# excel and crypts, swindled?



## nbr1rodeoclown (Feb 6, 2015)

In an old 33 gallon dirted tank, i used to dose per seachem's instructions, and saw good results. I've been holding off on the excel on my current tank because i can remember rumblings somewhere about crypts melting from excel. Can anyone corroborate that? Have i been lied to? Did i make it up? WAS IT A DREAM?!

But seriously I have an all crypt tank and an unused gallon of excel sitting here. Am I good?


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## mishe (Apr 27, 2015)

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=189145

Is saying most crypts do melt.


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## HDBenson (Jan 26, 2015)

Go ahead and use it. Start with small daily doses like 1-2ml and increase weekly over a few weeks. They'll get used to it. In my experience, my Cryptocoryne wendtii var. didn't take well when I suddenly started dosing 5ml/30g daily. So, I cut back to 1ml and increased weekly until I was 3.75ml and the crypts came back very well!


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

nbr1rodeoclown said:


> In an old 33 gallon dirted tank, i used to dose per seachem's instructions, and saw good results. I've been holding off on the excel on my current tank because i can remember rumblings somewhere about crypts melting from excel. Can anyone corroborate that? Have i been lied to? Did i make it up? WAS IT A DREAM?!
> 
> But seriously I have an all crypt tank and an unused gallon of excel sitting here. Am I good?


Hi nbr1rodeoclown,

There are many different species of Cryptocorynes; all I can do is speak to my own experiences. I have grown Cryptocoryne wendtii (Red, Bronze, Florida Sunset),, Cryptocoryne lutea, as well as Cryptocoryne spiralis sp spiralis with excellent success when dosing Excel (glutaraldehyde) at the recommended dosages and even higher. That said, many times crypts will lose their leaves when transplanted (especially into a new tank). Most times new leaves will start to regrow from the crown a week or two later.

I have had problems growing mosses and Vallisneria in tanks where I was dosing Excel.

30 gallon; dosing Excel and normal Initial Dose and 2X Daily Dose recommendation


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## jrill (Nov 20, 2013)

Crypts don't like change. If I stop adding it like when I go on vacation I get some melt when I return and start up again. If I build up slowly to my dosing amount then no or little melt.


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## schnebbles (Jan 10, 2015)

I was dosing in my 5g betta tank and I was putting it in right above the crypts and it really messed them up. Took me a while to figure out what it was but it was the Excel. I hope they recover. I quit doing that. His tank is super low light so maybe I was using too much, not sure.


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## turbosaurus (Nov 19, 2005)

I dose 2ml/10 gallons (double recommended dose) and I have absolutely no problems. When I slack off for a couple weeks/months, then restart my crypts love it and show almost immediate improvement. 

I second that Vals and mosses don't like excel.


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## nbr1rodeoclown (Feb 6, 2015)

I've been dosing at the recommended daily dose, and I haven't seen any damage to the crypts, but all of my bga has been eliminated.

I'd say this is sufficiently debunked. 

(at least for balansae, xlucens, wendtii's, petchii)


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## Maverick2015 (Aug 8, 2015)

I have crypt parva and crypt lutea and both are fine with excel in my tank.


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