Hey sponsors - does anyone carry eXcital anymore?

[Greatwhite]

I got a bottle from Big Al many moons ago...  I don't see it online anywhere...  This is the only "cure" for cyano that I've come across that doesn't involve heavy doses of chemicals to mask the problem.  They say it will be gone in 10 days, and they mean it.

It's not a chemical - it's a tank supplement that boosts beneficial bacteria, and is completely reef safe.  I've used it in 2 occasions, and have a 100% success rate.

I'm asking for a friend, not myself...

[Greatwhite]

(Not to be confused with Excitol - which is a "male enhancer"... Thanks Google)

[robt18]

(Not to be confused with Excitol - which is a "male enhancer"... Thanks Google)

Also asking "for a friend"

I don't know about excital, but I've used Maracyn II as a cyano killer before in freshwater - not sure if it's reef safe but I don't see why not.

[Greatwhite]

I've had 200% success rate with Excitol!!

I've read about Chemi-clean as well and the name alone tells me no.

[wrm130]

A two part blackout killed it when I had it in a tank.  No chems involved

3 days off
1 day on with a BIG water change
3 days off
Big water change.
All good

[Littorina]

Hey wrm130, I'm interested....with the lights off method, how did your corals do?

I'm currently in my ugly tank stage of my first tank (only a 28 gallon nano), and have hair algae spreading like crazy now, and I want to nip it in the bud.  Obviously I am going to start taking care of the excess nutrients by getting some phosban, possibly some chaeto, and getting my skimmer up and running, but perhaps I should play with my lighting cycle also.  I do have a few corals in there, so I was wondering how they'd do with a 2-3 day "blackout"....Thanks  :-)

[wrm130]

Sorry I have fw. Didn't realize this was marine so I have no idea! Good luck!

[az]

Hey wrm130, I'm interested....with the lights off method, how did your corals do?

I'm currently in my ugly tank stage of my first tank (only a 28 gallon nano), and have hair algae spreading like crazy now, and I want to nip it in the bud.  Obviously I am going to start taking care of the excess nutrients by getting some phosban, possibly some chaeto, and getting my skimmer up and running, but perhaps I should play with my lighting cycle also.  I do have a few corals in there, so I was wondering how they'd do with a 2-3 day "blackout"....Thanks  :-)

for your tank 25 hermits and 20 snails would do the trick, lights 6 hours is enough.

[tophoo]

I have an unopened bottle

[Littorina]

Hey Az,

    More snails will be added shortly, and will get some hermits...

You mentioned 6 hours per day lights for the hair algae control......remember I did a newbie boo-boo and added the elegance coral in there.......would 6 hours a day light be ok for it?  Would this just be for a week or so? 

Thanks.

Hey Tophoo, where did you pick up that eXcital?  I'm curious for potential future use!  .....

[tophoo]

I picked it off of eBay a while ago. If interested, I'll trade it for a frag or something

[bandit]

All depends on your light,but I wouldn't risk it. Littorina you would be having a diatom outbreak it will disappear once new algae replaces it, it is the first to grow on anything you put in you tank. Astrea and turbos are what you want. I also wouldn't add any miracle mixes just let nature take its course and take things slow. A turkey baster works well to blow off the corals.

[Greatwhite]

All depends on your light,but I wouldn't risk it. Littorina you would be having a diatom outbreak it will disappear once new algae replaces it, it is the first to grow on anything you put in you tank. Astrea and turbos are what you want. I also wouldn't add any miracle mixes just let nature take its course and take things slow. A turkey baster works well to blow off the corals.

Agreed. It sounds like she's on track some some spiney astreas and a couple giant turbos... The eXcitol is only in case of problem cyano...

[Littorina]

I bought some spiny turbans last weekend and they've been doing a great job on the diatoms, but they didn't touch the hair algae (which was starting to go crazy), however, this weekend,  I bought 2 Mexican turbos and 4 astreas..the turbos mowed through my hair algae within a DAY!  Fantastic! 

I hope I'll have algae to feed them in the future - might need to add some seaweed at some point? 

I threw a mesh bag of Phosban into my attached sump......I haven't tested for phosphate yet, but better safe than sorry.

Not getting any chemical treatments right now.......I was warned about future potential cyano outbreaks, so we started putting feelers out for future treatments, if ever needed.  :-) 

[Greatwhite]

I love Turbo snails.. I had some that were between the size of golf balls and tennis balls.. They now live in Jetjumper's tank.  I had a little patch of hair algae spreading across some rock once.  Showed it to one of the snails (moved him close to the patch) and it was gone overnight, replaced by the cleanest spot in my whole tank.

Although they are awesome at hair algae removal, they also eat the loose algae that is on your glass and settles on the rockwork.  They should be OK...  And if one dies - well, there's a nice shell for a hermit to move into.

[Littorina]

Yep, those Turbos are my new favorites (although one did knock down my baby zooanthid!  Had to rescue it)! I didn't realize they can get to be the size of TENNIS BALLS.  Crazy!   :-)

They're doing such a great job at algae removal, I'm worried my snail population is going to starve! haha.  So will keep an eye out and maybe buy a seawead suppliment at some point

[Littorina]

Hey GreatWhite!

   I found eXitol!  Not that I need it yet, knock on wood, but I was at "Aquatica" in Montreal yesterday, just browsing, and they carry it.  Just FYI if anyone ever needs it! 

[Greatwhite]

Hey GreatWhite!

   I found eXitol!  Not that I need it yet, knock on wood, but I was at "Aquatica" in Montreal yesterday, just browsing, and they carry it.  Just FYI if anyone ever needs it! 

If you haven't needed it yet, you won't need it.  You're past the usual cyano outbreak timeframe.

[Darth]

I don't know about excital, but I've used Maracyn II as a cyano killer before in freshwater - not sure if it's reef safe but I don't see why not.

I have used this twice for my reef, 1 packet for my 56 gal, turn off the skimmer, and cyano is gone in 24-48 hours