Metricide 14

[FreshyFresh]

Has anyone here used this product for a liquid carbon source for your planted tank? Poking around online, it seems many aquarium enthusiasts claim to have great success with Metricide 14 as a less expensive alternative to other aquarium liquid CO2 additives.

To me it looks like a hazardous substance, but the same may be for the name brand aquarium stuff right out of the bottle.

Joel

 

[OrangeCones]

Any additive for an aquarium is hazardous if consumed or it gets in your eyes or prolonged contact with the skin. That being said, I've used Metricide 14 for years with no problems. I do keep it put away (from pets, kids, etc.), just as I do for bleach and other household chemicals.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Good to know and great point. My aquarium chems are up high in a cabinet w/ household cleaners anyway.

 

[OrangeCones]

Mine are UNDER my 40gallon tank. We put a lock on the cabinet doors.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Just an update..

I'm about a week into dosing my tanks with Metricide 14. Plants doing very well as are all my tank critters. The product is actually labeled Cidex, but it's identical to Metricide 14 per specs on the bottle. 2.6% glutaral as opposed to the ~1.6% on most store bought liquid CO2 (glutaral) products.

I've been dosing ~3mL/day on the 55g and ~0.5mL/day for the 10g.

This ~$20 gallon should last me a loooooong time.

FWIW, it's odor is identical to teh API liquid CO2 I had been using. It's just a slightly more viscous liquid.

 

[OrangeCones]

It's easy to accidently overdose with such small amounts, so I use a pipette to draw the liquid up out of the bottle (away from the tank!), then add to the tank.

 

[Rotaripsnoc]

I'm sure you could dilute it, and make it easier to dose too. I dilute several of my chemicals I add somewhat regularly because 1 drop does 50 gal, and I'm not great with sub drop fractions.

Since I'm now caring for plants, and I'm reasonably new to this part, should I be concerned with adding CO2 to my tank ? I have 1 bulb and 1 runner of Jungle Val, and a pretty hefty chunk of Christmas Moss, both seem to be doing well without it, but they are also in the current part of the tank where micro bubbles are commonly found.

 

[FreshyFresh]

It's easy to accidently overdose with such small amounts, so I use a pipette to draw the liquid up out of the bottle (away from the tank!), then add to the tank.

OC, I've been using plastic medication dosing syringes. The little squeeze-bulb ones they give you for dosing children's medications, etc. They've worked well for me so far.

I have no idea how this medical instrument sterilization product ultimately winds-up as CO2 for your plants, but it seems to be the cat's meow so far. Either that or my fish are as clean as a WHISTLE at this point. LOL!

Rotar- if your plants look good, are growing and healthy, stay the course with what you're doing IMO.

 

[OrangeCones]

I have no idea how this medical instrument sterilization product ultimately winds-up as CO2 for your plants, but it seems to be the cat's meow so far.

It is not CO2, but is a source of carbon (C), which all plants need. The compounds it contains that have carbon are not able to be used by algae which is why planted tank folks like it. Plants CAN digest it, while algae can't (algae being a much similar organism). It gives the plants we WANT to grow a boost in nutrition while not letting that boost help algae along.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Here's my 55 when I put the plants in about 8 weeks ago, and present day. Adding glut as my carbon source the whole time along with a weekly dose of API leaf zone.

 

[FishDad]

That looks really good freshy. I like the effect the foil background gives the tank too. Good job. You have more patience than I do. The only plant I have been able to keep alive is bamboo.

 

[OrangeCones]

The only plant I have been able to keep alive is bamboo.

Odd...Bamboo is not a truly aquatic plant!

 

[FishDad]

I know, that's why I was hesitant to get it at first, but my wife's tank has somewhat of an Asian theme and all of her plants died so I figured I'd give it a go. Its doing tremendous.
Her tank has fluorite substrate with both led and fluorescent light and we add supplements to the water and still nothing (but bamboo) grows.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Maybe it was just the type of plants you chose last time around FD. I know I never had luck before, but I had no idea what I was doing.

To the left in my tank is water sprite. It takes the majority of it's nutrients from the water column, but does root itself a bit as well. In the middle is wisteria. That's a rooted plant. Both are easy growers, but I bought them fairly large and potted. I've had to trim them several times and the trimmings are doing well in my 10g.

On the other hand, the anubias and java fern just kind of sit there in my 55g. Not dying, but not growing (much).

The java fern in my 10g does great. Anubia just sits in there too.

 

[FishDad]

At one point or another I have purchased just about every plant that is offered by lfs's. Anubias and java fern tend to last the longest for me but end up slowly melting away. Not too worried about it though. I'm really not all that interested in adding any more landscape maintenance to my life as it is. Bamboo works and rarely needs trimming. My kind of plant.

 

[FreshyFresh]

I hear you FD. As much as I enjoy aquatic plants, I'm not interested in a wild jungle of a tank. I have enough greenery to manage at home, plus I enjoy watching the fish more.

It kind of amazes me the resources that people big time into aquatic plants will throw into their tanks. IMO, it's more than someone would put into a food crop on their property. EI fert dosing, CO2 systems, etc..

 

[FishDad]

I think you have to choose a focal point, either fish or plants. Seems like most who have heavily planted tanks don't do much more with the fish than neon tetras or the like.