Cuba And Liquod Carbon

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Zikofski

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simple question does cuba tollerste liquid co2 can i dose liquod carbon with cuba, its the only plant in my tank and i know some plants like vali just die with liquod carbon i am injecting co2 as well but i want to add liquid co2 to help fight some algae thats bugging me

also whats the best liquid co2 money can buy
 
I personally would not use the liquid CO2.  The fact that it does kill some plants is indicative of the risk; these products (Excel, API CO2 Booster) contain glutaraldehyde which is a toxic disinfectant used in hospitals, embalming fluid, anti-freeze...I don't know why anyone would want to put this in a fish tank, but I realize this is just my opinion.
 
As for algae, this doesn't always work anyway, but it too shows why this is so risky.  Algae is only problematical when the balance of light and nutrients is out.  I have battled brush algae a few times, and restoring the balance always solved the problem.  I can explain more if asked.
 
Byron.
 
I mostly second what Byron said except for the not using Excel part. I have used it in planted tanks with all sorts of fish for about a dozen years now. But, I never overdose it and I never use it as an algaecide. However, folks have been using this product for many years now, if its proper use was wiping out fish and inverts it would be common knowledge. The urban myth about these products are that it is a good idea to use them to kill algae. I would also observe the plant guru Tom Barr suggest using Excel in certain planted tanks.
 
Byron is absolutely correct in what it is, but when used in very low doses it only bothers a very few plants. The dangers are in misusing it. Copper is essential for most life, but in very small amounts. Increase the level and it becomes toxic.
 
The one planted tank into which I never added Excel was my high light pressurized co2 added tank. There is absolutely no need for it (Seachem, however, would tell you to use both. It does make them more money if you do.) Therefore, imo, it can do no good but can do harm. Besides in such a tank the need is to correct the cause of the algae, which will kill it, rather than just killing it which means it will likely return.
 
Q: When I first dosed my tank with all the Flourish products I was experienceing quite a bit of hair alage. Within three days the hair alage had turned a reddish orange and about four days after that it had completely disappeared. Do you have any idea just which of these products could have caused this? I must admit that I have never seen such a dramatic change with the alage when I first used the Flourish products, and I would really like to be able to repeat the experience when ever the alage re-appears.
 
A: This is a known side effect of Flourish Excel that may sometimes occur. It has been reported to us by other consumers, however it does not occur under all conditions therefore we do not promote it or sell it for that purpose.
from http://www.seachem.com/support/FAQs/FlourishExcel.html
 
One last note, they also claim that Excel dissipates from water after 24 hours.
 
Just a follow-up.  Using Excel or whatever to kill the algae is still not the solution, regardless of all else.  If the cause of the algae is not rectified, it will return.  Unless of course one continues using Excel, but as Seachem themselves say on their website, there is no guarantee Excell will kill brush algae in every case, and even they do not promote it for this purpose.
 
With respect to any who may use Excel or the API brand, I still see no sense in adding this sort of toxic chemical into a tank with living creatures.  The parallel with copper or plant fertiliizers does not hold water.  The plant fertilizers are natural minerals/nutrients that plants are designed to take up.  No plant or fish on the face of this planet is designed to take up glutaraldehyde.  And which of us really knows how this affects fish, even at small doses.  In their natural habitat, fish are easily able to move away from substances that may enter the water, but in the aquarium they are confined and must tolerate it.  I question the effect, and my advice to others will continue to be to not use such products, especially since you don't need them in the first place.  Again, just my opinion which I share.
 
Byron.
 
Byron- you know me and the science. here is a good aryticle on this topic. I would note that there is this in the study-  "Wherever available, the No Observed E!ect Concentration (NOEC) is also given."  http://prirodni-akvarium.cz/clanky/1-s2.0-S0147651300920311-main.pdf
 
The study also notes:
 
Glutaraldehyde is readily biodegradable in the freshwater environment and has the potential to biodegrade in the marine environment. Aquatic metabolism studies suggest that glutaraldehyde, under aerobic conditions, is metabolized to CO2 via glutaric acid as an intermediate.
 
I have barely had time to read this study at all but it looks interesting. but to me when it can have an NOECm that means it can be present at some level above 0 which is not harmful.
 
With all respect, I do not see how the linked article advances us beyond what I previously wrote, as that still stands.  I have only read the abstract (and I can't see that I will delve further as there is no obvious need) and it states therein that "glutaraldehyde is acutely toxic to aquatic organisms."  Obviously the level in Excel and similar doesn't kill all aquatic organisms though it does kill some plants and perhaps certain bacteria for all I know.  As for the biodegradable aspect that you singled out, we both know the risks of too-readily applying results from natural environmental studies to the very different biological situation within a closed aquarium.
 
My position remains unchanged; I would not add such a chemical substance to my aquarium when there is no justifiable reason for doing so, since it does nothing that cannot be achieved naturally if one takes the time to understand things.  I just happen to be an aquarist who prefers to let nature run things, with minimal intervention from me.  I have found over twenty years that this is the safest approach, so I recommend it over dumping in chemicals.  I will not use or advocate the use of substances to kill algae, kill snails, clear water, etc, because so often these only make things worse and they certainly affect the fish even if one cannot set out precise data.  I see nothing wrong in this approach.
 
Later,
Byron.
 
okay this is a new tank, with a non mature filture yet, no fish involved, i know exactly what caused the algae and that was i went away for 5 days, so i dosed 5 days worth of ferts in one day and left the tank i come back and boom literally i can't explain it, only plant in the tank is cuba and is small isn quantity's altho the plant has grown nearly 10x in those 5 days the algae has grown nearly 1000000x here is a pic to explain what I'm dealing with, diatoms and a kind of hair algae, now i know that to much nutrients dose not directly cause the algae, but the cause is due to my non mature filter, i did exactly the same in my other tank, which has an overstock of fish lots of plants and a mature filter, 5 days worth of ferts and 0 algae i mean 0 not a single snippet of algae, lights are both on for the same amount of time 6hr a day, co2 injection 1hr before and 1hr after its lime green on the drop checker, altho i have upped it in my cuba tank so its now yellow.
 
again non mature filter i have 0 ammonia and 5ppm of nitrite, I AM NOT adding any ammonia into the tank this is coming from other source substrate, decaying plants or anything else.
 
all i want to do is help fight this algae initially to stop it spreading and to keep my plants as best i can without to much of a black out last time i did a black out i lost half my plants and i don't want that with this tank, the plants are the thing that makes this tank
 

 
i have just removed as much as i can and done a 100% wc but i can't get all of this algae, a black out is not an option so what should i do? liquid co2 came to my mind, i am reducing my light to 4hr should i keep dosing ferts? btw i am doing EI method

the algae involved is common in a new setup with a non mature filter, so once i have matured my filter and my plants take hold more i shouldn't have a problem but this is the tank now
 
 
Oh boy! :(
 
Think you are right in that adding 5 days worth of ferts in one day certainly not help matters at all. 
 
Only thing is, is 4 hours light enough? 
 
I would suggest you carry on and try to find that balance that works for your tank, and continue taking out as much hair algae, will be hard work and dispiriting at times but eventually when the balance gets sorted with right amount of light, flow, co2 diffusion and ferts it will work nicely :)
 

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