bobo Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Heya, I was trawling the internet and found this: http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showthread.php/30650-Cheap-Sand-based-CO2-Generating-Sub Anyone had an experience with this? Seems to get positive feedback. Thinking of giving it a shot. Tossing up between this or Excel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Not tried it and I can see the logic behind it but I hope that it does work otherwise the shells will bump the pH right up and the blood and bone will cause a really bad algae bloom. I would think the blood and bone would not be particularly good for your fish to ingest despite what it says. It's not recommended to allow pets ie dogs to get hold of it to eat. I wonder how long it would last for. If you give it a go please keep a log on here for us I would be really interested in your findings. While flourish excel is easy to use, it is expensive and some fish are sensitive to it (actually some fish are just as sensitive to pressurised CO2). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 It must increase the hardness as the CO2 will be produced from the carbonate but it will not get rid of the calcium so the more CO2 you get the more the hardness will increase. Since the carbonate reacts with the hydrogen ion it will also raise the pH. I think there would be better ways of getting CO2 --like out of a cylinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 I think there would be better ways of getting CO2 --like out of a cylinder. :iag: As always, shelling out for the real deal is always the way to go. Cheap CO2 tricks will only get you so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Read about this years ago, I would prefer the Walstad method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobo Posted March 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 I was tempted to try it, but I don't think I can be bothered; trying to keep things simple at the moment (young family and all). More posted it for people's interest and to see if anybody had tried it. I may try it in the future on a little nano if I get the chance, just to test it out. Excel isn't that expensive is it? ~$90 for 2L,using their directions 7.5ml a day (if every day) for 300L tank = 250 odd days? Going to be on a heavily planted, low-med light, low maintenance tank. Or don't I know something? i.e. you need to use more than they state? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 I was tempted to try it, but I don't think I can be bothered; trying to keep things simple at the moment (young family and all). More posted it for people's interest and to see if anybody had tried it. I may try it in the future on a little nano if I get the chance, just to test it out. Excel isn't that expensive is it? ~$90 for 2L,using their directions 7.5ml a day (if every day) for 300L tank = 250 odd days? Going to be on a heavily planted, low-med light, low maintenance tank. Or don't I know something? i.e. you need to use more than they state? Its all relative, depending on the size of your tank. Hmm please pm me where you get your excel from at that sort of price I would be most grateful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobo Posted March 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Its all relative, depending on the size of your tank. Hmm please pm me where you get your excel from at that sort of price I would be most grateful PMed So the amount of excel I quoted for a 290L (7.5ml daily) makes sense? I find that affordable. Does any ingredient in Excel build up? Once the tank is established I plan to do one water change per term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 I can't answer about the build up but if you are dosing excel to get rid of BBA you can get away with less than a daily dose after a few weeks so I suspect there is a build up. I don't know but personally I wouldn't dose it if you were only doing water changes once a term. Having plants in the tank will result in a build up of mulch like detritis if you do not gravel vacuum as well as the leaves decay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobo Posted March 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Having plants in the tank will result in a build up of mulch like detritis if you do not gravel vacuum as well as the leaves decay. Yeah... I did a gravel vac once a term on my last tank, when I did my water change - just a general maintenance (pruning etc). Never had any noticeable (through testing or fish) water quality issues. But I didn't use Excel, unless it was to kill algae, so that's a bit of unknown to be; I thought it would add a little boost to the plants, but probably isn't needed on a low light tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 no point if theres not enough light to aid the intake of the carbon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobo Posted March 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 no point if theres not enough light to aid the intake of the carbon. Yeah. Might leave excel alone for now. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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