# Help with using Excel



## ppaskova1 (Jul 29, 2010)

Hi

I've got hair algae in my 10Gl tank. I have only 3 types of plants Java fern - 3 bushes, 1 got hair algae, windlelove - 2 bushes - 1 have little hair algae and amozona sword - 3 bushes - all got hair algae, all of them low light medium to slow growing plants. My light is 3WPG, two 15W scuin fluorescent light bulbs (i can not decrease it to 2WPG as this is means I have to buy another 2 10W special scuin florescent light bulbs for $30 as I don't think regular spiral ones will feet in my tank). Light period is 6hrs. i have this tank for 2-3 months. In addition to my 10 fishes and 10 cherry shrimps I bough 3 otto cats and 7 amano shrimps to fight algae almost 2 weeks ago. But I don't see positive improvement or changes. I have been advised to use Flourish Excel to decrease algae and increase plant grow. I have a lot of concerns with it.
It says that on initial use to change 50% of my watter. I think it not safe.
Also I heard that it could be damaging to fishes and specially shrimps.
And it will take 1 month for algae to decrease and I still have to continue use it after that. I'm very reluctant to put any chemicals in my tank.
Anybody successfully used Excel or does anybody have any other suggestions to fight algae in not heavily planted tank which already getting overwhelmed with algae fighters ?


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## Y2KGT (Jul 20, 2009)

ppaskova1 said:


> Hi
> 
> I've got hair algae in my 10Gl tank. I have only 3 types of plants Java fern - 3 bushes, 1 got hair algae, windlelove - 2 bushes - 1 have little hair algae and amozona sword - 3 bushes - all got hair algae, all of them low light medium to slow growing plants. My light is 3WPG, two 15W scuin fluorescent light bulbs (i can not decrease it to 2WPG as this is means I have to buy another 2 10W special scuin florescent light bulbs for $30 as I don't think regular spiral ones will feet in my tank). Light period is 6hrs. i have this tank for 2-3 months. In addition to my 10 fishes and 10 cherry shrimps I bough 3 otto cats and 7 amano shrimps to fight algae almost 2 weeks ago. But I don't see positive improvement or changes. I have been advised to use Flourish Excel to decrease algae and increase plant grow. I have a lot of concerns with it.
> It says that on initial use to change 50% of my watter. I think it not safe.
> ...


10 gallons is a very small amount of water and therefore you need to be very careful with Excel. I've been using it for years as a CO2 source.

I find that the only fish that will keep this kind of algae under control is the true Siamese Algae Eater or SAE. Having said that I would never suggest keeping even one in a 10 gallon tank since all of mine are at least 5 inches long now and one of them is 6 inches. Way too big for a 10 gallon tank.

You can keep using the Excel but I suggest you never exceed the recommended dose and always add it to a cup of aquarium water first before adding it to the tank. I used to put it directly into the tank however a couple of times I had a fish swim right into the stuff as I was pouring it in and later that day the fish were dead.
--
Paul


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

lol help with excel? I'm proficient in using excel! I tend to use a lot of VLOOKUPs. yay Spreadsheets!


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

LOL...I thought MS excel too and I am actually working to export data from LINQ TO EXCEL lol


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

Y2KGT said:


> 10 gallons is a very small amount of water and therefore you need to be very careful with Excel. I've been using it for years as a CO2 source.
> 
> I find that the only fish that will keep this kind of algae under control is the true Siamese Algae Eater or SAE. Having said that I would never suggest keeping even one in a 10 gallon tank since all of mine are at least 5 inches long now and one of them is 6 inches. Way too big for a 10 gallon tank.
> 
> ...


I've always added mind straight into water in left side of the AC20 with the lid off which mixed the Excel in well.

I dose my 10gal tank 5mL and it seems to be working well. I have a heavy planted tank with ~2.5WPG. I vary from 3-5mL and my results seem to be working with reduction in algae and BBA.

I've gt z.danios, otocat, ramhorns, and RCS. Did not notice and RCS fading in color.


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

This is the OP's current stocking

http://aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisor.php?...AqSpeciesWindowSize=short&AqSearchMode=simple

Note 4 adult guppies and 1 guppy juvie.


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## ppaskova1 (Jul 29, 2010)

Y2KGT said:


> 10 gallons is a very small amount of water and therefore you need to be very careful with Excel. I've been using it for years as a CO2 source.
> 
> I find that the only fish that will keep this kind of algae under control is the true Siamese Algae Eater or SAE. Having said that I would never suggest keeping even one in a 10 gallon tank since all of mine are at least 5 inches long now and one of them is 6 inches. Way too big for a 10 gallon tank.
> 
> ...


What about initial watter change of 50% ? This is what scares me as well as my watter is very established clean and full of bacteria


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## Y2KGT (Jul 20, 2009)

ppaskova1 said:


> What about initial watter change of 50% ? This is what scares me as well as my watter is very established clean and full of bacteria


As per the Seachem website:

Directions
On initial use or after a major (> 40%) water change, use 1 capful (5 mL) for every 40 L (10 gallons*). Thereafter use 1 capful for every 200 L (50 gallons*) daily or every other day. Dosing may be slowly increased in high-growth aquariums. For smaller dosing please note that each cap thread is approximately 1 mL.

So it says on initial use *OR* a major water change of greater than 40%. I always do the regular dose once or twice a week. I don't want my plants to grow so fast that I have to trim them every week.

I suggest you get a small syringe from a pharmacy to measure 1mL for each dose.
--
Paul


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

Shoppers Drugmart sells a 2 pack 1mL measurement droppers for I think $2.50 or $3.50. One has like a 45 degree bend to the tip and the other is straight.

Just save the other and put it in your first aid area.


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## Twiggles (Jun 6, 2010)

Okay I'm just a little bit confused. I am also using Excel on my ten gallon (which is low light and well planted) and I use a syringe to dose 1ml daily. So to my knowledge I'm going about it the right way but I don't understand why you would need to dose 5 times the daily amount after a water change ... I don't do it and by the sound of it I'm going to guess some of you guys don't either..? And when it comes to dosing in order to fight BBA and that sort of thing, would 3-5ml dose for a ten gallon be dangerous? I'm not sure I fully understand excels role in fighting algae in high doses, and how it effects the rest of the aquarium. I was dosing 1.5ml daily to try and fight some of that stuff and it kinda worked, but recently I've found that dosing just the 1ml daily and keeping on top of maintence + 40-50% water change every 5 days seems to work better for me ..


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## ppaskova1 (Jul 29, 2010)

Y2KGT said:


> As per the Seachem website:
> 
> Directions
> On initial use or after a major (> 40%) water change, use 1 capful (5 mL) for every 40 L (10 gallons*). Thereafter use 1 capful for every 200 L (50 gallons*) daily or every other day. Dosing may be slowly increased in high-growth aquariums. For smaller dosing please note that each cap thread is approximately 1 mL.
> ...


Did you do a major watter change when you used excel first time ?


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