Mengo Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 I am thinking of buying this product and I have a few questions for people who have used seachem excel or just liquid carbon in general. I've read online and seen many vids about liquid carbon and they all agree it is not a sub for co2 injection. I dose my aquarium with an all in one fert and I put root tabs in the substrate. I am trying to find a alternative to a co2 injection without breaking the bank. People who have used liquid carbon, is there a difference in plant grow once you dose it and how significant is it? Thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 these liquid carbons are for algae control, they are not a fertalizer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mengo Posted January 21, 2021 Author Share Posted January 21, 2021 Yeah I know about that too. But i'm asking if it boosts plant growth in anyway. I know some companies market it like an alternative to co2 so i'm just wondering if it actually supplies co2 and how well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch_ScruffyCityAquatics Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 It only boosts growth in that it inhibits algae growth which allows the plants to utilize more fertilizer and light. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer V Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 @Mengo here is an article that might help: https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/liquid-co2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mengo Posted January 21, 2021 Author Share Posted January 21, 2021 Thanks I've already read that and it was really helpful. But i'm looking for personal experiences with liquid carbon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanTruth Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 I've been using excel for maybe around 5 months now. I originally got it as an algae inhibitor (I know, I suck at balancing a tank). I'd rather solve things naturally, but I just couldn't get a handle on the algae on a couple of tanks. As an algae inhibitor I find it doesn't really work on ALL algae. Black beard, heck yes. Hair algae, no ma'am. Any growth attributed to the excel I would take as a bonus. Reviews were so 50/50. Anyway, just in my experience, it doesn't provide any sort of boost to plant growth at all. I used to run a passive co2 system and that definitely did a better job. I can't even imagine what co2 injection would do. I mean I've seen results on youtube, but they must do a ton of trimming every week. So, just speaking from my experience, co2 gas works great for the plants. Liquid co2 does not. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mengo Posted January 21, 2021 Author Share Posted January 21, 2021 @OceanTruth Finally the answer i was looking for! Thank you. I don't really have algae issues in my tank so buying liquid carbon would be a waste of money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanTruth Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 1 minute ago, Mengo said: @OceanTruth Finally the answer i was looking for! Thank you. I don't really have algae issues in my tank so buying liquid carbon would be a waste of money? I would definitely say save your money and don't buy any kind of liquid co2. If you got a case of bottles for free, I'd still say not to use it since you're not pulling your hair out from algae issues. If you really want to boost plant growth co2 gas is the only way to go, no matter which way you plan to diffuse it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Mengo said: I don't really have algae issues in my tank so buying liquid carbon would be a waste of money? I would say yes, a waste of money. I would also say that it is toxic stuff and should be used with caution. Seriously. I have used it, it can be rough on fish if you dose the full amount, and it is not good for you either--keep away from children, keep off skin. Think of it like "fish safe" round-up herbicide. Don't be too cavalier, this stuff is potentially very bad for you and your tank. It is good at killing certain types of algae, but it is a stop gap while you sort out your tank at best. When I used it, there was a lot of pearling for the first few hours after it was used, but I did not notice any dramtic growth improvement. Edited January 21, 2021 by Brandy 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickS77 Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 I found it melts plants more than helps them. You don't NEED co2 to have a successful planted tank. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenFins Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 (edited) Its for algae control. It will end up benefiting your plants because the algae wont be consuming the nutrients that your plants are. There was a video that Cory was in he talked about this product. He said that his friend name garry lange works with a chemical in that product. This chcemical when working working with it you have to put on like haz-mat suits just to hold it. It will damage your skin very badly. This product has that chemcial in it as one of the top ingreidents. Yes the chemical is not as strong, but I would not recemond. Perhaps Easy Carbon from aquarium co-op is better. It still won't replace the use of co2. All though co2 is not mandatory. Edited January 21, 2021 by James Black 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 I only use it to treat black bush algae not as a fertilizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seattle_Aquarist Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 Hi @Mengo Here is the actual answer.......maybe. If the limiting factor in plant growth in a tank is a lack of carbon molecules then any of the glutaraldehyde based liquid carbon supplements will definitely increase the growth rate of plants. Carbon supplements insert a carbon molecule into the Calvin Cycle of photosynthesis allowing the plant to make more glucose (sugar) for growth. However, if the limiting factor is light, or another nutrient other than carbon the use of a carbon supplement will likely not increase plant growth. Low tech (non-CO2) tanks are the most likely to benefit from liquid carbon supplements. Here is my low tech, low light, 10 gallon. Along with typical ferts I did use a liquid carbon supplement. Hope this helps! -Roy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 My experience. My plants weren't doing as well as I thought they could because they were constantly coated with whatever the current crop of algae was. In my mind denying light and fertilizer to a plant (thus killing the algae) that is already struggling was counter-intuitive. So I started dosing Excel, As soon as it started killing the algae I added 1-1/4 hours to the light cycle and increased EZ Green liquid and root tabs. The plants have really taken off. It's only been 3 weeks but I'm hoping the giant increase of plant growth has got the tank closer to balance and Excel won't be needed in the future, but it's still in the cabinet. The plants are: Vallisneria Dwarf Sag Crypt Lutea Amazon Sword Java Windelov Guppy Grass Pearl Weed and a couple Marimo Moss Balls 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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