Is Flourish Excel A Fertilizer ?

my question is if I should be adding fertilizer with my flourish excel

 

Flourish excel is a liquid CO2 supplement, not a fertilizer. So if you were looking for a fertilizer, you should look at plain Flourish (comprehensive) or a different brand's equivalent.

 

Excel is basically an algaecide. Some plants benefit from it while others will melt from its use, it is meant to be a carbon substitute (though less effective) but it really does some most people use it to help control algae.

But it is not a fertilizer. Flourish makes a basic fert that is just labeled flourish.

edit: beat to it by cricketkeeper.

 

Flourish excel is a liquid CO2 supplement, not a fertilizer. So if you were looking for a fertilizer, you should look at plain Flourish (comprehensive) or a different brand's equivalent.

well I bought the wrong one lol I also have fertilizer to should I keep dosing it? I have green cabomba,amazon sword,chain sowrds,sunset hygro,water wisteria,rotala rotundifolia green. I use root tabs,

 

What fertilizer do you have? With the plants you listed you would be fine with regular flourish as long as you have a decent bioload. Flourish has mainly only trace elements so you need your fish and uneaten food to produce nitrogen and phosphate ( two of the three macro nutrients). What is your tank size and stocking? What kind of lights do you have? If you don't have a decent bioload you may be better off with a all-in-one fert that includes macronutrients (n-p-k, used by all plants)

 

What fertilizer do you have? With the plants you listed you would be fine with regular flourish as long asyou have a decent bioload. Flourish has mainly only trace elements so you need your fish and uneaten food to produce nitrogen and phosphate ( two of the three macro nutrients). What is your tank size and stocking? What kind of lights do you have?

I have a 20 gallon long
1 dwarf gourami
3 male guppies
2 male platties
6 harlequin rasboras
6 pepper corys

I have nutrafin plant gro for my fertilizer
I have a 20 watt t8 life-glo bulb

 

Ok, I have used the nutrafin but its a micro nutrient (trace element) with a tiny amount of nitrogen (0.15%). Your plants should be ok with that only as you have a decent bioload and your lights are fairly low light intensity. If they show deficiencies than you can add macros later, I kept plants for a long time with only micro nutrient ferts. I use flourish excel on a regular basis, don't be afraid of it but be cautious as some have issues.

 

Here is a thread that AvalancheDave brought to my attention a couple of days ago:

Excel = Fish Poison?!

I know a lot of folks use Excel and haven't had any issues, but as toolman said, be cautious. Personally I have stopped using it just to be on the safe side.

 

Here is a thread that AvalancheDave brought to my attention a couple of days ago:

Excel = Fish Poison?!

I know a lot of folks use Excel and haven't had any issues, but as toolman said, be cautious. Personally I have stopped using it just to be on the safe side.

I personally disagree with Avalanche Daves position but not trying to argumentative. There have been chemists that say excel has been altered to a safer form than glut for aquarium use, much like ammonia & ammonium.

The vast majority of aquarists use it at up to 2x the dosage with no problems. AvalancheDave has some theories and practices that are different from 90% of the members here, but they work for him so you have to decide for yourself.

I personally use it with otos and have no signs of a problem. I have a friend who breeds and sells rams, acaras, swordtails, and apistos on aquabid with no ill effects from it.

 

I personally disagree with Avalanche Daves position but not trying to argumentative. There have been chemists that say excel has been altered to a safer form than glut for aquarium use, much like ammonia & ammonium.

The vast majority of aquarists use it at up to 2x the dosage with no problems. AvalancheDave has some theories and practices that are different from 90% of the members here, but they work for him so you have to decide for yourself.

I personally use it with otos and have no signs of a problem. I have a friend who breeds and sells rams, acaras, swordtails, and apistos on aquabid with no ill effects from it.

To be clear: I am definitely not an expert on this topic and I am not trying to be contradictory . I just thought the OP might appreciate the additional info.

 

To be clear: I am definitely not an expert on this topic and I am not trying to be contradictory . I just thought the OP might appreciate the additional info.

I do but also I'm taking into consideration what other experienced people have said like toolman

 

Every chemical we use in fishtanks can be harmful. Sometimes the cause of death is only explained in a laboratory, but for most unrealistic for a fish.

 

I do but also I'm taking into consideration what other experienced people have said like toolman

As well you should. Like toolman said, you have to decide for yourself. FWIW, I've never personally experienced any issues with Excel during my 4 months of using it at the recommended dosage, but I'm fairly new to fishkeeping so I decided to take an extremely conservative stance pending additional research.

Also, apologies for going off-topic; I really didn't mean to derail your thread...

 

As well you should. Like toolman said, you have to decide for yourself. FWIW, I've never personally experienced any issues with Excel during my 4 months of using it at the recommended dosage, but I'm fairly new to fishkeeping so I decided to take an extremely conservative stance pending additional research.

Also, apologies for going off-topic; I really didn't mean to derail your thread...

its good don't worry lol

 

I haven't had very good experiences with it. I prefer to keep plants that don't need it

 

You can make your own excel for much cheaper if you research. I do it that way but I don't use it very often as it melts my vals and dwarf sag

 

Lots of information on excel and glut at The Planted Tank. Google it and you should get plenty of responses. Those who have had issues, while few in # compared to users, tend to be very passionate and I don't want to take their opinion for granted by any means but I read an article by a chemical engineer, biologist and a medical proffesional who were aquarists and had concluded excel is safe as its a reformulated version of glut which is what was banned for use by nurses.
The reformulated excel is safe in their opinion but glut is not. Again just my memory because I don't have a copy or link to that info, other than it was on The Planted Tank.

 

Lots of information on excel and glut at The Planted Tank. Google it and you should get plenty of responses. Those who have had issues, while few in # compared to users, tend to be very passionate and I don't want to take their opinion for granted by any means but I read an article by a chemical engineer, biologist and a medical proffesional who were aquarists and had concluded excel is safe as its a reformulated version of glut which is what was banned for use by nurses.
The reformulated excel is safe in their opinion but glut is not. Again just my memory because I don't have a copy or link to that info, other than it was on The Planted Tank.

well thanks for all the info I went and picked up some flourish today