# Mixing Metricide or Cidex with water okay?



## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

Just trying to minimally confuse myself when it comes time to dose. I'm just about out of Excel and about to start on the Metricide, and figured I could just dilute the metricide with water to get about the same % of glutaraldehyde as Excel. Anybody see a problem with this?


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## jmowbray (Dec 20, 2009)

Nope that's what you do.


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## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

Cool, just checking. Thanks!


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## askindc (Jun 28, 2008)

kevmo911 said:


> Just trying to minimally confuse myself when it comes time to dose. I'm just about out of Excel and about to start on the Metricide, and figured I could just dilute the metricide with water to get about the same % of glutaraldehyde as Excel. Anybody see a problem with this?


I think using a diluted preparation of Metricide might only be problematic if undiluted Metricide also contains a chemical that acts to stabilize the glutaraldehyde it contains. If it does, then diluting Metricide might reduce the long-term stability of the glutaraldehyde in the diluted preparation. However, since quite a few people have reported that they get good results when they use a diluted preparation of Metricide (i.e., doing what you propose to do), I assume that Metricide does not contain a glutaraldehyde-stabilizing chemical... and it would be O.K. to use a diluted preparation. 

Another point to consider is that Excel's active constituent/glutaraldehyde has been reported to degrade within about 24 hours after being added to the aquarium's water. However, that extremely large dilution (ca. 0.1 ml per gallon) is very much greater than the one you would make in order to dilute Metricide so that it contains the same concentration of glutaraldehyde as does Excel.


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

From what I've heard, all it takes to stabilize glutaraldehyde is a low pH. I did test Excel once and found it to be acidic.

Since my tapwater has a rather high pH, I always use distilled water to dilute Metricide to be on the safe side. Adding some acid may also help, but I haven't bothered to do so, and haven't found it necessary.

It's also reported to be light sensitive, so use an opaque container.


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## blackwidow (Mar 22, 2010)

i'm starting w/ Metricide too, what is the ratio of water & Metricide?


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## askindc (Jun 28, 2008)

DarkCobra said:


> From what I've heard, all it takes to stabilize glutaraldehyde is a low pH. I did test Excel once and found it to be acidic.
> 
> Since my tapwater has a rather high pH, I always use distilled water to dilute Metricide to be on the safe side. Adding some acid may also help, but I haven't bothered to do so, and haven't found it necessary.
> 
> It's also reported to be light sensitive, so use an opaque container.


Thanks very much for the additional information. The pH of my tapwater also is alkaline. So, if I ever decide to use diluted Metricide as a carbon source, I'll definitely use distilled water (which usually has a slightly acidic pH) as the diluent... and I'll use an opaque container to store the diluted preparation.


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

blackwidow said:


> i'm starting w/ Metricide too, what is the ratio of water & Metricide?


Diluting Metricide 14 with an equal amount of distilled water gives you a solution just slightly weaker than Excel.


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## blackwidow (Mar 22, 2010)

DarkCobra said:


> Diluting Metricide 14 with an equal amount of distilled water gives you a solution just slightly weaker than Excel.


i dont have distilled water, is that ok if i use ro water?


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

blackwidow said:


> i dont have distilled water, is that ok if i use ro water?


Should be just fine.


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## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)

Why even mix it? Just dose less..


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

Some people can develop an allergy to it with repeated exposure, symptoms include contact dermatitis and asthma.

Diluting it reduces the risk of developing the allergy, and the risk of symptoms if you have the allergy.

And it also makes it easier to measure if you're dosing a small tank.


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## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

And, as I mentioned in the first post, I'm trying to minimally confuse myself. If I dilute to the concentration in Excel, I don't have to switch up dosing amounts. Heck, I can even use the same Excel bottle. My math is a little screwey, but Metricide is about 72% more potent than Excel. Which means that mixing Metricide with water at a 10:7 Met:H2O ratio should be about the potency of Excel. Correct?


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## Heliostica (Jan 2, 2011)

I think you right each unit of met = 1.7 units of excel so in order to get 250 ml worth of excel you should add 147 ml of met. Leaving you too add 103 ml of water

Final ratio of 14.7:10

Edit for agreement


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## WRabbit (Dec 16, 2010)

1 gallon Metracide + 3 quarts distilled water = 1.75 gallons Excel strength (+/-).


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## herns (May 6, 2008)

Thanks fir the infos!

Ive been using undilluted Met 14 for almost a year now. I dose about 5ml to 10 ml (quite strong) everyday for my 20 and it lasted me about at least 6 mos. 

I still have another gallon left, unopened. If I mix this with 3 quarts distilled water, it would even go a long way than the first one Ive used.


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## captain_bu (Oct 20, 2007)

askindc said:


> Another point to consider is that Excel's active constituent/glutaraldehyde has been reported to degrade within about 24 hours after being added to the aquarium's water. However, that extremely large dilution (ca. 0.1 ml per gallon) is very much greater than the one you would make in order to dilute Metricide so that it contains the same concentration of glutaraldehyde as does Excel.


The volume of water has nothing to do with the Excel breaking down once it is in the tank. According to Seachem Excel has about a 24 hour life in an aquarium due to the fact that the bacteria present in the tank causes the Excel to break down. Diluting Excel or Metricide with tap water will not cause any problems.


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## ianizaguirre (Jan 25, 2011)

hows the cidex on the tank going?


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## herns (May 6, 2008)

WRabbit said:


> 1 gallon Metracide + 3 quarts distilled water = 1.75 gallons Excel strength (+/-).



Has anyone tried dilluting Metricide 14 using this ratio?


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## kuro (May 21, 2010)

that ratio will give you about 1.5% glutaraldehyde which is the ratio i think is in excel. I make smaller amount for my nano i just use a measuring cup and add like 140-150 ml of metricide then fiill it up with RO/Di water to the 250 ml mark to get about 1.5% glutaraldehyde.


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## jw.cS (Jan 13, 2005)

herns said:


> Ive been using undilluted Met 14 for almost a year now. I dose about 5ml to 10 ml (quite strong) everyday for my 20 and it lasted me about at least 6 mos.


Oh my goodness! :surprise:

5-10 ml of the undiluted Metricide 14 everyday to a 20 gallon tank? Holy moley! Will you please give some specifications to your tank as well as any relevant observations?

Highly intrigued.

_*apologies for resurrecting an old thread_


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I have been dosing Metricide 14 day for about a year now. For most of that time I dosed 10 ml in a tank with 55 gallons of water in it. I have lots of vals growing, and until about a month ago they grew very vigorously. Now my vals are shedding lots of leaves. And, now I have just reached the bottom of the gallon jug of Metricide. I'm wondering if the water content is slowly evaporating in the jug, leaving me with much higher glut concentration.


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## Jaye (Mar 11, 2015)

I dose 40ml of Metricide daily in my 29 gallon tank (split dose -20 ml morning and evening, tank is very heavily planted). As long as you work up to it very slowly, it can work. I do this for algae control, and it seems to work pretty well where nothing else has.


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## Leeatl (Aug 8, 2015)

I don't mix a whole gallon . For me it is more convenient to use an empty Excel 500 ml bottle . I just mix 300 ml Metracide with 200 ml distilled water . That gives me Excel strength and has been working well . I got the ratio from this site somewhere...lol


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

This is an old thread but since some have commeted this year, thought some might like to see the calculation.

This is the solution I got from a calculator on line that doesn't exist anymore
glut = (1.5 x container)/ cidex glut% 
glut = (1.5% * 100ml)/2.5%.
500ml bottle = 300ml of 2.5%(Metricide 28) + 200ml of water 

I just use aquarium water in an empty Excel bottle. I dose it with a pipette. I have pleurisy so I hold my breath while I am doing it as a safety precaution. Just takes a few seconds.


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