# Utricularia graminifolia melts from excel exposure?



## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

I haven't noticed UG being more susceptible to Excel than any other plant. In fact, UG has fared better than HC and Mini Pellia with Excel over dosings in a holding tank I have. So in my experience, UG will not melt from Excel exposure unless the dose applied is lethal to most other aquatic plants.


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## imeridian (Jan 19, 2007)

Thanks, it must have happened as the result of something else then. It didn't seem likely, as I've done high dosing of Excel previously, but it wasn't with freshly opened. 

Perhaps the taller plants in the back of the tank were casting too much of a shadow on the front, or it didn't like the transition to misted CO2 versus dissolved. :confused1:


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

It may come back as well. I know when I had mine some melted away then came back. Depends on how far melted it goes. I didn't use excel just CO2 via inline diffuser.

Craig


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## imeridian (Jan 19, 2007)

I hope so, I was happy that it had finally starting growing nicely after it semi-melted the first time when I planted it. 

It looks pretty bad though, like a glob of goo with a couple of semi-translucent leaves sticking out of it.


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## Avalon (Aug 14, 2004)

Excel is an excellent UG killer. I know...dang near killed all of mine off during an experiment. I left it alone, and it's growing back nicer than before. H2O2 isn't any safer. You have to be really careful when using excel to get rid of algae. It's not all that effective when dosed safely. Now when dosed at higher levels, it's highly effective at wiping out all kinds of life: algae, plants, snails, fish, bacteria, etc.

Anyone that says Excel is an effective algae destroyer is only realizing the fact they are lacking CO2.


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## imeridian (Jan 19, 2007)

The patch in question was totally gone last night, save for a couple of blades nearby, as if it never existed. Other fragments of the UG are okay elsewhere, it was that one patch for whatever reason that just melted away to oblivion.

Thanks for letting me know that I'm not alone, and for giving me some additional hope that it may return. 



Avalon said:


> Anyone that says Excel is an effective algae destroyer is only realizing the fact they are lacking CO2.


It is still effective even if CO2 is otherwise just fine. Poor CO2 may bring on the initial issues, but in some cases simply increasing the levels of CO2 may not be sufficient to get past them. That said, please let us not allow this thread to regress into yet another why I have algae boondoggle.


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## Avalon (Aug 14, 2004)

imeridian said:


> It is still effective even if CO2 is otherwise just fine. Poor CO2 may bring on the initial issues, but in some cases simply increasing the levels of CO2 may not be sufficient to get past them. That said, please let us not allow this thread to regress into yet another why I have algae boondoggle.


Sorry, didn't even realize your algae problem. I was simply focused on your question about Excel, and my response wasn't directed at you. 

However, the issue of CO2 is extremely complicated. It's not so much a quantity issue as it is a distribution issue. I've been working diligently the past few years on how to get enough CO2 evenly distributed in the tank, and my results aren't exactly something I can type out and the end user will have instant success--there are simply far too many variables to account for. CO2 distribution is highly dynamic and each person must be aware of that in order to effectively tackle the issue. There is no cookie-cutter remedy. I see you've made a change already. My best advice would be to never stop experimenting to find out works best for you.

I wish you the best with your tank.


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## imeridian (Jan 19, 2007)

No need to apologize, I just didn't want the thread to derail as some of my others have recently. 



Avalon said:


> I wish you the best with your tank.


Thank you.


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## kotoeloncat (Apr 12, 2006)

Unless you overdose excel does not kill UG


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## gsmitchell (Feb 11, 2007)

I haven't had any problems with Excel and UG either. In fact, I have even given it direct squirts of Excel before to deal with minute bits of BBA, with no ill effects. The BBA died, but the UG soldiered on unaffected.

The trick for me seems to be high light, LOTS of CO2, and very soft water (1-2 degrees KH) could be that the change in CO2 caused the melting, but I would not have expected that to happen so quickly. 

Hope this helps!
Greg


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