Liquid Carbon

[wolfiewill]

I've had conversations with several people in the last week or so about liquid carbon (aka glutaraldehyde, aka Exel, aka Metricide).  The active ingredient in both is glutaraldehyde. Metricide is a 2.6% solution versus Exel which is 1.5%.  I used Exel for years until I heard about Metricide online. I purchase the chemical under the trade name Metricide because it's less expensive and comes in gallon volumes.

I dilute the Metricide to make a 1.5% sol'n in order to approximate the dosage instructions for Exel. I have been dosing at twice the Seachem suggested rates (2.0 ml/10 gallons) with Cherries, SAEs, otto cats and Platys in a low tech tank for many months now with no discernible side effects. I can't tell if the Cherrys are breeding yet as I've only added them recently.

In another tank low tech tank I'm breeding Cherrys and dosing at 1.5x the recommended dose with no issues; however, I can't tell if reproductive or mortality rates are effected 'cause I haven't a control tank with which to compare. Still, they are breeding 'cause there are littles ones of all sizes and their colour is still very good.

I also dose two other planted only, low tech tanks at 3 and 5 times the recommended rates respectively. But I haven't done this long enough to be sure that I have growth comparable with CO2 dosing. There are no plant die offs in these tanks, but some plants appear not to respond to Metricide.

I also use glutaraldehyde after new start ups to reduce the potential problems with algae. I dose at twice the normal rates right after planting. However, I don't add livestock until 2-3 weeks. At this point I would stop dosing Metricide if I'm using CO2, and would add hardy algae grazers (platys, SAEs, Amano or Cherry shrimp; but not otto cats).

However, there should be some caution using this product because it is dangerous! Please read the following two links before trying this yourselves:

http://www.prirodni-akvarium.cz/en/index.php?id=en_glutaraldehyde

http://www.oscarfish.com/article-home/equipment/114-buyer-beaware-seachem-excel.html

[ajm1961]

Very informative Greg. I use Excel in a 25 gallon low-tech tank and will certainly pay more attention to any side effects and ensure to dose appropriately.
Thanks for posting!

[exv152]

Thanks for posting Greg. What I find ironic is we use this stuff to control algae, but if you overdose, it can also lead to algae. I give up trying to figure out algae.