Seachem Excel good mei?

[eddy planer]

Hi folks,

Read about AQ's recommend brand Seachem Excel..sounds good?

But....I tried at least 40ml of Excel to my 4ft tank to rid some sticky brown algae and hair type, all my inverterbrates ( nitre snails, some yamatos, cherry shrimps) and lamp eyes had beam up to another world!

Any one tell me is Excel a chemical liquid C02 or natural soultion without any msg or whatever kinds.

Please advise me..gurus

[s1c1lee]

I am using Excel to chemically add CO2 into my 422 low-tech (i.e. no CO2) planted tank, and to get rid of some algae. For the last couple of days, I have been adding 10ml, then 20ml, and now 40ml per day. I have some Yamatos and they are ok.

The algae on my crypts seem to have reduced. My fresh water seaweed seems to be shrinking though. I'll probably stop adding Excel soon to see if the seaweed recovers. If it does, I may consider adding a smaller (i.e. 10 or 20ml) amount.

Regards,
SC

[Thirteen]

my java ferns which i applied excel turns black. life stocks are ok. it's a shrimp tank.

[zyblack]

Java fern has the tendency to turn dark or black when it is adapting to the water parameters. Also heard that when it turns black, those black spots will sprout out new saplings which you can separate and plant. Seen these happen in my tanks so no worries about the ferns.

[michael lai]

Hi Eddy,
Me no guru but I've played long and hard with Excel. The break point is no more than 4 times over the recommended dosage. This is based on my experiment with BBA, the results are immediate( within 24 hours but that is not the end of the story ), the BBA will return if the root of the problem is not solve. Anything above 4 times and as you found out all inverterbrates goes! I'll share another secret here, the damage is permanent! so you need to wash everything inside or 100% water change if not the next batch will beam too.

Since its Christmas, I'll share another technique use a stringe, apply directly to algae but the 4 times rule apply( when BBA turns red, it is dead ). Please experiment a little here, alot of people don't approve of my methods but if you want instantanous result this is it. Compared to ADA phyton-git, excel wins hands down but this is based on BBA experiment and not other algae strain.

PS: please do not look for me if your Hiro strain CRS dies, experiment was done with nerite snails, yamatos and malayan shrimps.

The answer is a resounding 'YES'! Seachem Excel is a excellent product if you know how to use it( recommended dosage is written on the product please read ). Merry Christmas! I will pray for your lost inverterbrates!

[Jungle-mania]

Seachem excel is not a miracle cure, but used correctly it can be very effective. First of all, seachem excel as a main CO2 contributor for a 2 feet or smaller tank, it is great. Any tank bigger than that would make it more as an additive. As a algae remover, you need to use a syringe to spray the seachem excel onto the algae directly. I have used it on BBA and it is very effective. For the other algae, I recommend revising your water and light parameter, they would be the main cause for an algae bloom.

[eddy planer]

thank so much gurus...

I did 50% water changed and top up as usual anti-cholrine solution plus Nurifin soultion after leave Excel there for 3 hrs without filter.

You right... all algaes except for hairy type..beam up together with all my inverterbrates plus some lamp eyes! Now my planted tank seems look healthy already but some hairy stuff are staying alive....

Anyway, the best is to change 50% water twice a week if algaes start blooming and increase more yamatos (maybe 10 fat big fat ones) and more hornworts.

I did tried Azoo alages remover...another gone case! so I had dumped the solution months ago. So with your advise know how to use Excel, i willing to give a shot..but let me figure out where this algaes come from.

My 4ft tank...T5 4x54w lamp,25 deg C,water skimmer powered by 1200l per hr Fluval 404 canister with charcoal, bio-rings and other sponges,Haelia 1300l/hr pump for chiller and C02 external reactor of 4bubbles per sec.

So both outlets are mounted to side walls separately, so you see water currents moving circular position within my 4ft tank.

So where on earth alages booming from now where?

please advise , gurus, hor?

[aquarius]

Since you are already using CO2, it's best not to dose Excel. But if you have to, plse do so with extra caution. As for algae problems.... do check whether if you have dose enough ferts (macros and micros) to ensure that the plants receive enough nutrients so that they grow well and out compete with the algaes.

[michael lai]

Hi Eddy,
I sympathise with your situation as for your problem I'll leave it to the more biological inclined compatriarts of mine. Cest la vie! shit happens man.

[eddy planer]

Thank you..my dear gurus especially Micheal,s1c1lee,aquarius and Jungle-mania for a very valuable advises.

Hmmm... if you other guys beside the above mentioned got anything to add on, you are most welcome to do so. You see "many advisers ensure victory"

Micheal, you back from your Middle East posting? Happy Boxing day!

[michael lai]

Yup, back for good. I must say for the record, one of the worst posting I've ever had!!. hahaha... Happy boxing day!

[eddy planer]

Glad have you back...

Then, i go Bedok from the West to "lim kopi" with you to hear your strange encounter with Middle East belly dancers, hehehe

I also came back from Iraq on UN's biz for nearly 6months, too. Got been entertained by belly dancers up in Kurds, but they were really so good too!

[zenscape]

Just want to share another remarkable feat of Excel. I had staghorn in my 100 litre tank for about 2 months. We all know staghorn is very stubborn Whatever I had attempted, it was still there. I knew the only method was to tear down the tank and start from Ground Zero but I like this tank very much.

2 weeks ago, I pulled out as much staghorn as possible, did a large WC and before I top up water, I down 6 caps of Excel on the plants with staghorn. That was when the plants with staghorn were not in water.

There has been not much staghorn on sight now for two weeks and I save my tank.

A note of caution:- go slow on Excel, it is too toxic for critters if you dump too much into your tank.

[eddy planer]

Thank maurice,

your advise indeed good. will note to go slow and easy with Excel but once bite no 2nd chance unless i remove all my inverterbrates. They are my 1st priority after my fishes...

agree?

[vorachat]

guys,
I am here in BKK ,and got the hard time to buy seachem Excel down here.
I have my friend live there in Singapore I will ask she to buy back to me next time but she know nothing about this stuffs and place to buy it in Singapore.
Can you guys advise me where to buy it 2-3 places and what is the cost

[zenscape]

Nature Aquarium (Nature, NA)
Blk 1 Thomson Road
Balestier Hill Shopping Centre
#01-340
Singapore 300001
Tel 62556051

Clementi Florist and Aquarium (C32
Blk 328 Clementi Avenue 2
#01-210
Singapore 120328


Its about S$9- S$10 for 500ml, S$14- S$18 for 1L

Can't think of another LFS and I am sure other will suggest some other LFS.

[Jungle-mania]

If your friend is heading down to NA, ask her to get the 2 litre bottle, it is a much better investment. If I am not wrong, you can request them to bring in a 4 litre bottle for you from the local distributor.

[Jungle-mania]

to eddy, it is best you stick to once a week water change once your water parameter has settled. Secondly, reduce your CO2 level if you are dosing Seachem excel, you would have estimate and trial by error to have the ideal balance here. If you happen to have alot of hair algae, buy 50 malayan shrimps and dump them into your tank, works wonders for me.

[hebi]

hi eddy, sorry to use your thread, but i want to ask. does using H2O2 has the same effect on algae as excel? i remember i saw a thread on Aeon bro using it to kill algae.

[vorachat]

Thank a lot for your reply