how much excel can they handle?

RiseAbove · 11-17-2011, 10:27 PM

im battling bba like a lot of people, i started dosing excel as directed and had some success, its gone off the wood, and receded off everything else, but its still holding on. i have a 55 gal, crypts and one anubias, and only 5 fish at the moment. (im moving this tank into a 54 gal, havent restocked yet.) so what can everything handle for large doses to try to finish off the bba?

should add what fish are there:

2 gold barbs
2 xray tetra
1 blue ram

discuspaul · 11-17-2011, 11:53 PM

Best to follow the recommended maximum daily dosage per bottle instructions.
Do partial areas of the tank on on daily basis - over time it should have the desired effect.
Many aquarists have good success, including me, by close-range spraying of full strength Excel directly unto the affected areas, using a test kit pipette, a syringe, or even a small baster, but keep your fish away from your spraying.
Some fish-keepers as much as double up the dosage without ill effects - however, some fish handle it and some cant - the barbs and tetras may be ok but not sure about the ram - could be risky.

**kevmo911** · 11-18-2011, 12:02 AM

There's a thread somewhere called something like "Excel as a Treatment for BBA". Read through it. Generally people recommend dosing 2-3 times the daily dose (NOT NOT NOT the startup / water change dose) for a 10-14 day period. I think it works out to around 1mL per 3g, but best doublecheck. Certain plants will suffer, and it's definitely not invert safe.

I'm more a fan of spot-treating like discuspaul suggests. I'll fill a syringe up with that 2-3x dose, turn everything off, squirt stuff, wait 15m, and then restart the tank.

RiseAbove · 11-18-2011, 12:25 PM

great advice thanks guys. i tore down the tank to move it ot the new place and set up the new tank, while i did that i dumped a ton of excel in the sand bucket, and a ton in the plant bucket. also poured it all over the wood. scrubbed the filter down as well. also trimmed off the really bad leaves. setting up DIY c02 today, so hopefully all of this will keep back another outbreak.

**n00dl3** · 11-18-2011, 01:58 PM

At normal recommend dosage of excel will kill the BBA but it will take a couple of weeks to do the job. No need to over dose the tank. The key here is PATIENT!!!

11-17-2011, 10:27 PM	#1
RiseAbove Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2010 Location: Roseville, ca Posts: 99	how much excel can they handle? im battling bba like a lot of people, i started dosing excel as directed and had some success, its gone off the wood, and receded off everything else, but its still holding on. i have a 55 gal, crypts and one anubias, and only 5 fish at the moment. (im moving this tank into a 54 gal, havent restocked yet.) so what can everything handle for large doses to try to finish off the bba? should add what fish are there: 2 gold barbs 2 xray tetra 1 blue ram

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11-17-2011, 11:53 PM	#2
discuspaul Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 1,589	Best to follow the recommended maximum daily dosage per bottle instructions. Do partial areas of the tank on on daily basis - over time it should have the desired effect. Many aquarists have good success, including me, by close-range spraying of full strength Excel directly unto the affected areas, using a test kit pipette, a syringe, or even a small baster, but keep your fish away from your spraying. Some fish-keepers as much as double up the dosage without ill effects - however, some fish handle it and some cant - the barbs and tetras may be ok but not sure about the ram - could be risky.

11-18-2011, 12:02 AM	#3
kevmo911 Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (32/100%) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 3,750	There's a thread somewhere called something like "Excel as a Treatment for BBA". Read through it. Generally people recommend dosing 2-3 times the daily dose (NOT NOT NOT the startup / water change dose) for a 10-14 day period. I think it works out to around 1mL per 3g, but best doublecheck. Certain plants will suffer, and it's definitely not invert safe. I'm more a fan of spot-treating like discuspaul suggests. I'll fill a syringe up with that 2-3x dose, turn everything off, squirt stuff, wait 15m, and then restart the tank.

11-18-2011, 12:25 PM	#4
RiseAbove Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2010 Location: Roseville, ca Posts: 99	great advice thanks guys. i tore down the tank to move it ot the new place and set up the new tank, while i did that i dumped a ton of excel in the sand bucket, and a ton in the plant bucket. also poured it all over the wood. scrubbed the filter down as well. also trimmed off the really bad leaves. setting up DIY c02 today, so hopefully all of this will keep back another outbreak.

11-18-2011, 01:58 PM	#5
n00dl3 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (84/100%) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 986	At normal recommend dosage of excel will kill the BBA but it will take a couple of weeks to do the job. No need to over dose the tank. The key here is PATIENT!!!