Metricide dosing

[sallyjano]

Trying to figure out how much to dose my 60g? I have seen some people say its twice the strength of excel some saying its quadruple.

Anyone know which is correct?

FYI I am doing 5ml a day of excel now.

Thx

 

[Mebbid]

Metricide is approximately 2 times as strong as excel. You can check this on the ingredient list of both of them. You can also safely dose metricide at full strength 1ml for every 2 gallons. Just keep experimenting with a dosage until you find the best algae control level.

 

[sallyjano]

Ok thanks! My light is only the low end of medium so if its half strength I am sure I am ok with 3ml a day. 30ml seems like a lot!!

 

[Mebbid]

Ok thanks! My light is only the low end of medium so if its half strength I am sure I am ok with 3ml a day. 30ml seems like a lot!!

I dose 20mL daily in my 40b and 5mL daily in my 10g Subsequently, I go through a LOT of metricide.

 

[sallyjano]

Wow! That's a lot. Is that because they are high light?

 

[Mebbid]

It's just really heavily planted. My 40 is all messed up right now as I'm trying to fix it and get the balance back but the 10g is the same as it has been forever. Medium high light on the 10g.

 

[sallyjano]

Oh gotcha. I would like to be heavily planted at some point but with only 2.3wpg in a tank 24" deep I am guessing there would not be enough light at the bottom. Maybe once i get the hang of this planted thing a bit more I will get more light.

 

[Mebbid]

Oh gotcha. I would like to be heavily planted at some point but with only 2.3wpg in a tank 24" deep I am guessing there would not be enough light at the bottom. Maybe once i get the hang of this planted thing a bit more I will get more light.

You can make a beautifully planted tank with low light. Just stick with crypts, java fern, java moss, anubias, and bolbitis. The crypts are a huge group of root feeding plants so you will need root tabs with them.

 

[sallyjano]

You can make a beautifully planted tank with low light. Just stick with crypts, java fern, java moss, anubias, and bolbitis. The crypts are a huge group of root feeding plants so you will need root tabs with them.

Yes I researched the lower light plants however right now I'm getting plants from someone who lives near me who has several tanks and is giving me his cuttings. A whole lot cheaper than buying them but I get what I get - no choice! So far he's given me anubias, java moss, pelia moss, hygros, rotala, star grass, didiplis diandra, vals and micro swords. So far all are growing reasonably well except the didiplis which I have read needs higher light so I'm not going to try that again. I know the star grass may not be as full and bushy as it could be with my light but it seems to be doing OK and is growing so we'll see how it goes.

 

[Mama Karoti]

Metricide is approximately 2 times as strong as excel. You can check this on the ingredient list of both of them. You can also safely dose metricide at full strength 1ml for every 2 gallons. Just keep experimenting with a dosage until you find the best algae control level.

Wow. This isn't harmful to fish or inverts?

 

[clarkm]

I dose 25 ml of straight metricide 14 every morning in my planted 58 gallon tank. Low to med light. No algae and plants grow great. Never effected fish

 

[Brookster123]

I may be pushing it a bit but I dose a little more than 1ml/2gal.. no I'll effects, i have shrimp, snails and delicate fish..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Mama Karoti]

Why in the world does the bottle of Excel say "DO NOT OVERDOSE" on the bottle? I dose a capful (5ml I think?) for my 60 gallon following their dosing instructions. Interesting to hear all of this!

 

[Brookster123]

Why in the world does the bottle of Excel say "DO NOT OVERDOSE" on the bottle? I dose a capful (5ml I think?) for my 60 gallon following their dosing instructions. Interesting to hear all of this!

Liability. . This six pack says "drink responsibly" too

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[sallyjano]

Reading more about metricide I am seeing that it's super toxic but 'not dangerous when used correctly'. What's the used correctly part? Just making sure I don't inhale it, spill it on myself etc...?

 

[Brookster123]

Reading more about metricide I am seeing that it's super toxic but 'not dangerous when used correctly'. What's the used correctly part? Just making sure I don't inhale it, spill it on myself etc...?

I think that's referring to the activator bottle that cones with it, you don't use this though..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[sallyjano]

I think that's referring to the activator bottle that cones with it, you don't use this though..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Oh OK gotcha. I was picturing myself dosing in one of those protective suits like Mr White in Breaking Bad Glad to know that's not necessary.

 

[Mebbid]

Why in the world does the bottle of Excel say "DO NOT OVERDOSE" on the bottle? I dose a capful (5ml I think?) for my 60 gallon following their dosing instructions. Interesting to hear all of this!

They have their dosing instructions for 2 reasons. 1 - liability. 2 - they tell you to do that huge initial dose to make you use more faster so they can sell you more. Excel / metricide breaks down within 12 hours of dosing.

 

[clarkm]

For sure don't inhale it. I wear gloves when filling small bottles of it. 5 ml of excell in a 60 gallon tank is not doing a lot of good

 

[Delapool]

I've wondered on this too. I dose in the morning and the fish may get close to a dose of it going in the water (they have woken up to the fact the tapping on the other side doesn't mean anything).

So far no issues with mollies and rosy barbs.