Hikari Metro+ concentration?

[discusdave]

Hi Everyone,
I am treating some Discus with Seachem Metronidazole and could not find any more to complete the treatment, so I bought some Hikari Metro+ to complete treatment, except the Hikari Metro+ gives dosing directions, but not a mg. per unit volume, like 250 mg. per 1/4 teaspoon for example.

Does anyone know this information? I will call Hikari this am, but any help would be great.

I want to be able to keep the concentration consistent between the Seachem and Hikari products.

Thanks for any help.

Dave

[Barb Newell]

What were you dosing the Seachem at? Isn't their little scoop 100mgs?

Barb

[Dood Lee]

Is the Hikari Metro+ in liquid or powder form?

[discusdave]

What were you dosing the Seachem at? Isn't their little scoop 100mgs?

Barb

Hi Barb,
I am dosing at 500 mg per 10 gallons, temp 92 degrees, treat with Metro every other day for three treatments with 50% water change before each treatment. Leave at 92 degrees for a week after treatment and slowly lower temps after that.

The little scoop in the Seachem is 125 mg per. So I am putting in 4 level scoops per 10 gallons.

Dave

[discusdave]

Is the Hikari Metro+ in liquid or powder form?

The Hikari Metro+ is in powder form.

Dave

[discusdave]

Ok here is what I found out from Hikari this am:

The stuff is not pure metronidazole. There is also a polymer in it that is supposed to help restore the fish's slime coat.

"One capful (9.7g) of Metro+ will give a 5 mg/liter concentration of the active ingredient [metronidazole]." This per the Hikari technical guy I talked to.

What this translates into is a capful, per my reckoning, is about 1 1/2 teaspoons, which is also 1/10 of the total volume of the container (97grams total weight.) 10 gallons of water is about 38 liters, which would give a concentration of about 190 mg. per 10 gallons of water. At this level the ENTIRE container only treats 100 gallons of water.

The LFS owner told me the Hikari product was a much better deal than the Seachem Metronidazole, but he was mistaken by the "you get more weight for about the same money" idea, except that the Seachem Metro is (almost 66%) pure metronidazole, and as there are 5 grams per vial, you can treat about 200 gallons at 250 mg/10 gallons. The Seachem Metro is a MUCH better deal, costs about $1 less than the Hikari stuff, and treats twice as much water at a higher concentration.

Dave

[Barb Newell]

Oh my... think they could make it any more confusing? The fish store people don't know what they claim to know... at least that is my experience.

I just ordered some metro from Jehmco, dosage is pretty straight forward.

Barb

[billeagan]

I would agree if you're treating the water - go with seachem.

I use the Hikari in my food.

[discusdave]

Oh my... think they could make it any more confusing? The fish store people don't know what they claim to know... at least that is my experience.

I just ordered some metro from Jehmco, dosage is pretty straight forward.

Barb

At the time there was no Seachem Metro to be had in the greater Atlanta area, at least that I could find. Luckily, another LFS manager that I am friends with got in several vials (of Seachem metro) yesterday, so I got more of the same product. It was just at the time I didn't have much choice in which metro product I used.

Too bad there isn't a Seachem outlet, because they are in the Greater Atlanta area, where I live.

Lesson learned: buy a quantity because I hate chasing this stuff around.

Dave

[discusdave]

Oh my... think they could make it any more confusing? The fish store people don't know what they claim to know... at least that is my experience.

I just ordered some metro from Jehmco, dosage is pretty straight forward.

Barb

Barb,
I just ordered some Metro from Jehmco myself. Really good price. Thanks for the reference.
Dave

[discusdave]

What were you dosing the Seachem at? Isn't their little scoop 100mgs?

Barb

I was wrong, Barb, the Seachem scoop is 100 mg, not 125 as I said. I assume this is a level scoop.
Dave