paytertot
Aquarium Advice Addict
So this may be a dumb question, but I've read a lot of posts that talk about glutaraldehyde, but I'm confused about what it is, where you get it, and how you use it.
So this may be a dumb question, but I've read a lot of posts that talk about glutaraldehyde, but I'm confused about what it is, where you get it, and how you use it.
It's the ingredient in excel and is used as a carbon supplement in planted tanks. You can buy big jugs on amazon, mix some with RODI water and you have cheap Excel that lasts a long time! I know rivercats knows a ton about it
It's C5 H8 O2
You did ask for specific right?
It's a fluid that plants can extract the carbon from and use it instead of CO2. Some common aquarium products that contain it are Excel and API CO2 booster. I personally buy a gallon of Metricide 14 day formula and dillute it with a gallon of water. It's a lot cheaper to do it that way when you start using large amounts of it. To use it you just pour it in the water; I would probably start out at 1ml / 10 gallons daily and work your way up from there depending on how powerful your lighting is and how many plants you have.
It's C5 H8 O2
You did ask for specific right?
It's a fluid that plants can extract the carbon from and use it instead of CO2. Some common aquarium products that contain it are Excel and API CO2 booster. I personally buy a gallon of Metricide 14 day formula and dillute it with a gallon of water. It's a lot cheaper to do it that way when you start using large amounts of it. To use it you just pour it in the water; I would probably start out at 1ml / 10 gallons daily and work your way up from there depending on how powerful your lighting is and how many plants you have.
Interesting! I was wondering about a cheaper way to get co2, so big thanks to OP for posting this! Just a question though (probably dumb... But I'm asking!) where do you get metricide 14 day formula?
How long does this last?
Well a standard bottle of excel says to dose 1ml / 10 gallons daily. Most people use more than this (I double this amount)
A 500ml bottle of excel costs about $10
1 $20 bottle of metricide 14 day solution makes about 15 bottles of excel.
Ok. Enough said. That's a huge savings! I'll be doing this ASAP! Thanks you!
You're welcome