# Flourish Comprehensive and Water Changes



## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

0.83 ml=/=.75 ounces. 

According to this calculator http://calc.petalphile.com/ .83 ml of Flourish adds .07 ppm NO3 but 4.5 teaspoons which is .75 fluid ounces adds 1.83 ppm NO3 to 10 gallons. https://www.google.com/search?q=how+many+teaspoons+in+.75+ounces%3F&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a

A dose of .83 ml would be .17 tsp. https://www.google.com/search?q=how+many+teaspoons+in+.83+ml%3F&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a


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## MangyMoose77 (Feb 19, 2012)

Haha, sorry that is a typo....I meant just over .75ml. I had a 2 1/2 year old running crazy around the house as I tried starting this thread.


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## al4n (Nov 18, 2008)

I think two water changes at 30% is excessive, I would cut that down to once per week at 20% water. 

You are causing more stress to your fish by changing water so frequently and not keeping it stable.



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## FishFarmer (Feb 8, 2007)

I use Flourish Comprehensive in my low tech 29 gallon tank. I dose 3.5mL two times/week and I do water changes about once/month (about once every 2 months in the winter) and I have great results (although I could use a bit more N).


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I would go with the recommended dose. More if you have a high light tank with CO2 injection, slightly less perhaps for low light.

Kathyy - Flourish Comprehensive is a micro mix. Even if it contains some trace amounts of NO3, it is not dosed to supply nitrates!

I have never heard that Flourish depletes oxygen levels. Is that something written on the package? I would also think that two 30% water changes per week would be appreciated by most aquatic plants and animals. Whether it is necessary, depends on other things. Not so much on Flourish dosing.

Keep in mind that micros (traces) are only used in small amounts. Use a 1ml dosing syringe to dose such small quantities of it. Don't overdo it as this won't help and can hurt.


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## MangyMoose77 (Feb 19, 2012)

Thanks for all the responses, everyone! I will try reply to everyone here:

I do two changes a week because I have the kind of personality that if I don't stay engaged with something, it will soon become back burner and then obsolete. I am also pretty much loaded to the max in my 10 gallon and I have observed huge changes, for the good, in my fishes' behavior since starting this regiment about a month ago. Before that I was doing 20% changes every week sometimes every other week sometimes longer. They did not enjoy life as much then, that's why I could never think about doing it only once a month. With my kind of personality it would turn into every other month or longer!!

As for oxygen depletion, it was given to me by word of mouth in this forum, but I have never read it anywhere on a label or anywhere on Seachem's website. Trust me I tried looking after I was told that. Possible it was just bad information? 

Until I see adverse effects of my water changes I will continue as usual. I have no special lights or CO2 supplementation simply because I've just started to get serious about my planted tank, and have not got to that stage yet. So I would say I have a low light tank right now.

So getting back to my original question....would I then be correct to dose each time I do a water change (Wednesday and Saturday) at .75ml per dose?


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## samamorgan (Dec 31, 2011)

al4n said:


> I think two water changes at 30% is excessive, I would cut that down to once per week at 20% water.
> 
> You are causing more stress to your fish by changing water so frequently and not keeping it


All research I've seen says that large water changes are healthy for fish. You're getting you information crossed.


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## Retrogamer82 (Oct 13, 2009)

> So getting back to my original question....would I then be correct to dose each time I do a water change (Wednesday and Saturday) at .75ml per dose?


I think you'd be fine. I dose flourish comprehensive per instructions twice a week after 50% water changes in a 5.5g. As far as the oxygen goes, I think you are getting it confused with flourish excel. I use that too in this tank.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Put the fertilizer in the refill water if you make it up ahead of time, and stir well. 

Put the fertilizer in the tank as you are adding the water if you are doing a direct fill (Python or other). This mixes it and quickly dilutes it. 

Either way, the fertilizer is better mixed with the water while the water is being churned about. The extra water movement allows the water to pick up extra oxygen if it needs it. 

Yes, I would divide the weekly dose into 2 so the levels stay more consistent. As noted above, use the label dose or a bit less for low light/no CO2 tank, more for a high-tech tank. 

If you need to add fertilizer when you are not doing a water change, then squirt it in where the water enters the tank from the filter. This will dilute it quickly, and spread it through the tank.


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## MangyMoose77 (Feb 19, 2012)

Diana, thank you so much for your response. All of that information will prove very helpful as I am doing a water change today and I will keep all of this in mind.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

al4n said:


> I think two water changes at 30% is excessive, I would cut that down to once per week at 20% water.
> 
> You are causing more stress to your fish by changing water so frequently and not keeping it stable.
> 
> ...


this is entirely not true, its ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE to change too much water, u can change 100% once daily and ur fish will be more than happy


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## thefisherman (Oct 15, 2011)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> this is entirely not true, its ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE to change too much water, u can change 100% once daily and ur fish will be more than happy


+1 i do 50%-70% weekly. all the beneficial stuff are in the substrate, media and plants themselves. 


- thefisherman


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Large an frequent water changes are not a problem as long as the new water matches the old water. TDS & temperature are what I use as the primary factors, altering the TDS if needed by making the GH and KH match. I generally do 25%, just enough to get water to clean the filters. However, I have also done 50% weekly water changes, and the fish are fine with that, too. 

Smaller water changes can be less accurate as long as the end result is not a major change in parameters.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

Diana said:


> Large an frequent water changes are not a problem as long as the new water matches the old water. TDS & temperature are what I use as the primary factors, altering the TDS if needed by making the GH and KH match. I generally do 25%, just enough to get water to clean the filters. However, I have also done 50% weekly water changes, and the fish are fine with that, too.
> 
> Smaller water changes can be less accurate as long as the end result is not a major change in parameters.


tmeperature changes matter less as well as long as it doesnt go UP
down 10 degress is no issue in my tank. and i change 70-90% weekly just depending on how i feel


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

There are many ways to do things. So what if someone thinks 30% is excessive? This immature "you are so wrong, I am so right" really nerves. :icon_sad:

I do 2% water changes daily.

Deal with it. 

The question was about Flourish, which supplies micros, and is quite effective and harmless if used according to the label.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

I dose my Seachem ferts after a water change and dump them into the HOB filter so it goes right from the flow into the tank and gets moved around a bit.


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## Gold Finger (Oct 13, 2011)

+1 to large water changes are GENERALLY good. Many top goldfish breeders do 100% daily for fry. I say generally because all tanks, meathods and keepers are different. If you keep a tank with water parameters which are quite different from your tap water and find it difficult to reproduce your tanks parameters consistently then you need to be concerned about causing instability but if you have good tap and use it as is you should change lots of dirty depleted tank water with nice clean tap. This promotes stability and health.


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## aquafella (Mar 6, 2015)

I have a quick question guys..I have a 5 gallon tank..and since Flourish Comp dosing is 5ml per 60 gallons..how am i suppose to go about that in my 5 gallon tank? What should be my dosage?


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## lee739 (Oct 12, 2014)

0.41mL, make it 0.4mL for ease of dosing - Can you get hold of a 1mL syringe? Even a standard 3mL vaccination syringe will give 0.4mL accurately enough.


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## aquafella (Mar 6, 2015)

lee739 said:


> 0.41mL, make it 0.4mL for ease of dosing - Can you get hold of a 1mL syringe? Even a standard 3mL vaccination syringe will give 0.4mL accurately enough.


Thanks for answering my question lee739..yep, I bought a 3ml syringe and it's perfect..my tank is a 9.4 gallon tank and I'll probably dose 1ml or .5ml once a week..


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