# Killing algae with excel



## Christie_ZXR (16 Apr 2012)

Before I go ahead and do it, just wanted to make sure I've got things right!

The tank in question is my 30L biorb. El naturel, with no filter. Just an airstone. The algae came in on some vallis, and has now spread nicely for me    Had no bloomin problems with this tank before that! Residents are some celestial pearl danios. I have a 2ml syringe for squirting with, so I just want to make sure I do it right! I had a moment and tugged out the vallis and binned it! So there is only algae on the little cluster of hairgrass at the front, because the stuff's so delicate, I'm having a job removing it manually, but I've done my best. Just want to kill of the remaining stragglers. So, how much do I squirt? And should I do it before a water change? If so, how long before?

Algae is that green hairy/stringy stuff which is evil!
Tank is 30L.
Soil substrate capped with a mix of sand and small pebbles.
Biorb lighting and filtration are gone.
Lit with an 18W tube mounted above.
Airstone is at the back next to the heater.
amonnia etc stay at 0, nitrates are highish. 40-50ppm. 
I use a mix of RO and tap, mostly tap though. 
There's amazon sword, hygrophilia, hairgrass and I'm afraid I can't name the other one! But can add a piccy for id if it's relevent. Everything else is growing well and happily, particularly the amazon swords! Harigrass is struggling on despite the algae, so I'm confident it can be rescued. 

Thanks in advance guys!


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## geaves (16 Apr 2012)

Hi, if it was me I would start with the smallest amount perhaps 1ml, and just keep monitoring it, if there is no change then double the dose, but I would certainly do it after a water change.

Have taken our Orb down, fish in cube...don't think they're too happy, hide under the filter most of the time, Orb will be re done similar to what you have done but in the distant future as I would like to experiment with a home made moving bed filter.


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## spyder (16 Apr 2012)

As above.

Reducing light will help you win the battle.


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## Christie_ZXR (16 Apr 2012)

I'm on that one, cheers. The tank gets sort of indirect sunlight for a bit of the day, and I can never work out if that's a help or a hindrance. It grows better than the tank I have set up in a similar manner in another room, so I'm leaning towards help. I've cut down the amount of time the tube is on for anyway. 
Defo reccomend setting biorbs up like this, limits fish selection even more, but thats a small price to pay imo for no mucking around re-arranging everything whenever the filter needs cleaning!

I'll start with 1ml after next w/c then. Thanks guys!


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## Jaap (4 May 2012)

Hello,

sorry for posting in this thread but I thought it would be better to ask my question here. 

I have been dosing 20ml Excel in a 80L tank that has thread algae for a week now. I didn't see any algae turn white/pink yet and die off. How long until we see results so we can decide that we need to up the dosage?

Thanks


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## chrisjj (4 May 2012)

Are you spot dosing?

You need to turn the filter / air off.

Put 1ml carbo in the syringe mixed with 1ml tank water and squirt directly onto the algae and leave it for a few mins before turning filter / air back on - this is so the carbo stays around the affected area for a bit.

Re hair algae - remove as much as pos manually beforehand.

Note: some plants do not fare well to being spot dosed (hense diluting the carbo).  Not sure how hair grass fares.

20ml in a 80 ltr tank sounds a lot to me - are you spot dosing, or just adding to the water?

Die off usually takes a few days.


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## Jaap (4 May 2012)

I am adding to water not spot dosing. I have done this for 7 days now without any ill affects on the plants and without killing the algae!

I am sure the tank is 80L and I am sure I am dosing 20ml  

Thats sounds odd since the algae should have been dead by now!


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## chrisjj (4 May 2012)

The plants will be loving it as a source of CO2.

Try spot dosing, then it will kill the algae, just be careful with the concentration so close to the plants.


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## sWozzAres (4 May 2012)

errrm, excel won't kill any green algae

I believe it only works on BBA and staghorn, both red algae


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## skeletonw00t (4 May 2012)

How can you kill green algae?


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## sWozzAres (4 May 2012)

skeletonw00t said:
			
		

> How can you kill green algae?


You don't. Instead you provide an environment that is not suitable to algae.


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## skeletonw00t (4 May 2012)

Pointless answer...


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## chrisjj (4 May 2012)

Ermm.... it did in my tank.... before I provided an environment not suitable to algae.


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