup last year with no issues. Just remember to stick to dosage or shrimps/fishes usually dies from such an overdose.
    Shrimp, fish and plants are one thing but what about accumulated residues in our body? Any risk?

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    Why would you get accumulated residual in your body for something that you dose and not ingested?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Quixotic View Post
    Why would you get accumulated residual in your body for something that you dose and not ingested?
    I guess because we dose Excel every week and we soak our arms in the water almost every day? For those who squirt concentrated excel onto the plants may be exposed to higher doses?

    I have read several forums' posting on this and no one has officially confirmed it has been tested and that it is safe on a long term exposure basis. I guess its the same risk if you are a gardener and you use fertilizers and insecticides on your land plants. However when I do that I am conscious enough to wear gloves and not handle the chemicals directly or daily.

    For this case I guess if we want to use it we should be aware that everytime we dip our arms into the aquarium, we are exposed to some risk especially at higher concentrations.

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    Dude little bit excel or disinfectant can't do anything to you... Imagine Doctors, nurses, child care teacher, etc etc squirt disinfectant (on sale in store) directly onto your hands? what's the concentration compare to Aquarium?

    Don't worry about this kind of thing. There are tonnes of other chemicals we come into contact. Cigarettes smokes, Fumes from Can spray, thinner etc etc, Internal combustion engine exhaust, etc. Processed Food preservatives, artificial colouring. YOU WANNA WORRY ABOUT ALL THAT? all the worry is bad for health, Worry about that too.
    Baby Steel!

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    Quote Originally Posted by limsteel View Post
    Dude little bit excel or disinfectant can't do anything to you... Imagine Doctors, nurses, child care teacher, etc etc squirt disinfectant (on sale in store) directly onto your hands? what's the concentration compare to Aquarium?

    Don't worry about this kind of thing. There are tonnes of other chemicals we come into contact. Cigarettes smokes, Fumes from Can spray, thinner etc etc, Internal combustion engine exhaust, etc. Processed Food preservatives, artificial colouring. YOU WANNA WORRY ABOUT ALL THAT? all the worry is bad for health, Worry about that too.
    funny but effective way of putting the point across.

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    Quote Originally Posted by limsteel View Post
    Dude little bit excel or disinfectant can't do anything to you... Imagine Doctors, nurses, child care teacher, etc etc squirt disinfectant (on sale in store) directly onto your hands? what's the concentration compare to Aquarium?

    Don't worry about this kind of thing. There are tonnes of other chemicals we come into contact. Cigarettes smokes, Fumes from Can spray, thinner etc etc, Internal combustion engine exhaust, etc. Processed Food preservatives, artificial colouring. YOU WANNA WORRY ABOUT ALL THAT? all the worry is bad for health, Worry about that too.
    I think we need to draw a line somewhere, I am concerned (not worried) and I take action to protect my family's health. Why ban smoking from public places? Why have laws that control substance abuse? Why insist we put catalytic converters on our vehicles? I think to minimise risk from daily exposure. Occasional exposure to chemicals is one thing, daily exposure is what my point is about.

    I don't have a clear answer for the safety of Excel so I will be circumspec in my use.

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    I think we need to draw a line somewhere, I am concerned (not worried) and I take action to protect my family's health.
    OK Concerned... Protect family, everyone will. But seriously don't be too concern of this kind of thing.

    Why ban smoking from public places? Why have laws that control substance abuse? Why insist we put catalytic converters on our vehicles? I think to minimise risk from daily exposure. Occasional exposure to chemicals is one thing, daily exposure is what my point is about.
    Bro, we are expose to GSM/PCN, Radio radiation, we eat BBQ (Cancer causing). Also I am not talking about restricted chemicals... Spray Can, Thinner all this can be bought and widely used. What about our polluted sea, used to love Gong Gong, La La, clams and cockles... eathing them now reminds me of Hepatitis A/B, food poisoning or diahorria...

    Our Food, Chickens ducks blar blar are fed fast grow homones... All these have an impact on health. Last time, I avoid Canned food and buy orgainic Vegand fruits if and when possible, but recent price hike (possible recession) I cannot afford this kind of luxury anymore

    Even our water supply... they say the water is 100% safe to drink direct from tap... I DON'T dare... water travell through some many KM of pipes PVC, COPPER, Steel. it carries much pollutants.. I intalled a 3 stage water filter (5micron to 1micron to 5micron carbon filter) and changes them every 3 months. a white filter turns brown!

    You should be more concern with these rather then a little bit of excel...
    I don't have a clear answer for the safety of Excel so I will be circumspec in my use.
    I don't think anyone can give you this answer, have you contacted Seachem? but seriously a few PPM qon't damage your health.

    5ml EXCEL (IF this is 100% pure) to 200 000ml = 40ppm... we have higher concentration of other stuff in our tank...
    Last edited by limsteel; 16th Jul 2008 at 12:37.
    Baby Steel!

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    guys,

    which is why in this forum, we provide real user feedback, there is no biases on whether seachem or ada works. Even if its a good brand with doesnt yield any results, we would still have posted otherwise.

    If you are afraid, can google "excel" as a key form in here to read up on more. If over a span of 3-6 years since product launch with no one having any issues. You can pretty much see for yourself the reliablity of the product.

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