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Metricide 14 to replace the Excel dosing

102K views 121 replies 56 participants last post by  jacko5 
#1 ·
I am planning on ordering Metricide 14 to replace the Excel dosing. Right now I dose 10ml/day of Excell in my 55g. How much 100% Metracid do I need to dose to match the Excel dosing. Also do you know if it's safe to overdose Metricid a little? Thank you.
 
#36 ·
well im gonna assume they are all chemicals... and potassium which im sure we have bags of dry ferts with potassium in it... if its pure it is highly highly explosive... so chemicals are nothing to play with period, always wear protection if your dealing with anything, and read MSDS sheets!

Whats interesting is that it was stated as a chemical used to kill things...
While its a good source of carbon im not sure that "cides" are good things to be dosing pets and much cared for plants... while it is cheaper than co2 systems and much more easily regulated than diy systems, it is still a "poison" of types and should be treated as such... I wonder if maybe thats why shooting it directly onto algae helps kill it, i was assuming that the carbon factor simply stunted the algae somehow... now im thinking your spraying the algae with a herbicide and before it has time to dilude (10ml into 55 gal is a hell of a dilution for something thats already diluded to 1.7/100th).
 
#40 ·
Someone help me please. I barely made it through algebra in high school in 1973. lol

Anyway, I have an empty 2L bottle of Excel. How much Metricide do I need in the bottle to come up with something about the same strength.

Been using it in my 90g for clean up but also in my 3g. I'd prefer not using it full strength since the 3g dosage is already real small.
 
#41 ·
Someone help me please. I barely made it through algebra in high school in 1973. lol
Anyway, I have an empty 2L bottle of Excel. How much Metricide do I need in the bottle to come up with something about the same strength.
Been using it in my 90g for clean up but also in my 3g. I'd prefer not using it full strength since the 3g dosage is already real small.
We can't help you as we don't know the strength of YOUR bottle of Metricide. It varies.
People can't even agree on the percentage of Gluteraldyhde in Excel. Apparently it varied over time and Seachem changed their MSDS sheet a year or so back so it doesn't list it anymore.

Give us the strength of the Metricide you have and someone will give you an amount of water to add to X amount of Metricide to reach a specific concentration equivalent.
 
#49 ·
I've got a question. Maybe I'm confused but did I read that some people continue dosing CO2 while using metricide? I assume that is overkill and not necessary but I wanted to be sure. I'm thinking about tossing my sugar/yeast combo and just buying metricide. Do I understand correctly that 1 gallon of this stuff could last as long as a whole year with a 55gallon tank? I'd love to hear from someone who uses Metricide with a 55g and how much of the Metricide 14 formula should be used daily and how/where to dose it. Into the filter intake? into the ground? Anywhere in the water? Sorry for all the questions.
 
#53 ·
Your $10, 500ml Excel probably would last for a month or two. A gallon of metricide 14 is about $23-$25 shipped and would last for about a year. its more stronger than Excel so if you dilute it with I think distilled water you are looking for 2 gal Excel strength metricide 14.
 
#57 ·
5ml of excel in 200L(≈1ml per 10.5 gallon) adds the same amount of carbon as 0.825ppm of CO2. Does this tiny and temporary increase in carbon really make a noticable difference?
 
#65 ·
I just calculated this out using Metricide 14 (2.6%) ... someone please check my math ... if I use 10ml/day of Excel .. the equivalent I'd use of Metricide 14 @ 2.6% would be about 6ml/day.

There's 3785 ml in a gallon. So 3785 ml ÷ 6ml = 630 days ÷ 365 days = 1.7 yrs. So a 1 gallon jug would last me about 1-3/4 yr and only cost $24.04 shipped! (ebay item #230818682873 ) That's a huge savings over Excel!!! If I did my math right. LOL

I had to Google the shelf life of Metricide just to make sure it wouldn't expire before I used it all. That didn't help much so I emailed the seller to ask what the expiration date is. I wouldn't have thought of that if I hadn't noticed a couple listings that gave an expiration date .. one for Metricide 14 with expiration of 8/13 .. that one would expire before I could use it all. Mostly I don't want to buy one that's already expired .. you just never know when you buy from that site.
 
#66 ·
Hi sowNreap,

Your math is good; 5.8ml is closer but 6.0 is close enough...enjoy the savings and don't add the activator.

I purchase 50% Biological Grade Glutaraldehyde and store it in the downstairs refrigerator; it substantially improves the shelf life.
 
#68 ·
During my Google search I think I read that the biological grade and EC grade (I think that's what it was called) require refrigeration. Think I'll just stick with the 2.6% for now. Who knows ... I may end up going the pressurized co2 route by this time next year. LOL

I saw that the 28 has surfactants but also saw a lot of people that are using it seemingly without problems.?? But rather than take chances just figured I'd use the 15. It's still a huge savings over Excel.

And definitely will NOT use the activator.

Thanks all.
 
#69 ·
For anyone interested in purchasing the Metricide 14 at $24.04 shipped check out e b a y seller supermedicalsupply or search item #230818682873. I received a reply that the expiration would be a well over 1yr if not 2 yrs .. they have too many in their warehouses to know the exact date. I ordered it Monday afternoon and received it today .. and that's with free shipping! The expiration date on the bottle I received is 8/2014 so no worries there.
 
#71 ·
Metricide 14

I bought a gallon of Metricide 14 today from Ebay for $29 with free shipping. I'm happy with the price - that gives me almost 2 years of doses for my 90 gal aquarium if I dose straight (2.6%) at 0.5 ml per gallon. That beats paying almost that much for 500 ml of Excel.
 
#73 ·
I guess neither of you saw my post right above your where you could get a gallon of Metracide 14 for $24 shipped .. that price has now dropped to $23.80. I realize the price difference isn't much but every dollar adds up.

For anyone else interested in buying some ... as noted in my previous post, on ebay search for item # 230818682873 or seller "supermedicalsupply" . They shipped same day I ordered and I received it the next day and this was free shipping .. of course YMMV although they have warehouses scattered throughout the country.
 
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