# API CO2 Booster



## Mac6737 (Jul 6, 2008)

I recently came across this relatively new product and bought a bottle. Even after searching this site, I find no advice or complaints about it. The label says to put in about 8ml/day into my 90 gal discus tank with a 2 T5HO bulbs. Will it help? If so, what exactly will it help? Are there risks?

Typically for this industry, the label does not list ingredients except in generalities (e.g., "organic carbon compounds"). But this label does volunteer that the product contains "Glutaral," which is a toxic disinfectant. I'm just wonderin'.


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## Optix (May 31, 2011)

same difference as seachem excel

...its about $8 a bottle and 1% glutaraldehyde...which is funny...b/c you can buy a gallon of glut. for about $20

so its about a 10yr supply of the same stuff for roughly 3x the price

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/g...158606-why-does-excel-work-whats-science.html


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

API CO2 Booster is a 1.6% solution of glutaraldehyde. 
The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is available via a link on this page.
http://aquariumpharm.com/Products/Product.aspx?ProductID=524

Seachem Excel is thought to be a 1.6% to 1.8% solution of glutaraldehyde. They use a name that is nonsense to chemists. 

Metricide 14 is a 2.6% solution of glutaraldehyde. 

Cidex or Cidex 28 is a solution of glutaraldehyde that runs from 2.4% to 2.8% depending on packaging and apparently some other unknown variable. The last case I purchased was 4.7 liter bottles of 2.8%. 

There are lots of threads on this forum on the use, abuse, pros, and cons of substitutes.


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