# Flourish Excel - good or bad?



## Dzikibyk

So after reading Amelia26's post regarding her plants I came across some interesting info......Flourish Excel and it's ability to kill plants. I've done some reading about it and can only come across some anecdotal stories of it melts this and kills that.

I've been using it since Jan and feel like my plant growth has exploded. The only ferts I dose are Excel and Fe. I've heard that cryptocoryne's are very sensitive and melt way as do algae and moss balls. I currently have amazon sword, cryptocoryne x 2, java fern x 2, moss ball, 4 leaf clover, 4 banana plants and all plants including the ferns are reproducing.....so I don't know if I believe the stories I've been reading. I don't plan on changing my dosing schedule since my 12g planted tank seems to stabilized and is flourishing.

What are you thoughts/experience with flourish excel? Any alternatives to organic carbon sources?....I'm not planning on setting up CO2 for 12g tank.

Thanks,
Dz


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## emc7

I believe to supply carbon, the choices are none, Excel, generic imitators that are the same stuff, DIY CO2, or pressurized CO2. I haven't heard of any other chemical alternative. There are pros and cons to all of these. Many, many people use Excel successfully and they sell a lot of it. But it does kill some plants (and incidentally, may help kill bba). Some people just avoid those plants, others use a lower dose or switch methods. Crypts melt for many reasons and often come back stronger.

I have used a double dose on bba tanks (you can squirt it directly on the bba for more effect) and have seen an reduction in bba and no harm to java fern. But daily dosing and keeping it in the fridge is drawback for me. So I only used 1 bottle.


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## Amelia26

i really think it was me adding to much. this is my first planted tank and i didnt realize that to much ferts could harm the plants. ive also done some digging and i have just reduced my doses to once or twice a week. also i think im going to stop all fert except just plain flourish cuz most of my plants look like they are melting. i have the crypt wendetii, i think they are sagiteria something another, the lace java fern, and the amazon swords look like they are melting. everything was looking good but now the new growth is looking brown around the edges and some of the leaves are turning yellow. my aponogetons are growing wonderful. ive got 3 new plants im waiting to grow roots so i can plant them. my christmas moss and the anudis are doing ok. i dont know, maybe its because the tank is still cycling.


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## emc7

Its all about balance. You need the right amount of the right ferts with the right amount of light. If you increase growth by changing one thing, the plant may run out of something else, forcing you to add potassium or another nutrient. It will take some time to get everything balanced to the point you can add things on a schedule and everything will do well.


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