# co2



## ajbwrg (Nov 11, 2011)

So What is the best way to get carbon into my tank without using a co2 system


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## ultreef (Apr 27, 2010)

Excel but cost way more in the long run then a co2 system.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

for the 30 gallon you can get away with dosing metricide, but if you plan on dosing for the 150 gallon tank, save up for pressurized, even if its $25 per month set aside, you'll find yourself with that set up before you know it


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## Captured Moments (Apr 22, 2010)

You can use liquid carbon if you don't want to use Co2. As far as I know, there is Flourish Excel and Metricide as your 2 options. Flourish Excel is more expensive than Metricide given the same quantity. I won't debate over which is better or what the difference really is but the results are the same. 
Supposedly Metricide is twice the concentration of gluteraldehyde compared to Flourish Excel so you are supposed to dose half the recommended dosage of Excel if you were using Metricide. Personally I dosed the same amount as Excel and it is ok.
Metricide comes in one gallon jug, so about $22 for 3.78 liters or 3780 ml.
If you were to do EI dosing and use Metricide daily..and assuming you dose the same amount as Excel on your 150 gal tank.. initially after the water change, you do 75 ml then 15 ml daily after that. So in one week, you use up 150 ml of metricide.
Divide that 150 ml into 3780 ml and you have 25 weeks worth of dosing. That's is almost 6 months worth. So $22 for 6 months.
If you were using pressurized Co2 and let's say on a 10 Lbs tank, you probably would be refilling it before then.. again this would depend on how efficiently you use the Co2 to achieve your goal. Cost to refill a 10 lbs Co2 tank probably about the same price or maybe less if you pay cash...
Probably break even kind of situation. With Excel, you have to do your own calculations because I don't even know the price of them..


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

excel is generally 2.5-3x the cost of metricide for 1 gallon. Also take into account that for every 1 gallon of metricide, its equal to 1.7 gallons of excel  So yea, a lot cheaper, but the difference in performance between co2 and co2 substitutes is noticeable


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## 6.0DSLPWR (Jun 6, 2010)

Where does someone buy metricide around here?


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## Arcteryx (Nov 23, 2011)

And Excel isn't a straightforward substitute for carbon either. Some plants actually don't respond well to it at all.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

Bowers Medical Supply Inc.

they have a banner here  tell them you are from BCAquaria

as for more information, i posted a little blurb here:
http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/plan...g-13/basic-guide-carbon-dioxide-81/#post58955


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## mv7 (Jun 16, 2010)

anyone interested in getting any ?


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## stonedaquarium (Jun 11, 2011)

I personally would for DIY paintball co2 setup or a full pressurized system. DIY paintball setups are nice for small tanks (10 gals and below) and they are not as costly as full pressurized systems yet you get more or less the same constant co2 injection to your tanks. the downside to DIY paintball setups is no solenoid option to be attached to the regulator... plus making a good regulator that does not leak is also tricky... but once you get things all setup its easy to use and make... 

if you got money and a budget to spend... then a full co2 setup would be the most ideal... co2 tank, regulator, with a solenoid valve connected to a needle valve with a bubble counter attachment all you need. for diffusion into the tank... you got a bunch of options from ceramic disc diffusers, to ADA type glass diffusers, CO2 reactors and inline co2 atomizers.  

hope that helps


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