QUOTE(adinsxq @ Oct 21 2006, 12:15 AM)
use excel
Well to answer why I or anyone else trying to grow macroalgae shouldn't use
Seachem Flourish Excel, I will post a couple of conversations to some threads on other forums I've come across in my research as to why.
Excel use in a Marine TankQUOTE('Seachem')
Now the impact on macro algaes I'll have to tip toearound due to government regulations. I will simply say briefly that the impact is similar to the impact seen in freshwater by many people on beard, bottle brush, any other micro algaes.
CO2 MagicQUOTE
QUOTE('Foxfire')
Dosed Flourish Excel (just to see what would happen).
A micro star that had hitchhiked on the grass exploded. ... Plants... er, I mean the macros, still look good.
QUOTE('Samala')
Exploded as in had babies or exploded as in the star is no longer in the land of the living? If you havent already you might want to see the organic C dosing thread for reasons against using Excel. But, the interaction is very interesting. You'll have to let us know if any of the macros show a reaction to it in the next few days.
Glad to see another person in the CO2 mix.
>Sarah
QUOTE('Foxfire')
Samala, the sea star exploded as in turned to mush. Happened in moments with just a few drops of excel. DO NOT try this if you have organisms or you're dosing in the main tank (duh).
OTOH, macros were unaffected. Color and structure integrity were maintained.
24 hours later, grass-like plant unchanged, appears healthy. Grape caulerpa has seemed to lose a little color indicating nutrient deficiency - light and CO2 seem to be pushing it. Will need to dose nutrients....
Joni
QUOTE
QUOTE('Samala')
I would not use excel on a marine tank if it has any macroalgae you like or sensitive invertebrates (corals, snails your particularly love or are rare, etc). The pathway intermediates in excel should work as carbon sources to the marine plants but there is an effect with excel in freshwater tanks of being an algaecide in some cases. It would be great just to have another two or three or eight people try out CO2 dosing (or really heavy aeration) to see if it benefits plants/macro like I'm seeing or not. Its not an established thing.
>Sarah
QUOTE('Plantbrain)
I believe that Excel can cause blockage and inhibition of the CO2 uptake mechanism in most algae, it does not destroy the alga directly. It does slow down the new growth and seems to have a stronger effect on the algae than the higher plants, now.......this might be advantageous if you have a seagrass tank and do not want macros or microalgae in the tank.
So........it does have some potential applications.
. . . (Long post shortened for brevity) . . .
Regards,
Tom Barr
There are a multitude of posts in the freshwater planted forums throughout the internet that outline the effect of using Excel to devastate algae in a planted tank. I want to GROW algae, so by using Excel I am literally adding a poison instead of a nutrient. Good suggestion though if I wanted to rid my tank of algae.
