Excel as a treatment for BBA? Experiences?

[Momotaro]

Good word of caution. Spot dosing will allow maximum exposure to treatment area. No need really to OD the tank as the concentration and exposure time is what your after to kill off BBA.

Great point as well!

Mike

[donaldbyrd]

Started spot treating bba 4 days ago it is all turning red and now white seems to be working great. But now I am starting to see bga.

[captain_bu]

Originally Posted by donaldbyrd

Started spot treating bba 4 days ago it is all turning red and now white seems to be working great. But now I am starting to see bga.

Glad to hear the Excel is working on your BBA. Excel will help to kill certain types of algae but it will do nothing to correct the unbalanced conditions in your tank that are causing you to get algae in the first place. You need to find and correct the root of the problem. Good luck!

[donaldbyrd]

I know what the problem is with the bba I have a solenoid, that is sticking.

[9am53]

Hi, I read this thread in preparation for some BBA action I took a couple days ago...I got excel as a "Last resort" against my black bearded nemesis...as a control tactic for the BBA I fin d that the excel works great, if overdosed like is mentioned here...many of the formerly black area have a gnarly pink/garnet colour, and the algae is receding from my HC...BUT upon initial use, one of my cardi's died and now the second day 2 more dropped...I dont particularly like this, but I godda do what i godda do...

I dosed the initial capfull per 10 gallons (3 caps, 29 gallon) and since then I have been doing one cap per day ...it says to do one cap every day or other day for 50 gallons...so Im not even doing a double dose...should my fish be dying?

I recently got anew filter marineland c220, sould this maybe just be the shock of a new filter AND the excel?

[captain_bu]

Originally Posted by 9am53

I recently got anew filter marineland c220, sould this maybe just be the shock of a new filter AND the excel?

Did you move the media from your old filter to the new one or run the two filters concurrently until the biological filtration developed in the new one? If you didn't that may be what is causing your Cardinals to die. They require very clean, stable water. I use Excel daily at double doses (quadruple dose after weekly water change) and have 15 healthy Cardinals in my tank.

[donaldbyrd]

I have about 20 cardinals and have been dosing at about 2x and have not seen any problem with them or my discus.

[9am53]

ok...I was told to run my filters concurrently, but I though that there was enough bacteria on the substrate and plants...I gotcha, I think IM gonna add the old filter back on for a few days...

[9am53]

ok, its been more than a day now with the old filter back on, and all my fish are seeming better, thanks for the help with my obvious problem....

[donaldbyrd]

I have been spot treating for about two weeks now all of the BBA is gone along with the BGA I was seeing but my Anubias Nana leaves are turning yellow.

[milesm]

i haven't read all posts in this thread, but it seems like people are using excel for a week or more to combat bba.

i had some bba and gsa, and quite a bit of hair, fuzz, and thread algae, due to low/inconsistent co2 levels. i have pressurized, but was playing around with reactors/diffusers. anyway, i did a 3 day blackout, double dosing excel (20 ml for 20g tank) after each day's 60% wc. all of the algae except for the gsa turned pink, after which my otos, sae's, and endlers' gorged themselves on the dying algae. still have gsa problems, even if i seem to be od po4; doesn't bother me to scrape it off during wc. also, i have 10 cardinals in the tank, they survived the ordeal.

since then, i use co2 mist and the algae has not returned. i have to agree with tom barr who constantly says that most algae problems are due to insufficient/inconsistent co2 levels relative to light levels.

[Kayakbabe]

Reminder.. if you're using excel, turn off UV sterilizers! and preferably treat right before or after lights out. UV breaks down excel very quickly, light not as quickly, but still does.

[cc_woman]

Can't believe this hasn't been suggested. If your fish can/prefer softer water/lower PH... then lower the PH to raise the values of the C02 in your tank rather than cranking the C02 to high and maybe killing your fish. Of course to combat the BBA's and other algae. Here is a URL to calculate the values: http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm
IE we have 'Discus' and 'Angelfish' etc. but in very hard water, our PH (unmanipulated) was 7.6 that equals about 9 ppm, way too low to combat the bullshit, bastardly BBA; in hard water (KH being about 12 or 224 ppm). We have two pretty descent hagen DIY - bubble ladders in our 92 Gal., but still cannot achieve the required C02 levels. So now, & also in favoring our specific fish (soft water favoring fish), without raising C02 levels, which if too high over 30ppm can kill your fish pretty quick in many occasions, we have achieved the adequate level of 30ppm. This is a more ideal and safer method if your fish prefer soft water; and a lower PH only! Use something like proper PH to adjust and maintain the levels, the liquid fomula is best, as the powdered can cloud your water. Be sure to follow the directions as a drastic change in PH can be detrimental aswell. We have also used the excel dip method, and excel daily doses with success, the algae is changing colors and dying now, begone damnable algae. Hope this helps

[Naja002]

Originally Posted by cc_woman

Can't believe this hasn't been suggested. If your fish can/prefer softer water/lower PH... then lower the PH to raise the values of the C02 in your tank rather than cranking the C02 to high and maybe killing your fish. Of course to combat the BBA's and other algae. Here is a URL to calculate the values: http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm
IE we have 'Discus' and 'Angelfish' etc. but in very hard water, our PH (unmanipulated) was 7.6 that equals about 9 ppm, way too low to combat the bullshit, bastardly BBA; in hard water (KH being about 12 or 224 ppm). We have two pretty descent hagen DIY - bubble ladders in our 92 Gal., but still cannot achieve the required C02 levels. So now, & also in favoring our specific fish (soft water favoring fish), without raising C02 levels, which if too high over 30ppm can kill your fish pretty quick in many occasions, we have achieved the adequate level of 30ppm. This is a more ideal and safer method if your fish prefer soft water; and a lower PH only! Use something like proper PH to adjust and maintain the levels, the liquid fomula is best, as the powdered can cloud your water. Be sure to follow the directions as a drastic change in PH can be detrimental aswell. We have also used the excel dip method, and excel daily doses with success, the algae is changing colors and dying now, begone damnable algae. Hope this helps

Ok, Sorry, but those of you that know me know that--I can't let this one pass....

Hi cc_woman,

Apologies, but your post is just wrought with bad-/mis-information.

First, the C02 chart is not accurate and therefore not reliable. Do a search for "drop checker" and you will find a new"er" more accurate and reliable method of determing C02 levels in Your tank. They are inexpensive, easy to implement and maintain, and much more accurate/reliable.

Second, I don't really understand your C02 setup, but unless you are using 2x 5gal jugs or something--there is no way that you have 30ppm in that 92 gal. tank. Even after "adjusting" the pH. Adjusting the pH does not add any C02 to the system. Only adding C02--will add C02.

Third, there is no reason--repeat: None--to use pH adjusters in the aquarium. Do a search and some research here at PT. pH adjusters are for folks that have absolutely no clue as to what is valid and what is not. In short--get a TDS meter and see for yourself what You are actually doing. Fish can handle Higher (or lower) pH a heck of a lot better then all of the TDSs that you are adding to the system--especially fish like Discus and Angels.

From your post I am assuming that you are fairly new to aquariums, or have been hanging out somewhere like Simply Discus or DAAH. Stick around, do some reading. You have found one of the two BEST places on the net for Aquarium info.........

HTH

[tacks]

I guess I cant let this pass either. Your right about the only way to add more co2 is to add co2 and your other points are also valid. What I dont understand is the statement about hanging around simply discus. What does that have to do with anything, I am a member here and also there and find bothsite to be very helpful. thanks Ed