Weekly excel dosing or DIY CO2

dekstr · 11-17-2007, 02:55 AM

I think if you go Excel, might as well combine it with DIY CO2 to get maximum results.

Or else you can:
1. Blow air through a straw a couple of minutes a day into the water, you can get up to 10 ppm in about 10 minutes in a small tank I think.
2. Have tons of water to air movement and churning, so even though the CO2 levels are really low, it'll constantly be replenished as quickly as your plants use it up. <-- it should work theorectically, but I could be wrong.

CO2 is very important! Excel is just not real CO2 but a substitute... a very expensive substitute that is. But it does work effectively.

So what works best is either DIY CO2, or DIY CO2 + excel.

bsmith · 11-17-2007, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wujimon

Bsmith,
Are you for real? That's a huge and drastic change over what you had! I can't believe it! I question it only due to the old picture being slightly fuzzy while the new one is crystal clear. Kinda like those lose weight/acne infomercials of before and after..

no lie, same tank.

TigerLilly · 11-19-2007, 03:14 AM

I have used DIY CO2 in conjunction with excel, in the past, on a 55gal el natural tank in the past. I was *very* happy with the results.

Now I have a 29gal low tech with only excel and the growth is horrible. Of course, I don't think this tank is getting as much light as the other one. I am thinking about adding DIY CO2 to this tank just to see if there's a improvement.

Gundy · 11-19-2007, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TigerLilly

I have used DIY CO2 in conjunction with excel, in the past, on a 55gal el natural tank in the past. I was *very* happy with the results.

How many bottles did you have to use on the 55? Keep reading that DIY on a 55gal is completely out of the story due to the fact of CO2 not being stable..

TigerLilly · 11-21-2007, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gundy

How many bottles did you have to use on the 55? Keep reading that DIY on a 55gal is completely out of the story due to the fact of CO2 not being stable..

Six 2liter bottles, and I read the same thing when I was looking into CO2 options for that tank. I couldn't afford pressurized, and dosing excel souly would also be too expensive so I just did the DIY CO2 anyway. It worked great, but keep in mind this was a low-tech, semi-el natural tank. I loved that set up!

TigerLilly · 11-21-2007, 04:14 AM

Even my glosso would grow horizontal

Gundy · 11-23-2007, 02:53 AM

Did you change three out each week? Seems like alot of sugar!

TigerLilly · 11-26-2007, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gundy

Did you change three out each week? Seems like alot of sugar!

Yes, I use to when I had that tank. Yes, it was a lot of sugar.

11-23-2007, 02:53 AM	#22
Gundy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kansas Posts: 113	Did you change three out each week? Seems like alot of sugar! __________________ 20L Planet Green Zone http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ph...net-green.html Filstar PIMP #111

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11-17-2007, 02:55 AM	#16
dekstr Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,168	I think if you go Excel, might as well combine it with DIY CO2 to get maximum results. Or else you can: 1. Blow air through a straw a couple of minutes a day into the water, you can get up to 10 ppm in about 10 minutes in a small tank I think. 2. Have tons of water to air movement and churning, so even though the CO2 levels are really low, it'll constantly be replenished as quickly as your plants use it up. <-- it should work theorectically, but I could be wrong. CO2 is very important! Excel is just not real CO2 but a substitute... a very expensive substitute that is. But it does work effectively. So what works best is either DIY CO2, or DIY CO2 + excel.

11-19-2007, 03:14 AM	#18
TigerLilly Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 226	I have used DIY CO2 in conjunction with excel, in the past, on a 55gal el natural tank in the past. I was very happy with the results. Now I have a 29gal low tech with only excel and the growth is horrible. Of course, I don't think this tank is getting as much light as the other one. I am thinking about adding DIY CO2 to this tank just to see if there's a improvement.

11-21-2007, 04:14 AM	#21
TigerLilly Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 226	Even my glosso would grow horizontal