I took a close look at the cost and what I found was surprising. I have emailed seachem to ask if they could simplify the dosing equation, but no answer. The larger the dose, the more likely there might be an issue. 3,658 global ratings | 1,264 global reviews, Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2017. All plants require a source of carbon. I’ll start using Flourish Excel today too see how it works! Over time, this would probably exceed the cost of filling up CO2 tanks. I have a plant only tank. Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2016, I love Seachem products. Where diminishing returns kicks in is for larger aquariums. Seachem Prime Water Conditioner Review | Spec-Tanks, Lighting Schedule in a Low Light Aquarium | Spec-Tanks, Basics of Aquarium Maintenance for Your Fluval Spec | Spec-Tanks, How to Accurately Dose Chemicals in a Nano Aquarium | Spec-Tanks, 2015 Fluval Spec V Aquarium Journal - Spec-Tanks, 2020 Fluval EVO 13.5 Saltwater Aquarium Journal, Project Evo Marine Part 9: Saltwater Cycling and Basics of Reef Water Parameters, Vivid Creative Aquatics Random Flow Generator for Fluval Spec Aquariums. Top subscription boxes – right to your door. Seachem Flourish Excel is a source of bioavailable organic carbon. Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2018. Greetings from Brasil. I think most people’s problems with Seachem Excel comes from overdosing. The first few days, I did not see much happening to the BBA, but I started noticing that there was no film on the glass, which I had to clean every week. One disadvantage to this product is that it has a short half life of around 12 hours. Seachem Laboratories Flourish Excel Co2 Plant Supplement Flourish Excel™ is a source of bioavailable organic carbon. There are limits to how effective this alternative source of carbon is – plants are much more efficient in absorbing gassious CO2 added to the water. I noticed especially that the red wendti needs Excel to thrive. One thing i do buy API is API co2 booster just bc it's cheaper and a lot of people on the forums said the API version is easier on plants than the seachem flourish Excel. This means that it won’t hang around in your aquarium for more than a day and therefore needs to be added daily. Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2017. It took about two months of tinkering with the light/CO2/Fertilizer ratio and regular dosing of Excel to finally stop the algae. So I started doing daily dosing at approximately a 25% dose only, thats 25% of the lesser dose, I never tried the initial large dosing. I had always had it in my (over) planted tank and even running pressurized co2 at 5 bps in my 30 gallon wasn't stopping the bba from spreading quickly to all my slow growers and even my extremely fast growing wisteria. These terms tend to include aspects of plant keeping including the lighting, fertilizers, selection of plants (low light plants or high light plants). It is best to put the daily dose of Excel into your aquarium before the light on phase starts, which will be in the morning for most people. A new planted tank with CO2 injection and struggling with algae for months, I finally caved in and decided to try Excel to combat the algae. Seachem Flourish Excel 500ml. I strongly believed it helped me grow strong, healthy, beautiful aquatic plants which even became a side business where I sold my clippings and extra propogates online all across the country. Flourish Excel also has iron reducing properties which promote the ferrous state of iron (Fe +2), which is more easily utilized by plants than ferric iron (Fe +3). Provides aquarium plants with a source of essential carbon; Great for use alone or in conjunction with CO 2 injection Ideally used after a water change, Flourish Excel will provide the right amount of carbon compounds to promote photosynthesis - essential for … Here is the table for daily dosing: For use in my Spec V, I put in 10 drops every morning before I go to work. The cost tipping point will vary based on goals and expectations, but Excel fits my needs at the moment. Most of the negative things I hear about Excel involve people complaining that it has harmed or killed shrimp in their aquariums. I really wanted to like this product. All I use for these plants is Excel and air stones. Seachem Flourish Aquarium Fertilizeris a freshwater aquarium fertilizer that contains many of the micro-nutrients necessary to keep one’s aquarium growing bountifully. The use of either CO2 injection or Flourish Excel™ does not necessarily … For maximum benefit, use with Flourish Phosphorus and Flourish Potassium. They are a little unkempt at the moment, but the fish seem to like it that way. This is typically obtained from CO2, but, may also be derived from simple organic compounds (such as photosynthetic intermediates). Please make sure that you are posting in the form of a question. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. I cannot take the chance that they would not be effected. If either CO2 or nutrients are limited, then the result will be algae (if there is excessive light). This is typically obtained from CO 2, but, may also be derived from simple organic compounds (such as photosynthetic intermediates). Note that this product is not suitable for certain plants and it will kill them. The latter two processes occur more rapidly than with other micronutrients. Seachem Flourish Excel Bioavailable Carbon - Organic Carbon Source for Aquatic Plants 500 ml. It might not kill your fish, but I would think it might still be an irritant to them: i just in good conscious cannot use it in my tanks with fish. Do more research. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Seachem Flourish Excel Planted Aquarium Fertilizer, 250 ml at Amazon.com. Contains no phosphate or nitrate. CARBON PRODUCTION: All plants require a source of carbon, and Flourish Excel is a … SeaChem Flourish Excel™ is a source of bioavailable organic carbon. Quick and easy, and the results in plant growth and algae control are well worth it! I love Seachem products, and Flourish Excel most definitely perked up my live plants; however, two small yet very healthy mystery snails died shortly after my first use of this product. STEVE, if i am dosing 40ml with out any results on plants should i up the dosage, Thank you for the review! It seems that a large water change will remove large quantities of residual Excel and CO2. All plants require a source of carbon. Your email address will not be published. While it is designed to be used in conjunction with macro-nutrient supplements, Seachem Flourish Aquarium Fertilizer is an extremely effective micro-nutrient fertilizer and overall gets a high quality ratin… The first is your daily dosing. Flourish Excel™ is an integral component of Seachem’s plant products and is recommended for use with the entire Flourish™ line as well as our Flourite™ and Onyx Sand™ substrates. These were taken about 6 weeks apart. In my mind, the defining factor of a ‘high tech’ planted aquarium is adding a pressurized CO2 system. All plants require a source of carbon. I got the best results with Flourish Excel, dosing it every day. For this, Seachem suggest dosing 1 capful (5 ml) for every 40 liters. I personally have chosen to not perform this increased dosage after water change. It is not safe for any fish, especially for fish without scales like corydoras. From the Seachem Website: “Flourish Excel™ is a source of bioavailable organic carbon. Seachem Excel is to be dosed every day. Photosynthetic intermediates includes compounds such as ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate, and 2-carboxy-3-keto-D-arabinitol 1,5 bisphosphate. Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2018 Size: 500 ml Verified Purchase I love Seachem products, and Flourish Excel most definitely perked up my live plants; however, two small yet very healthy mystery snails died shortly after my first use of this product. This is typically obtained from CO2, but, may also be derived from simple organic compounds (such as photosynthetic intermediates). These terms tend to include aspects of plant keeping including the lighting, fertilizers, selection of plants (low light plants or high light plants). I also noticed that the leaves which had algae on it started to clear. However, at this point, I don’t want a substrate that is going to breakdown and require a rescape. (Snapped the pic before last clean up for review purposes). Flourish Excel™ does not contain these specific compounds per se, but one that is quite similar. I have been using Flourish Excel for about 6 months, putting a full capful every second day in my 40 gal low tech planted aquarium. I decided very quickly that there were many disadvantages to attempting a CO2 setup for my first attempt at a planted aquarium, so a low-tech approach became my focus. They are breeding like crazy and quite active and show no negative effects. Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2017. There is such a solution, and it involves a product from Seachem called Flourish Excel. Overview Flourish Trace™ supplies a broad range of trace elements demonstrated to be necessary for proper plant health and growth (see below for signs of deficiencies). I have not noticed any problems with my red cherry shrimp. The best salts, additives and test kits are available for fast shipping, and at the guaranteed lowest prices online from MarineDepot.com. Description. Admittedly, I've seen no negative impact on the other invertebrates in the tank (ghost shrimp), so it is possible that something else happened to the snails; however, both of the snails dying in short order after first use seems to be more than just coincidence. Below is a table for the dosing required after a major water change: I have read the reasoning for why this larger dose is recommended. Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2018 Size: 100 ml Verified Purchase I was first introduced to Flourish when I had planted aquaria. The following Seachem Flourish review is designed to inform potential buyers of the pros, cons, general features and overall quality of Flourish. See all details for Seachem Flourish Excel Bioavailable Carbon - Organic Carbon Source for... © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. I know that they surely understand what they are instructing their customers to do. However, I can’t ignore the very short half life of Excel and I don’t fully believe that there could be that much CO2 accumulated prior to a water change. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2017. This is typically obtained from CO2, but, may also be derived from simple organic compounds (such as photosynthetic intermediates). The damage is temporary; the roots aren't affected and it grows back strongly and tolerates future dosing of Flourish Excel™ even at higher than recommended doses. It is indeed possible with the help of a solution known as Flourish Excel from a brand called Seachem. Flourish Excel does an amazing job- my Java ferns sat tiny, seemingly dormant but alive for a year before starting Flourish, now as you can see from the photo, I have to “weed” regularly! Despite all the advantages of a low-tech approach, wouldn’t it be great to have a compromise between an all-in CO2 setup and a slow growth setup? The use of either CO 2 injection or Flourish Excel™ does not necessarily negate the use of the other. One of the first decisions that have to be made for someone planning a planted aquarium is ‘high tech’ or ‘low tech’. I have fish and shrimp and haven't noticed any issues with the animals, and the plants grow noticeably better with regular dosing, as well as a noticeable reduction in algae (with regular weekly cleanings). It is important not to rely on ‘capfuls’ or other such measures when dosing on a smaller aquarium. Sizes:100 mL, 250 L, 500 mL, 2 L, 4 L, 20 L See the summary table below: For use in a 5 gallon aquarium, the annual cost of using Excel is about $6.50 UDS per year. It’s clear that it is very affordable for nano aquariums. USING AS DIRECTED, and I would advise NOT using at night nor adding after a major water change. The problem is the plant tank water with this Excel in there causes a burning sensation to my skin when I work in this tank. 3,589 Reviews. It is important to keep in mind that as you are increasing CO2 by adding Excel, you may need to increase fertilizers that you are adding to the water column to stay in sync. The reason plants need CO 2 is to produce longer chain carbon compounds also known as photosynthetic intermediates. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. This is typically obtained from CO2, but, may also be derived from simple organic … Flourish Excel also has iron reducing properties which promote the ferrous state of iron (Fe +2 ), which is more easily utilized by plants than ferric iron (Fe +3 ). Seachem Flourish Excel is an additive for planted aquariums that is an alternative to gaseous CO2 injection. The second is a dose following a major (greater than 40%) water change. The use of e Seachem offers two dosing scenarios for Excel. Lethal to fish and plants. Seachem Flourish Excel is a source of bioavailable organic carbon. My first guess is that the trace amounts of copper in this product were too much for them; although I was very careful not to overdose/overuse. This will actually kill your fish and even melt some of your plants. Also, my plants are growing faster and have turned a lot greener - my java ferns keep disintegrating, but now seem to be doing better although they still do (I don't like java ferns for this reason). I think it’s a great product and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend for a nano aquarist who wants to improve plant growth. Flourish Excel is a source of bioavailable organic carbon. I am curious as to how the tank would perform with a more high performance substrate like ADA Aquasoil. I have a 30 gallon deep tank and I am dosing 1ml per gallon which is 3ml every morning. By dosing with Flourish Excel™ you bypass the involvement of CO2 and introduce the already finished, structurally similar compounds. 3. If I was building another planted tank, I would consider a larger aquarium and would probably favor going with injected gaseous CO2. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This page works best with JavaScript. Seachem Flourish Excel Bioavailable Carbon For The Planer Aquarium, 500 ml. **** Seachem Planted Aquarium Dosing Chart**** Flourish Excel™ is a source of bioavailable organic carbon. The cost is almost negligible long term when considering all the benefits to a planted aquarium. ... Seachem Flourish Freshwater Plant Supplement - Aquarium Element and Nutrient Blend 250 ml. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. This increased dosage is an effort to makeup what is removed. I am using this for a few weeks now - I thought my plants were doing ok, but I was getting BBA after using the root tabs. Photosynthetic intermediates includes compounds such as ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate, and 2-carboxy-3-keto-D … Yes, capfuls only apply to very large tanks. Dosing a 55 gallon aquarium would cost about $63 USD a year. Seachem Flourish Excel Review: Organic Carbon Supplement for Planted Aquariums. Had good results with it, bur may try the Excel next bottle just to mix it up. Required fields are marked *. I will eventually wean myself off the Excel and try to see if I've found the right light/CO2/fert ratios that will control algae naturally, but for now continue to dose the Excel as directed. Sale. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. This is indeed a great product for plants, but if the tank contains snails, one might want to consider reducing the dosage as a safety precaution. It is a liquid that you add to your aquarium daily that becomes a carbon source for your plants. All plants require a source of carbon. Get yourself an accurate syringe or dose using drops. Plant growth is very good with no detrimental effects from using Excel. Flourish Nitrogen also provides nitrate for those plants that can readily utilize nitrate as well. There are many people who dose Flourish Excel every other day, or 3 times a week. This is typically obtained from CO 2, but, may also be derived from simple organic compounds (such as photosynthetic intermediates).The use of either CO 2 injection or Flourish Excel™ does not necessarily negate the use of the other. this capful per 50 gallons don’t tell you anything. All plants require a source of carbon. Flourish Nitrogen is safe for invertebrates such as shrimp. This is typically obtained from CO 2, but, may also be derived from simple organic compounds (such as photosynthetic intermediates). It is in its structural similarity that Flourish Excel™ is able to be utilized in the carbon chain building process of photosynthesis.”. Satisfied customer! The use of either CO2 injection or Seachem Flourish Excel does not necessarily negate the use of the other. I entered the hobby because I love the fish, I like the plants a lot but they are for the fishes living space mostly. The dosing for very small tanks is best measured using more accurate methods. I use them in all of my heavily planted tanks and my plants grow like CRAZY, Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2018. Although the names are complicated, the structures are quite simple (5 carbon chains). They suggest dosing at a rate of 1 capful (5 ml) for every 200 liters of water.