flourish excel

[jack]

its a carbon source, so can you use this in place of co2?

ive heard that your not supposed to dose it if you have shrimp in the tank, but many ppl have told me they have very successful shrimp tanks and they dose at the daily amount. this true for anybody on here?

just to make sure: 2 mL/day in a 20g tank right?

what can i use to measure out 2 mL??

thanks

[eklikewhoa]

Re: flourish excel

Yes, it is an organic carbon supplement which is an alternative to pressurized co2 but not as good IMO.

and if I remember correctly it is 1ml per 10g and you can get a medicine syringe from the drug store to measure ml or get the little medicine cups.

[myjohnson]

Re: flourish excel

Jack,

   First off, welcome to the Box.   Excel is an organic carbon supplement.  Like EK, I also think that pressurized co2 is better but I would include the fact that it's cheaper over the long run.  If you are just going to have the tank for a few months than use excel, but if you plan on doing a planted tank for a long time just invest in a pressurized system. I actually use both pressurized co2 and excel.  I use excel to target algae.

  I have not experience any problems with using excel and keeping shrimp. This also includes me over dosing excel to fight algae.  The shrimps just acted like nothing happens. Hope this helps.  Good luck. :wink:

-my

[mahoro]

Re: flourish excel

go to cooking tool section of ur local whatever-mart you like, and get the turkey syringe, it cost around 2 - 3 bucks, works like charm, excel and shrimp is fine as long as you don't over dose, but even with 2x amount used, my shrimp is still fine

[nacra99]

Re: flourish excel

Hi! And Welcome!

I have used excel in a shrimp tank before and it was fine. But you have to dose small amounts daily instead of a large amount weekly.

The effect on plants is not as dramatic as if you use CO2, but if you have a low tech planted setup, it is one of the better options.

Go to walgreens or whatever and get a graduated syringe and you'll be able to measure it.
For convinience of dosage, i use empty "clear-eyes" droppers and fill it with excel. The first time, use the syringe to measure how many drops from the dropper makes up 2mL (or whatever you plan to dose). So the next time you just have drop the same number of drops into the tank per dose instead of having to measure all the time.

[jack]

Re: flourish excel

i plan on keeping the tank a long time but it just seems like the pressurized systems are so freakin expensive. i only have a 36w light (10000k) so the tanks pretty low tech. i think ill just try excel first, and if im pleased with results after a bottle ill keep it up.

could i find a syringe at walgreens?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: flourish excel

Ask the pharmacy for one.....they have the medicine syringe which are bigger and needle less and they should be free.

As for excel/pressurized....if you look they are pretty cheap used and the results are well worth it regardless of how much light you run.

[Mzungu]

Re: flourish excel

Used, you can get one for around $150. But that's still pretty freakin expensive for me!!  

This is the kind of dropper I use:

http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=303648&navAction=jump&navCount=0&skuid=sku1491332&id=prod1491343

Just in case you want to buy one.  :)

[Zulaab]

Re: flourish excel

I use the same syringe..  I got mine at walmart in their baby pharmacy's isle -- sold as a way give babies medicine.

[myjohnson]

Re: flourish excel

Used, you can get one for around $150. But that's still pretty freakin expensive for me!!  

This is the kind of dropper I use:

http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=303648&navAction=jump&navCount=0&skuid=sku1491332&id=prod1491343

Just in case you want to buy one.  :)

Yeah they cost a pretty penny. But the system also looks soooooo cool. 8)

[jack]

Re: flourish excel

ill look around for a used one. ill check walgreens tonight for the syringe. i just put in 15 rcs, is it ok to start dosing excel imediately?

[myjohnson]

Re: flourish excel

I think it would be ok. can you post any pics?

[thomas]

Re: flourish excel

RCS has no problem with excel. I raised them, and I thought they are pretty hardy comparing to Amano shrimp

[myjohnson]

Re: flourish excel

RCS has no problem with excel. I raised them, and I thought they are pretty hardy comparing to Amano shrimp

I have kept cherries and amanos, and they both take excel fine.  I was pouring excel in everyday and was pushing 4-6 bubbles a second.  They both took it fine. However, the fishes didn't like it to much and would be near the surface all the time but the shrimps were always ok.

[jack]

Re: flourish excel

my camera is broken so no i cant put up any pics. ill be gettin one for my bday at the end of july, ill put up pics then. hopefully the tank will have grown in a bit