Flourish Excel making water cloudy

[macfisto]

Hello,

I have just started dosing Excel in my 55 gallon in an attempt to erradicate and control black beard algae. After my initial dosing of 1 capful per 10 gallons (per the bottle), I have noticed that my water is noticeably cloudy. It has been crystal clear for months. Is this normal? If so, will it eventually clear back up?

Thanks,
Rob

 

[rich311k]

I put it in my 36 and my water is clear. Maybe some of the algae is dying off. I have read if you do the triple dose the water can get a little cloudy.

 

[macfisto]

Yeah, I did the dose that the instructions say to do initially. This is about five times dose that it says to do from now on (five capfuls for a 55g versus the every-other-day 1 capful dose).

 

[rich311k]

Yes, I do the initial dose after every water change and I dont get cloudy water, but hopefully other will have some ideas for you.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

I've never had it cloud up my water. That being said, Excel does some other things aside from providing carbon for your plants. It will also bind metals for easier plant consumption. I wouldn't get too panicked.. if the water is still cloudy tomorrow then we'll work from there, the very first dose can do some things that aren't predictable, but also aren't permanent..

 

[Hara]

I have to agree with the rest of the folks, I never have had it cloud my water.

 

[travis simonson]

I've used Excel before but have never had cloudy water after dosing. I have also used raw glutaraldehyde (one of Excel's active ingredients) before. It acts as an algicide and can also (in large enough dosages, as I found accidentally) kill nitrifying bacteria in your filter. It is possible that with large enough doses of Excel that you have introduced enough of this substance to do some damage to your biofilter bacteria and caused a mini cycle, which could account for the cloudy water. I would discontinue dosing with Excel until the cloudy water clears up, and then start back with standard dosages. I'm not saying that your experience is the same as what happened to me, but it is possible and if dropping Excel dosing clears up the problem then you're set

 

[macfisto]

OK, thanks. When I came home today, it was even cloudier than yesterday. I will test my water to see if ammonia/nitrites are high.

 

[travis simonson]

Good call, that is the best way to find out if your bio-filter is cycling

 

[macfisto]

Hello,

Well, it turns out that my ammonia and nitrite levels were 0ppm, so there was no mini-cycle. Over the past week, the water has cleared up. However, since I began dosing the excel a couple weeks ago (in an attempt to control BBA), several of my plants are yellowing and leaves are falling off (mainly on my jungle val). I have had these plants in my tank for several months, and they have done very well in that time. I might add that my tank is pretty low-light (two 15-watt bulbs over a 55g). Is it possible that the CO2 in the excel is actually having a negative effect on the plants since this is a low-light tank? I just yesterday replaced my 8-month old bulbs thinking that perhaps they were going bad and that's why the plants were yellowing. I would really appreciate any advice! Should I stop dosing the excel?

Thanks,
Rob

 

[azn_fishy55]

I doubt the Excel is having negative affect on your plants,I have been dosing Excel on both my high light and my low light tank and they have never become cloudy except my high light with green water.How long have you had your vallis?I have noticed on older plants they tand to lose thier leaves faster than youger plants.

 

[Purrbox]

Actually, there are many plants which are sensitive to Excel and Vals are one of them. You'll have to decide whether you want to keep the Vals or keep dosing the Excel.

 

[macfisto]

Well, I really like the jungle val because it gives dimension to the rear of my tank. Any other advice on how I could fight the black beard algae?? Thanks!

 

[BlazerFRS]

CO2 is the other option- if you can get it up to 30ppm and keep it there your plants will beat out the BBA, but what's already attached to the plants won't die back.

I'm currently trying a combo of CO2 and excell to beat BBA and GW

 

[macfisto]

So is there no way to get rid of the BBA that is already on my plants other than to get rid of them?

 

[BlazerFRS]

OD-ing excell is supposed to kill it, but i've never seen it, and the stuff in excell is actually pretty dangerous stuff- so I'd do this only with extreme caution.

Also, H2O2 will kill it, but agian at the risk of your tank's inhabitants.

If you can remove the effected plants you can bleach dip them. 5 mins in a gallon of water with 5 tablespoons of bleach killed the bba in my java moss. The moss is still green and seems to be no worse for the wear, but the BBA is translucent--dead.
Just make sure you rinse in water with tons of De-chlor to get the bleach off your plants before you put them back in the tank.

 

[Simpte]

Excel is known to cloud the water if overdosed even slightly (this comes from seachem). It will clear in 2-3 days. I've never known vals to be sensative to excel though anacharis most certainly is.

 

[Steve Hampton]

Excel is known to cloud the water if overdosed even slightly (this comes from seachem). It will clear in 2-3 days. I've never known vals to be sensative to excel though anacharis most certainly is.

Seachem also has posted about some temporary problems with Vals having sensitivity to Excel, their recommendation was to start with a half dose for the first two week and then increase. The problem (Excel sensitivity) seems to occur with plants that have a greater ability to strip carbon from bicarbonate.

 

[Simpte]

Thanks for the info, Steve. More reading for me!

 

[macfisto]

OK, thanks. Now I know why my jungle val seems to just be withering away. The last time I administered the normal dose of Excel (1 capful for 55 gallons) was Thursday night. I had been dosing every day for about the past week. Do you guys think it would be safe to begin dosing maybe 1 capful every other day? Thanks.