Excel Question

[SuperColey1]

If Excel has a 'half life of 24 hours' how long is its 'whole life'.

Reason I ask is that I see many suggestions to add it to traces and other things. Even Seachem say 'many of our customers use it in miust sprays'.

If it does degenerate so quickly like Formaldehyde then what use is it in these circumstances?

AC

 

[Tom Barr]

11 hours for the 1/2 and the whole is 24 hours.

http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2005/20050003.pdf

And

http://www.springerlink.com/content/hx07d33kyqtpefpa/

which is cited in the 1st reference.

 

[Jim Miller]

If it is defined as "half life" that means it follows a binary decay curve. In this case 1/2 strength after 24hrs, 1/4 strength after 48 hrs etc. The question then is whether the effectiveness of the chemical is proportional to it's concentration or whether there is a bioeffective threshold below which it is ineffective.

jim

 

[barbarossa4122]

According to the links Tom posted, the Glut we put in the micros solution should be OK for at least 2 months.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi SuperColey1,

+1 on Tom's comments. Also, the 24 hour 'whole life' is dependent upon light exposure; the breakdown is slower without light. I store my Micros in a container that does not let in light.

I use distilled water to mix my Micro solution. Without the addition of Glut I used to go about 2 - 3 weeks before fungus would start to form. With the addition of Glutaraldehyde to the same distilled water solution I can go about 2 months before fungus becomes evident. Glutaraldehyde has many uses, one is as a disinfectant. I suspect that since it kills the bacteria and germs when it is initially added to my mix, that is why the fungus takes longer to form.

 

[darkoon]

Excel also can interact with organics in the system and be broken down, So, the more fish you have (ie: organics), the less Excel that you will have available to the plants.
see this thread
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/seachem/75822-whats-reason-dosing-5x-excel-day.html

 

[SuperColey1]

That ties in with my understanding of Formaldehyde where it biodegrades pretty quickly hence it can be used (like Formalin) as a daily dose.

I don't have a problem with my micors. They are in the cabinet without Glut in them and the 250ml mix (I have a very very low dose non CO2 tank) lasts for nearly a year with only the 'crstalised gunk around the cap forming. Much like it does on the macros.

Its more of an addition to my emersed mist spray as I sometimes get blotches of Cyano on the rockwool of Crypts and other plants that don't cover the rockwool.

Thanks for the replies guys.

What ratio do you think I should add to my mister. I read somewhere else 1ml but that seems pretty low to me.

AC