# making excel



## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

how do you make it? from what i've read you need to dilute a glutaraldehyde solution to about 1.5 percent. but i have some questions. where do i buy the stuff? all i see is metricide 14 but the concentration is lower than metricide other #'s. Any input or suggestions/cheap sources? Why metricide 14? why not the other metricides which have higher concentrations?
i'm looking at this
http://www.dealmed.com/Metricide-14-Day-1-Gallon?gdftrk=gdfV21435_a_7c1031_a_7c4309_a_7c91&utm_source=googlebase~amp;utm_medium%3DComFR~amp;utm_campaign%3DOnefeed
would it work? i'm looking for cheap sources.
how do i mix this stuff???? do i need a gas mask because this seems like dangerous stuff.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi neilshieh,

Everything you need to know, and just asked about, including sources for Glut, are in this thread.


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## barbarossa4122 (Dec 31, 2009)

Look for post #15
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/f...ers/103970-will-excel-provide-enough-co2.html


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## Satirica (Feb 13, 2005)

neilshieh said:


> i'm looking at this
> http://www.dealmed.com/Metricide-14-Day-1-Gallon?gdftrk=gdfV21435_a_7c1031_a_7c4309_a_7c91&utm_source=googlebase~amp;utm_medium%3DComFR~amp;utm_campaign%3DOnefeed
> /QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## barbarossa4122 (Dec 31, 2009)

I ordered from Delmed 3 times with no problems.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

The thread says that if you have 2.6 Glutaraldehyde you mix 30ml of it with 500ml of distilled water. 

I've been told not to let it touch your hands and to make sure you don't inhale it or splash it in your eyes. I just got some Metricide 28 and will mix and dose to kill some BBA. So much cheaper than Excel.


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

Tom barr lives near me and sells 1.5% solution for 15 bucks a gallon


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## plamski (Oct 27, 2009)

I'm not that good in math but 30ml to 500ml is like 1:16 which mean 2.6%/16 = 0.16%, right?
I do mix 1 liter 2.6 Glutaraldehyde with 650ml RO water for 1.5% solution



Tex Gal said:


> The thread says that if you have 2.6 Glutaraldehyde you mix 30ml of it with 500ml of distilled water.
> 
> I've been told not to let it touch your hands and to make sure you don't inhale it or splash it in your eyes. I just got some Metricide 28 and will mix and dose to kill some BBA. So much cheaper than Excel.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I just typed what the thread says. You need to check it out for yourself. I was also reading the sticky on the Fert forum here. There are dilutions there as well. You can check that out too.


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## AquaBard (Oct 4, 2010)

I like spreadsheets (sorta what I do most the day...). I thought I might share this, I use it to calculate concentration on my "homebrew Excel". Just pug in the numbers and it should tell ya what to mix I am assuming of course this lets me attach an excel workbook...


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## plamski (Oct 27, 2009)

I'm talking for this one
http://cgi.ebay.com/CIDEX-METRICIDE...139?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eadeef093
but myne is 2.5% glutaraldehyde


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## AquaBard (Oct 4, 2010)

plamski said:


> I'm talking for this one
> http://cgi.ebay.com/CIDEX-METRICIDE...139?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eadeef093
> but myne is 2.5% glutaraldehyde


You can still calculate this in the sheet just change your Glutaraldehyde % variable. 
To make 100 ml of 1.5% solution from a 2.5 % (your Metricide) solution you will need 60 ml of the 2.5%(Metricide) and 40 ml water. this should give you 100ml of 1.5%.

If you want to make a larger solution just change the 100ml to X amount of ml you want to make.

the raw equation would be (1.5% * 100ml)/2.5%.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I got MetriCide 28 (2.6% Glutaraldehyde solution). My PHD math son and hubby did the math. I have the dosing bottles that hold 1000 ml. The math says for me to put 425ml of water and 575ml of Metricide 28 to get the same dosage as excel (1.5% Glutaraldehyde). SO... that's what I did... 

@plamski - the bottle of MetriCide 28 that I got is labeled 2.6% Glutaraldehyde. I'm not sure why you have 2.5%. The good news is that with Excel if you slightly overdose your tank you still won't have an issues. I would not dose more than 3Xs over. I usually stick with the initial dosages recommended by Excel.


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

thanks for the link! that's cheap!


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

neilshieh said:


> thanks for the link! that's cheap!


Not really. That link is for one quart.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi AaronT,

Good catch, if I just glanced at the ad I might have thought it was the gallon size they were offering!


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

facepalm... i thought it was a gallon before someone else told me it was a quart... if only it was a gallon!


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## GitMoe (Oct 10, 2010)

I get 50% solution and cut it from these guys....

http://www.emsdiasum.com/microscopy/products/chemicals/glutaraldehyde.aspx

Don't attempt this without safety equipment


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

that looks... like a mad scientist job.
did you buy that breaking open thing? if not how do you open it? also define safety equipment... i may want to try this but don't want to be sent to the emergency room in the process.


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## barbarossa4122 (Dec 31, 2009)

neilshieh said:


> Tom barr lives near me and sells 1.5% solution for 15 bucks a gallon


Very good deal.


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## barbarossa4122 (Dec 31, 2009)

Why not just dose the Metricide straight without going through the diluting process ? I am doing it for the last few months and everything it's OK. Btw, you'll save money on distilled water.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi AquaBard,

Thank you for a very helpful spreadsheet!



AquaBard said:


> I like spreadsheets (sorta what I do most the day...). I thought I might share this, I use it to calculate concentration on my "homebrew Excel". Just pug in the numbers and it should tell ya what to mix I am assuming of course this lets me attach an excel workbook...


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## barbarossa4122 (Dec 31, 2009)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi AquaBard,
> 
> Thank you for a very helpful spreadsheet!


+1 Thanks.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

barbarossa4122 said:


> Why not just dose the Metricide straight without going through the diluting process ? I am doing it for the last few months and everything it's OK. Btw, you'll save money on distilled water.


I want to dilute it because I like to spot dose when I see BBA cropping up on my wood. I want a weaker solution as it give me more to go around. Someone, I forget who, did an experiment with strength of excel and algae. Their results showed that the original dosage suggested kill the algae faster than high dosages of excel.

Also it would be bad if I carelessly forgot that I had the wrong stuff. If I keep the glut as same dosages I have no way to get confused.


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## barbarossa4122 (Dec 31, 2009)

Tex Gal said:


> I want to dilute it because I like to spot dose when I see BBA cropping up on my wood. I want a weaker solution as it give me more to go around. Someone, I forget who, did an experiment with strength of excel and algae. Their results showed that the original dosage suggested kill the algae faster than high dosages of excel.
> 
> Also it would be bad if I carelessly forgot that I had the wrong stuff. If I keep the glut as same dosages I have no way to get confused.


Good points Tex Gal. I guess I should dilute it too. Lol, thought I'll save on buying distilled water.


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## wet (Nov 24, 2008)

AquaBard said:


> I like spreadsheets (sorta what I do most the day...). I thought I might share this, I use it to calculate concentration on my "homebrew Excel". Just pug in the numbers and it should tell ya what to mix I am assuming of course this lets me attach an excel workbook...


This is cool. Thank you.

joshvito and spynet have been comparing cost vs amount of product with various sources over in General. I hope it is okay to add to your spreadsheet: Attached is another copy that also calculates cost per 500mL bottle of DIY Excel equivalent.


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## herns (Aug 28, 2007)

barbarossa4122 said:


> Why not just dose the Metricide straight without going through the diluting process ? I am doing it for the last few months and everything it's OK. Btw, you'll save money on distilled water.


The odor is too strong for me without diluting with water.


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