10/26/2017 DIY "Excel" dosing (CO2 replacement). Way cheaper.

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Carolina Fish Talk > Freshwater Aquaria Topics > Aquatic Plants, Ponds & Water Gardens > DIY "Excel" dosing (CO2 replacement). Way cheaper.

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07-13-2011, 06:34 PM Thread Starter post #1 of 46 (permalink)

redfishsc DIY "Excel" dosing (CO2 replacement). Way cheaper.

Senior Member
Shortfin Mako
I've been reading a few threads about people who have started using glutaraldehyde (Metricide 14, a
sterilizing agent) instead of Seachem Flourish Excel, for CO2/carbon dosing in a freshwater tank.

FWIW, Seachem Flourish is a chemical very similar to glutaraldehyde Flourish contains polycyclogluteracetal, if
you can speak Yiddish with a Korean accent.

Join Date: Mar 2009 The good news, it's less than $30 shipped, from Amazon, for a GALLON that will last TWICE as long as
Location: Summerville, SC
Seachem Excel. It's double the strength. Do the math on that. This should be enough for me to dose, DAILY,
Posts: 9,979
my 45g and 11g tank for A WHOLE YEAR.

It should do good at keeping some algae at bay, esp black brush algae and hair algae (it damages them). Also
should provide a very helpful amount of carbon (like CO2) with no need for a CO2 tank.

Here is the product, BUT you have to be careful that you get the Metricide 14, which will be about double the
concentration. If you buy a different version of Metricide, you will need to figure the math on the
concentration.
Amazon.com: Metrex Metricide Gallon 14 Day - Model 182337 - Each: Health & Personal Care

I will start dosing 5ml per day in my 45g and 1ml per day in my 11g.

Cuing Gatorchem to add his educated opinion in 3......2......1........

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07-13-2011, 06:48 PM post #2 of 46 (permalink) Recent Dis

Moloch This is very interesting. I'll be curious to see how it goes for you. I've pretty much decided that I'm just not
Senior Member going to deal with c02 or excel at all due to cost & the fact that my plants are....OK...without it. But if this is
Silverside
30 bucks for the better part of a year & it works...then why not?

Have you already ordered some?

FRESHWATER!!!

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Location: Apex, NC
Posts: 1,720 (what was I thinking? Reef!!!)

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10/26/2017 DIY "Excel" dosing (CO2 replacement). Way cheaper. - Carolina Fish Talk

07-13-2011, 08:14 PM Thread Starter post #3 of 46 (permalink)

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redfishsc Yes, I did. It arrived today, did first dose an hour ago.
Senior Member
Shortfin Mako
I do have a small amount of BBA so we'll see if it has any effect, but I'm sure it will work fine, there are a
BUNCH of people that have been using this for the past couple of years.

The dosing rate is 60% of the Excel dosing amount. A lot of folks are dosing 7ml in a 55g tank per day. At that
rate (with my 45g tank and 11g rimless) this should last well over a year.

Join Date: Mar 2009 True freedom is not the freedom to do whatever you want; that is slavery in disguise.
Location: Summerville, SC
Posts: 9,979
True freedom is the freedom to always do what's right.
-- Old Stoic philosophy.

Government will NEVER solve the problems we elect them to solve, otherwise they'd be out of a job.
-- Eaton C. Bass

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07-13-2011, 10:12 PM post #4 of 46 (permalink)

Moloch Interesting. Next time I get some extra money to spend I might have to order some.
Senior Member
Silverside
Are you going to take some before & after progress photos?
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07-13-2011, 11:00 PM post #5 of 46 (permalink)

BMW540 I'll have to look into this some more. That would save tons of money which is always nice.
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If anyone would be interested in splitting a jug, let me know.
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Location: Cary, NC
Posts: 3,941

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07-14-2011, 07:22 AM Thread Starter post #6 of 46 (permalink)

redfishsc You can order it by the quart, btw.

Senior Member
Shortfin Mako True freedom is not the freedom to do whatever you want; that is slavery in disguise.
True freedom is the freedom to always do what's right.
-- Old Stoic philosophy.
Custom
Government will NEVER solve the problems we elect them to solve, otherwise they'd be out of a job.
-- Eaton C. Bass
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Summerville, SC
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07-14-2011, 12:24 PM post #7 of 46 (permalink)
Tambar
BMW540 Quote:
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Spanish Mackeral Originally Posted by redfishsc

Join Date: Feb 2010 You can order it by the quart, btw.
Location: Cary, NC
Posts: 3,941

Yea, I saw the smaller container, but it would be $20 shipped vs. $30 for a gallon
Recent Dis
I was looking around and it's a sterilant/disinfectant; interesting.....

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07-14-2011, 05:16 PM Thread Starter post #8 of 46 (permalink)

redfishsc Quote:
Senior Member
Shortfin Mako Originally Posted by BMW540

Yea, I saw the smaller container, but it would be $20 shipped vs. $30 for a gallon

I was looking around and it's a sterilant/disinfectant; interesting.....

Join Date: Mar 2009

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10/26/2017 DIY "Excel" dosing (CO2 replacement). Way cheaper. - Carolina Fish Talk
Location: Summerville, SC Excel is also a good disinfectant it's just more diluted and would take longer.
Posts: 9,979 Tweet 1 >

Metricide comes with an activator you're supposed to add to it but we DON'T add it.
2 Short no
True freedom is not the freedom to do whatever you want; that is slavery in disguise. Yesterday
True freedom is the freedom to always do what's right.
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07-14-2011, 07:33 PM post #9 of 46 (permalink)
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Yesterday
customdrumfinis since i just got back into the higher light,ferts,co2 thing again last week i also just ordered a gallon on the
h metricide 14 for 23.60 shipped from Dynamic Dental Corporation 1 jabeo Rw
Senior Member there in florida so its faster delivery time. Yesterday
Mosquitofish
Reply Like 0 Page 1 of 5 »
this stuff is dangerous so mix it outside with safety goggles on as it causes permante eye damage and can 1 anemone
cause skin damage. Yesterday

i have talked to a few people who have used it for over 4 years so theres no worry about the fish or plants 4 For Sale
getting ill effects with this and have even overdosed it with no effects to plants other than ricca, this is the Yesterday
same thing as excel really.I did alot of research on this stuff and its used for cleaning medical,dentist and
Join Date: May 2009 tattoo equipment. 13 2 part- d
Location: florence, s.c. 10-24-20
the shelf life as long as kept cool is forever so no worry of it going bad, and you can always sell or give some
Posts: 401
away to friends.
5 For sale:
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this is the easy way to get cheap excel but you can buy (without paying extra for hazmat charges) the 25%
glutaraldehyde in 10ml or more, its even cheaper than the metricide 14 but you wouldnt need that much
unless you have alot of tanks to dose or need 5-10 gallons of excel lol.

the metricide is almost 2x as strong as the excel, i will be watering mine down some to make it the same as
excel and it will go a long way in smaller tanks.

Im guessing you using seachem flourish with the excel? dry ferts are alot cheaper than the liquid stuff just like
on a big reef tank.

Last edited by customdrumfinish; 07-14-2011 at 07:38 PM.

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07-14-2011, 09:18 PM Thread Starter post #10 of 46 (permalink)

redfishsc Quote: Caro

Senior Member 7 likes
Shortfin Mako Originally Posted by customdrumfinish

this stuff is dangerous so mix it outside with safety goggles on as it causes permante eye damage
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and can cause skin damage.

Join Date: Mar 2009

Location: Summerville, SC
Posts: 9,979 Just for those reading this, customdrumfinish is talking about mixing the Metricide 14 with water.... I don't
think he's talking about mixing the Metricide 14 with the activator it comes with. We do not mix in the
activator for our purposes. I put it aside and save it for later if I ever need to "activate" any to sterilize
something, although I can't think of anything we'd sterilize that bleach couldn't handle way cheaper.

Quote:

Im guessing you using seachem flourish with the excel? dry ferts are alot cheaper than the liquid stuff
just like on a big reef tank.

I dose potassium nitrate for nitrogen, potassium sulfate for potassium, and monopotassium phosphate for
phosphorus. Ferrous gluconate if I need an iron bump, baking soda for alk, and GLA's "GH booster" mix for
general GH bumps (I use RO water mostly).

I do not own nor dose any commercially made ferts. $$$$$ not worth it. The only possible exception is that I
use Flourite and Eco-Complete gravel, but since it's about the same price as regular gravel, it's a very good
decision.

True freedom is not the freedom to do whatever you want; that is slavery in disguise. Recent Dis
True freedom is the freedom to always do what's right.
-- Old Stoic philosophy.

Government will NEVER solve the problems we elect them to solve, otherwise they'd be out of a job.
-- Eaton C. Bass

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