18 replies to this topic

[Brett]

Please comment about the my Filamentous algae experiment here.

Thanks

Brett

[Graeme]

I do agree with Bretts findings.

I double dosed with excel.
I had a staghorn problem.It was knocked on the head very quickly by the excel dose.

I will also add that i have used it directly on a piece of driftwood that i have.The wood is in direct high light ans gets a green algae growing on it.When i decide its time for it to go, i drop the water (50% as per EI rules), exposing the wood.I then add the excel ( not a double dose)as a paint directly onto the wood and slowly fill the tank back up..
There is no sign of the algae within 2 to 3 days.This also lasts for quite some time.

Graeme

[Alfred]

Can't find the link to the experiment.

[Brett]

Sticky post at the top of the forum page.

Brett

[duck]

I did post something but it seem to have disappeared.

[Brett]

Hi Duck,

Did you post in this thread, I locked the original thread to reduce bandwidth usage. Be interested in your opinion

Cheers
Brett

[duck]

To Dose that much in one go that took a lot of courage not something i could,But it's worked that's the main thing.
The first time i did dose excel i ended up with GW, that's what i,m putting it down to.

I started on sunday again, so far no difference To the BBA,I'll give it at most 2 weeks see how we go,My plants stop growing before i started dosing Excel.

[Brett]

It was a "all or nothing" type approach, which is not my usual style. If it didn't work I intended to tear down the tank and set it up again.

Fur algae is still dead, but the bad news is that some thread and staghorn algae has started to appear again. Should I do it again !!!! Not sure I am that game


Cheers
Brett

[duck]

My understanding is that Excel is only effective agaisnt BBA.
I don't know about doing it again you could kill off the good bacteria,I wouldn't do it.
I find (well before my plant's went dormant on me)that when i dosed a little to much iron i see some thread algea appearing.

[Brett]

I really can't comment on the effect it had on the biological filter. The tests for ammonia have remained zero. However, there are no fish in the tank so I doubt that really means anything.

Part of the reason for doing this "experiment" was to determine the effect on different types of filamentous algae, not just BBA. In fact the tank did not have any classical BBA, but I suspect that some of the other types described are in fact red algae, like BBA.

I have certainly experienced algae outbreaks with excess iron soppliments in the past. This has usually been the "fur" type described in my original post and shown on the photo of sword leaf.

At this point I don't intend to repeat the dose. Probably remove as much as I can mechanically. There is a fair bit stuck to the substrate, which I intend to smother with some extra gravel.

Cheers
Brett

[duck]

If you have no fish in the tank,What about cranking the CO2 up a little see if you notice any difference in algae growth.

[Brett]

What CO2

Brett

[duck]

What CO2

Then i suppose you can't increase it then :roll: .


I have dose 2.5-3 caps of Excel for the last week and see no difference,Will give it another week see what happen's,Might increase it to 4 caps a day.

[Graeme]

Hi All

Brett i just reread you sticky about double dosing. I see you did the initial dose double , just wondering did you maintain the high levels by doing the daily dose double as well?

Graeme

[Brett]

No Greame, I didn't add any more Excel. Just the one off "shock" dosage.

Cheers
Brett

[Brett]

Another interesting observation, the snail population in the treated tank has been almost completely wiped out. Just a few stragglers left.

Anyone noticed this with "double dose" Excel.

Cheers
Brett

[Graeme]

thats a interesting observation Brett.
You kill algae and snails?
maybe excel is a miracle product....

Ive got a tank with really bushy bba in it and lots of snails.I might take some pics and see how it goes.....( those damn conical snails)

Graeme

[Graeme]

here is some pics of my 3 week test with double dose of excel
starting week


week 2


and week 3


not to bad a result i think
mind you its not a miracle cure, good tank maintenance is much better( i really let this tank go)
Graeme

[Brett]

Hi Graeme,

Well it has certainly reduced yur filamentous algea problem.

Did you notice any adverse effects on your plants. Can only see Java fern in the pics. Any snails in this tank? Fish?

Cheers
Brett

ps. I have started to see some return of filamentous algea in my tank. The biggest outbreak has been blue-green, perhaps related to the new gravel (silicates). At last this seems to be on the wain.