[GSAS-Member] Excel Treatment for Algae Control

["Seattle_Aquarist" <Seattle_Aquarist@comcast.net>]

Excel Treatment

Roy's 45 Gallon Tall Tank

 

Encouraged by Erik's and Larry's experiences with Luis Navarro's
recommendation for using Excel I decided to try it.  Here are the results I
experienced.

 

Day 1

20 % Water Change; PH=6.8; CO2=19ppm; KH=4; DH=4;  Treating as a 40 gallon

 

Initiated treatment with two times (2X) normal initial dose, eight teaspoons
(8 tsp) total.  Water become slightly cloudy, fish activity declined but no
fish showed any distress; plants, which were pearling (gassing) slightly
prior to treatment, gassed more heavily about 3 hours after treatment. Fish
ate normally.

 

Algae:  Green algae (GA) and green spot algae (GSA) on glass; dark algae
discoloration on older leaves of Bolbitis and Java Fern Lace; light
infestation of hair algae (HA) in Bacopa, Rotala, Hemianthus micranthemoides
and others.  The Rotala also has reddish brown algae (RBA) discoloration
(like dusted with rust, not BBA) on stems along with slight hair algae (HA)
directly below the reflector.

 

 

Day 2

PH=6.6; CO2=30ppm

 

Treated the tank with one times (1X) normal initial dose, four teaspoons (4
tsp) total.  Water which had mostly cleared overnight again became slightly
cloudy.  Fish activity declined but not as much as Day 1 no distress noted.
Some increase in plant gassing occurred but not as much as Day 1.  Fish ate
normally.

 

Algae: No change in GA or GSA on glass.  Dark algae discoloration on the
older leaves of the Bolbitis may be lighter, but not the older leaves of the
Java Fern.  No change in HA or RBA. 

 

 

Day 3

PH=6.6; CO2=30ppm

 

Treated the tank with one times (1X) normal initial dose, four teaspoons (4
tsp) total.  Water which had mostly cleared overnight did not become cloudy.
Fish activity did not appear to decline.  No notable increase in plant
gassing.  Fish ate normally.

 

Algae:  No change in GA or GSA on glass.  Dark algae discoloration on older
leaves of Bolbitis seems lighter but not on Java Fern.  HA does not seem to
be as green at Day 1 and does not seem to be growing.

 

 

Day 4

 

PH=6.6; CO2=30ppm

 

Treated the tank with one times (1X) normal initial dose, four teaspoons (4
tsp) total.  Water which remained clear yesterday and overnight did not
become cloudy.  Fish activity did not appear to decline.  No notable
increase in plant gassing.  Fish ate normally.

 

Algae:  GA or GSA on glass seems less green.  The dark algae discoloration
on older leaves of Bolbitis is definitely lighter but not gone, the
discoloration on the older Java Fern leaves appears unchanged.  HA has gone
from green strands to very light green in some cases white strands with less
thickness to the strand, it appears to be dying.  RBA on the Rotala is
definitely starting to disappear, some HA also on the Rotala is still green.

 

 

Day 5

 

PH=6.6; CO2=30ppm

 

Treated the aquarium with one times (1X) normal initial dose, four teaspoons
(4 tsp) total.  Water which remained clear yesterday and overnight did not
become cloudy.  Fish activity did not appear to decline.  No notable
increase in plant gassing.  Fish ate normally.

 

Algae:  GA or GSA on glass seems same as yesterday, but does not appear to
be growing as quickly.  The dark algae discoloration on older leaves of
Bolbitis is the same as yesterday as is the discoloration on the older Java
Fern leaves.  HA seems to have experienced the largest change.  Except on
some Hemianthus micranthemoides  directly under the reflector and on some
Ceratophyllum demersum  (Hornwort) that is floating under the reflector
where it is still green, it has gone from green strands to light green or
white strands with less thickness to the strand; it appears to be dying or
dead in most areas.  RBA on the Rotala is almost undetectable, the HA also
on the Rotala is greatly diminished.  

 

Day 6

 

PH=6.6; CO2=30ppm

 

Treated the tank with one times (1X) normal initial dose, four teaspoons (4
tsp) total.  Water which remained clear yesterday and overnight did not
become cloudy.  Fish activity did not appear to decline.  No notable
increase in plant gassing.  Fish ate normally.

 

Algae:  GA or GSA on glass seems same as yesterday, but does not appear to
be growing as quickly.  The dark algae discoloration on older leaves of
Bolbitis is the same as yesterday as is the discoloration on the older Java
Fern leaves.  HA seems to be about the same as yesterday.  Very slight green
infestations continue on the Hemianthus micranthemoides  and on some
Bolbitis directly under the reflector and on some Ceratophyllum demersum
(Hornwort) that is floating under the reflector.  The HA has disappeared
from most of the areas it was infesting.    RBA on the Rotala is almost
undetectable or may be gone (it is hard to tell) and some very slight traces
of HA remain on the Rotala directly under the reflector but 95% of the
original amount has disappeared.    

 

 

Day 7

 

PH=6.6; CO2=30ppm

 

Treated the aquarium with one times (1X) normal initial dose, four teaspoons
(4 tsp) total.  Water which remained clear yesterday and overnight did not
become cloudy.  Fish activity did not appear to decline.  No notable
increase in plant gassing.  Fish ate normally.

 

Algae:  GA or GSA on glass seems same as yesterday, but does not appear to
be growing as quickly.  The dark algae discoloration on older leaves of
Bolbitis, although dramatically reduced from initial treatment, is the same
as yesterday as is the discoloration on the older Java Fern leaves.  HA
seems to be about the same as yesterday.  Very slight green infestations
continue on the Hemianthus micranthemoides  and on some Bolbitis directly
under the reflector and on some Ceratophyllum demersum  (Hornwort) that is
floating under the reflector.  The HA has disappeared from most of the areas
it was infesting.    RBA on the Rotala appears to be gone (it is hard to
tell) and some very slight traces of HA remain on the Rotala directly under
the reflector but 95% of the original amount has disappeared.

 

 

Day 8

 

PH=6.6; CO2=30ppm

 

I preformed a 50% water change, treated with one times (1X) normal initial
dose, four teaspoons (4 tsp) total.  Water which had remained clear
yesterday and overnight became cloudy.  Fish activity did not appear to
decline.  A notable increase in plant gassing occurred.  Fish ate normally.

 

Algae:  GA or GSA on glass seems same as yesterday, removed manually.  The
dark algae discoloration on older leaves of Bolbitis, although dramatically
reduced from initial treatment, is the same as yesterday as is the
discoloration on the older Java Fern leaves.  HA seems to be about the same
as yesterday.  The HA has disappeared from most of the areas it was
infesting.   Very slight green infestations continue on the Ceratophyllum
demersum  (Hornwort), and on some duckweed all areas are directly under the
reflector.  RBA on the Rotala appears to be gone and some very slight traces
of HA remain on the Rotala directly under the reflector.  All and all, I
would call the treatment a success.  

 

I would call the treatment a success.  Overall, I would estimate that 95%+
of the algae that was on the plants has disappeared.  What remains is
unnoticeable unless I am actually looking for it.  The green algae and green
spot algae on the glass was basically unaffected by the treatment, however
it did not grow as quickly during the treatment as it had beforehand.  

 

The treatment had minimum effects on the fish and plants.  The fish showed
no distress during the treatment, although periods of reduced activity were
noted, usually shortly after the addition of the Excel.

 

The plants did show some signs of damage from the treatment, especially in
the last two or three days.  The tips of the Vallisneria (extending about 4"
from tip down) become clear, soft, showed signs of cellular deterioration,
and had to be removed.  One of my two patches of Cryptocoryne wendtii v.
'Tropica' (Bronze Wendtii) has experienced a "melt down" but the other
appears unaffected.  And finally the Ceratophyllum demersum  (Hornwort)
experienced the same cellular deterioration as the Vallisneria and some
small areas became soft and fell apart.

 

>From this point on, I will do the recommended Excel treatment and see if the
alga returns to previous levels.

 

Roy

 

 

 

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