Seachem Excel

[Pauly]

I've read on this forum that using pressurized CO2 ( or DIY ) may not be beneficial to apistos . Just wondering if dosing with Seachem Excel would be an appropriate alternative or would it .have the same results . My tanks are heavily planted ,

 

[abrooks12376]

I would always use co2 over glut. Monitor levels responsibly

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

My tanks are heavily planted ,

What plants do you have? The majority of plants that are suitable for Apistogramma aquariums don't require any additional carbon.

cheers Darrel

 

[Pauly]

Hi all,What plants do you have? The majority of plants that are suitable for Apistogramma aquariums don't require any additional carbon.

cheers Darrel

Tks for the reply Darrel

I have four newly purchased macmasteri all in a 15 gal quarantine aquarium. My plan is to put two in an established 40 gal planted community tank which i regularly dose with excel.There is a variety of plants in the 40 gal and all are doing very well. Don't want to mess too much with a good thing. My concern /question would be "will the macmasteri be ok in this tank with the Excel. ( the other two apistos will go in a twenty gallon planted with no Excel. ) If introducing the two into the 40 gal will be a problem for them...I'll put all four fish in the 20 gal. with no Excel.

Opinion ? ideas?

Tks Paul

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

There is a variety of plants in the 40 gal and all are doing very well. Don't want to mess too much with a good thing. My concern /question would be "will the macmasteri be ok in this tank with the Excel".

I've not done it, but I don't think there would be any particular problem with dosing a glutaraldehyde based additional carbon source like Excel.

Do you know what the TDS of your 40g planted is?

cheers Darrel

 

[Pauly]

Hi all,
I've not done it, but I don't think there would be any particular problem with dosing a glutaraldehyde based additional carbon source like Excel.

Do you know what the TDS of your 40g planted is?

cheers Darrel

No ...no idea. Wouldn't know how to test .

 

[gerald]

TDS is estimated using a conductivity meter. For most freshwaters, TDS (in mg/L) is roughly 0.6 x conductivity (measured in microsiemens). Conductivity meters are cheap, but if you don't have one, the conductivity and/or TDS might be listed on your water supplier's annual water quality report (online or paper report), depending where you live, and if your water comes from a public water system of course.

DW - why do you ask? Would the sensitivity of fish to Glut (excel) be dependent on how much other ions are in the water?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

TDS is estimated using a conductivity meter. For most freshwaters, TDS (in mg/L) is roughly 0.6 x conductivity (measured in microsiemens). Conductivity meters are cheap, but if you don't have one, the conductivity and/or TDS might be listed on your water supplier's annual water quality report (online or paper report), depending where you live, and if your water comes from a public water system of course.

DW - why do you ask? Would the sensitivity of fish to Glut (excel) be dependent on how much other ions are in the water?

Hi Gerald, there wasn't any specific "Excel" related question, it was more just to get some idea about the OP's water, and whether it is likely to be suitable for the A. macmasteri long term.

cheers Darrel

 

[Pauly]

Could you recommend a TDS conductivity meter . I've checked online and there are quite a few models with varying prices, I was thinking something not to complicated but one that would fulfill my needs for my apisto tanks.

Tks

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Could you recommend a TDS conductivity meter .

Conductivity meters are pretty robust bits of kit, and a cheaper meter will give you a pretty accurate reading. You want a "low range meter" (0 - 1999 uS cm-1), and if it has temperature compensation it helps, but it isn't essential.

I like "Hanna" (PRIMO1 Pocket TDS Tester would do and is ~£50) as a make, but other manufacturers will be cheaper.

Have a look at <"What TDS/EC meter do you use?">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Pauly]

Hi all, Conductivity meters are pretty robust bits of kit, and a cheaper meter will give you a pretty accurate reading. You want a "low range meter" (0 - 1999 uS cm-1), and if it has temperature compensation it helps, but it isn't essential.

I like "Hanna" (PRIMO1 Pocket TDS Tester would do and is ~£50) as a make, but other manufacturers will be cheaper.

Have a look at <"What TDS/EC meter do you use?">.

cheers Darrel

Tks for this Darrel. I'm looking around.

Cheers
Paul