# Flourish Excel Problem



## Beyorn (May 6, 2008)

When I dose excel here in the last 2 months my water clouds up for about a day after. I cant figure out what is causing this because when I first started this didn't happen. Anyone have any ideas? I have searched the net with no success.


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## Crystalview (Aug 10, 2007)

Seachem is great at answering Emails. Write them. I have never had this happen. Good luck 

http://www.seachem.com/support/Support.html


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## Philosophos (May 7, 2009)

The rumor running around is that high doses of excel can cause cloudiness. Is the excel its self cloudy? I've read reports of glutaraldehyde spoiling and getting a foggy look to it. Idealy, it should be clear.

-Philosophos


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## Crystalview (Aug 10, 2007)

I asked the shelf life of Excel and Seachem said it does not expire.


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## Philosophos (May 7, 2009)

Ok, so expiration is probably out. Perhaps spoilage from contamination then. Clearly something causes it to turn in to a cloudy (and sometimes even brown) mess.

Beyorn, I guess I should ask what PPM your dosing as well.

-Philosophos


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## Beyorn (May 6, 2008)

Im at work guys so I cant check. I'm using the Seachem dosing chart and anytime I dose it at all it clouds up (not immediately) usually takes it till the next day. It will last about 8 hours then goes away. I did a 50 percent water change last week to see if that helped and it didnt . The tank is 75 gallons, it has (2) eheim professionel 3e canister filters 2078, an inline uv sterilizer, and an inline heater.

My water has never turned brown, just cloudy. The excel looks good and clear to me.


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## Philosophos (May 7, 2009)

I suppose you could try to isolate what's causing the issue. Try adding excel to some DI or RO, tap, tap plus ferts, tap and rinsed/unrinsed substrate samples, tank water etc. until you figure out what's causing the problem.

-Philosophos


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## Beyorn (May 6, 2008)

I figured out my problem, something WAS wrong with the bottle of excel I was using. I started a new bottle 3 days ago and I haven't had the problem since. I'm not sure what would have been wrong with the previous bottle. It smelled like regular old excel and looked clear, one of life's mysteries I guess.


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## bradac56 (Feb 18, 2008)

Crystalview said:


> I asked the shelf life of Excel and Seachem said it does not expire.


While that's the official answer I don't think it's true I've noticed cloudiness after having bottles open for a year but I've always thrown them away and ordered new ones. I've also stopped buying Excel from LFS since allot of them will low class it and use a bit from a bottle and then put it on the shelf.

- Brad


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## Crystalview (Aug 10, 2007)

If I were honest I would tell you our club buys the generic for $20 gallon. I store it in a cool dark place. Nothing lasts for ever.


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## Strick (Apr 6, 2009)

Crystalview said:


> If I were honest I would tell you our club buys the generic for $20 gallon. I store it in a cool dark place. Nothing lasts for ever.


What's the generic? Where does your club get it?


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## shaneos76 (Jun 29, 2009)

Beyorn said:


> Im at work guys so I cant check. I'm using the Seachem dosing chart and anytime I dose it at all it clouds up (not immediately) usually takes it till the next day. It will last about 8 hours then goes away. I did a 50 percent water change last week to see if that helped and it didnt . The tank is 75 gallons, it has (2) eheim professionel 3e canister filters 2078, an inline uv sterilizer, and an inline heater.
> 
> My water has never turned brown, just cloudy. The excel looks good and clear to me.


Hi, when I added a UV sterilier I had alot (and I mean alot) of cloudyness. On investigation I found that the cloudyness is dying Algae in the water and that it would clear with water changes and time. It did!
The fact that excel kills Algae could mean that the water u are changing has already got algae in it and the cloudyness is the excel killing it. I reccomend adding a UV sterilier which doesn't cost much and eliminating that possibility.


I also have a question I need answering.

I have an Anubius plant on an ornament which has had a disease since I bought it. I had BBA in other areas of the tank and treated that with CO2 injection and “REAL” Siamese Algae Eaters and got rid of all the Algae in the tank! The only thing that has stuck around is this disease on my Anubius. I’ll try and describe it so bare with me and use your imagination. New leaves and roots are green and look great but as time goes on It looks like Black paint splashed on the leaves and the leaves curl. It also turns the roots of the plant black. 
I’m thinking of taking the plant and ornament out of the tank and dosing it in excel in the laundry sink. 
Has anybody used a similar method with any results???

I've posted a few pics of the plant in an album linked to my profile if anybody would care to have a look.


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## nytowl83 (Jan 15, 2006)

HI Shane, Ive seen this black tip curling thing on my anubias as well.. only one of them. i have three main rhizomes of petites all came from the same bunch and cut and placed at the tank at the same time... only one is doing this the rest are really healthy. I am sure its not the rhizome being buried or i cut it wrong (no rhizome left) 

i know this want of any help but at least you are not alone


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

You are attempting to adjust nature using a chart. Weather man are not always right about predicting the weather. Thus I don't see how one can expect dosing according to rules will work all of the time. Especially since tap water is not treated with the same chemicals in every state. 

Logically I would try dosing 1ml and stepping up daily until you see the cloud. If that doesn't work then do test in an empty bucket. Daily adding items that are in tank and dosing.


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## bradac56 (Feb 18, 2008)

Hilde said:


> You are attempting to adjust nature using a chart. Weather man are not always right about predicting the weather. Thus I don't see how one can expect dosing according to rules will work all of the time. Especially since tap water is not treated with the same chemicals in every state.



Sorry that's just odd, the Seachem dosing spreadsheet is very, very good I've used it for along time without issue on small tanks. The only times I've seen cloudy water after using it has been with old bottles. Just toss it and get a new one.

- Brad


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## shaneos76 (Jun 29, 2009)

Thanks for the reply,

I've posted a picture of my Anubius with the desease on my profile and also put a few pictures in a album linked to my profile if anybody would like to have a look and tell me if thats what they've seen/delt with???

Thanks again,

Shaneos76


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

shaneos76 said:


> I've posted a picture of my Anubius with the disease on my profile
> Shaneos76


Are you unaware that you could have posted a picture here using the square icon with the mountain?

It looks like algae. You could take it out and spritz it with flourish excell.

Lights are the engine thus start with decreasing the light. Can you increase the circulation in the tank? That will help keep it off the plant. 
Possibly an imbalance of light and CO2. Most anubias do better in a shady area.


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## shaneos76 (Jun 29, 2009)

Thanks for your reply Hilde,

No I wasn't aware so I thank you again. I'm giving it a go in this message so let me know if I choked.

Yeah I'm sure its some sort of Algae just knowing which 1 and how best 2 treat it remains a mystery. My lighting and CO2 are spot on so I've pulled the plant out and submersed it for an hour in a mixture of 3 Litres water to 35mls of flourish excell. I then did my 40% water change and transfered the plant and mixture to my 300ltr tank.

I'll update this site with any progress and update pictures if I get any change.

Fingers crossed its not a breeding pair of discus belly up posing for the camera!!!


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## Carlos413 (Jun 10, 2009)

I use one cap full for a 55 gallon everyday. Never had any issues, my plants look nice. I am hook on excel.


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## Philosophos (May 7, 2009)

I see your GSA and BBA has some anubias underneath it. :biggrin:

I've had the same problem. CO2 fixes the BBA and helps with the GSA. If you aren't concerned about how red your plants are, you could always bump up the PO4 levels a bit.

-Philosophos


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Carlos413 said:


> I use one cap full for a 55 gallon everyday. Never had any issues, my plants look nice. I am hook on excel.


Wow!! That must cost a lot. I wonder if a pressurized Co2 system would be cheaper in the long run. Have seen paint ball pressure cans for $60 on craigslist.org.

Found this at plant finder:
Anubias in the wild, it can be found in shaded to semi shaded locations in fast flowing rivers and streams does appreciate good water flow over the leaves, especially under high light where water flow helps inhibit spot algae on the leaves. To induce flowering and further reduce spot algae under intense lighting, phosphate levels should be raised to around 2 ppm. 

The flourish excel kills algae but it may come back until you balance the eco- system. Are there other plants in the tank with the anubias? Is this the only plant affected? What is your gh, kh, and ph? If your water is soft and you have high ph you have plenty of phosphates in the water.


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