# DIY Liquid Carbon?



## chowdan (Jun 29, 2012)

Hey guys!

I have been using the API liquid carbon for a while now. [censored][censored][censored][censored] is crazy expensive but lack of a car makes purchasing CO2 tanks a bit of a hassle for me so i've been trying to figure out what this stuff is made of. 

Does anyone have any ideas what liquid carbon is or how to make it yourself? This doesn't seem to come up often from what can tell.

Thanks!


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Glutaraldehyde. Medical instrument sterilizer and floor cleaner. Search for Metricide 14-day (NOT 28-day) on eBay. Save a bunch of money; gallon/$21 shipped.


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## chowdan (Jun 29, 2012)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> Glutaraldehyde. Medical instrument sterilizer and floor cleaner. Search for Metricide 14-day (NOT 28-day) on eBay. Save a bunch of money; gallon/$21 shipped.


Awesome! Thank you so much!


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

To make your own Excel that will last a very long time use this calculator.

http://web.archive.org/web/20140407234859/http://rota.la/glut/

You just put in which Metricide you got (stick with 14) and how much of the solution you want and it will spit out how much metricide/distilled water mix you need. You will have so much DIY excel you won't know what to do with it.


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## birbaliktanki (Jun 18, 2014)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> Glutaraldehyde. Medical instrument sterilizer and floor cleaner. Search for Metricide 14-day (NOT 28-day) on eBay. Save a bunch of money; gallon/$21 shipped.


whats wrong with using metricide 28?


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## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

Will this stuff work the same as excel in terms of controlling algae?


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## Zorfox (Jun 24, 2012)

birbaliktanki said:


> whats wrong with using metricide 28?


As far as I know you can use either. Metricide 14 is a little more concentrated at 2.6%. Metricide 28 is 2.5%. The MSDS for Metrcide 28 lists sodium nitrate. However, I think this is in the small activator bottle which you don't use anyway. Metricide 14 is generally cheaper as well.

Metricide 28 MSDS
Metricide 14 MSDS



Kehy said:


> Will this stuff work the same as excel in terms of controlling algae?


Yes. They are the same thing with the exception of concentration. Excel is 2% glut. 

Excel MSDS


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## LetsGoFishin (Jul 1, 2013)

Metricide 28 contains a surfactant which I believe is more or less like a soap that extends the effective period when used for sterilization of instruments. However I don't know if it's in the activator, which we don't use, or if it's in the 1 gal bottle. I would assume it's in the main solution. Nonetheless some have reported using it fairly long term with no issues.

There's also Metricide Plus 30 at 3.4% Glut but I believe it contains a surfactant also. 

I don't have CO2 and dose 30 ml a day of undiluted Metricide 14 in my medium light heavily planted 50gal with great results. I've been able to buy in bulk of 4 gal cases at about $18 a gallon.


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## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

The surfactant is the activator bottle which is separate on both. People just buy 14 because its cheaper and has higher concentrate of glut but you can use either.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk


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## chowdan (Jun 29, 2012)

Finally bought myself a gallon jug of Metricide 14 from [Ebay Link Removed] $20! 

Next on the list is to upgrade to the Finnex Planted+ LED and I'll be set for a while(until that itch of needing to change/upgrade)


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