Seachem Excel

[mrsjoannh13]

Is anyone using Seachem Excel in place of Co2 and how does it work for you? I have started my first planted tank with amazon swords, java fern, scarlett temple, and some anubias nana. So it's a fairly low light, low-tech set up. I have a Twinstar S600 at 50% for 6 hours a day. I have the root tabs from Aquarium Co-op around the swords and scarlett temple and dosing with Easy Green for the rest of the plants.

I am not sure I want to start Co2 yet - I'm sure I will eventually. I am just trying to get my feet wet (pun intended) with plants and get them established before I get the tank stocked. I don't want to add the learning curve with Co2 on top of it right now. So for the time being I am wondering if Excel would help keep my plants looking healthy and thriving.

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[Essjay]

Seachem Flourish Excel, in common with a lot of other 'liquid CO2' products, has as its main ingredient glutaraldehyde. If you google it, you'll see what else it's used for. I wouldn't have anything that can be used to sterilise heat sensitive surgical equipment or in embalming fluid anywhere near my tanks.

With 'easy' plants there is enough CO2 in the water without adding any. It gets into the water from the air; fish breath it out; and bacteria in the substrate make it. It's mainly high tech tanks with their 'difficult' plants, high level lighting and a lot of dosed fertiliser than need extra CO2.

 

[Fishmanic]

I have two bottle of excel that I will not ever use. I once dropped a few drop onto my linoleum floor and it removed the coloring from the floor. I don't want that in my fish.

 

[mrsjoannh13]

I did read some online reviews and several comments mentioned it killed their fish, sooooooo.... I'll steer clear! Thanks for the words of warning.

 

[Retired Viking]

I also will not use Excel, I do use Seachem flourish comp at 1/2 dosage.