# CO2 and Flourish Excel



## tak13 (Jan 12, 2010)

Are both the same source for CO2? Right now I can't get DIY Co2 to work so I thought about Flourish Excel. *Can Flourish Excel substitutes for Diy Co2?*
I have a Eclipse 6 gallon.
Plants: Dwarf hairgrass and Dwarf Baby Tears.
Lighting: 26w Hampton Bay lamp.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

There are a few plants that do not like Excel. Valisneria and Anacharis are the two I can remember right now. 
For a small tank, low to medium tech, Excel is a good source of carbon.


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## tak13 (Jan 12, 2010)

How much Flourish Excel should I put in the fact that my tank is 6 gallon?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Use the dosage instructions on the Excel bottle, which say, as I recall, 1 ml of Excel per 10 gallons of water for regular dosage, and 5 ml per 10 gallons after a big water change. One ml is about 20 drops, so for a 6 gallon tank you could use 12 drops for the daily dose.


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## StillLearning (Dec 29, 2009)

On initial use or after a major (> 40%) water change, use 1 capful (5 mL) for every 40 L (10 gallons*). Thereafter use 1 capful for every 200 L (50 gallons*) daily or every other day. Dosing may be slowly increased in high-growth aquariums. For smaller dosing please note that each cap thread is approximately 1 mL.

I think after a water change I would use a half a capful then after about 1 mL each day.


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## tak13 (Jan 12, 2010)

In the growth aspect, which has more effect over the plants? DIY Co2 or Flourish Excel?
In the long run, which one cost more?


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## StillLearning (Dec 29, 2009)

That would be hard for me to say as I have never used either one. I dose my tank with MetriCide 14 daily and inject co2 as well from a pressurized system.


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## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

diy co2 is cheaper if you buy yeast and sugar in bulk. i got 2 one pound bricks of yeast from sams club for like 4 bucks. after 1 year i still have 1.5 pounds left. the sugar on the other hand (which i only use for cofee and co2) i go threw a 10 lb bag in about a month. i just dont have room to store a 50 lb sack in my apartment.


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## tak13 (Jan 12, 2010)

Could anyone tell me again how much should I put Excel on my 6 gallon tank? Could I measure it by the cap since I don't have any equipment that can measure by drop.


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## Eden Marel (Jan 28, 2010)

I think initially you need 3cc, then after that 0.6cc. You use a 3cc syringe to dose it.

Initial dose: 5mL/10g= 0.5mLx6g= 3mL
Thereafter: 5mL/50g= 0.1mLx6g= 0.6mL

mL is the same as cc.

Directions
On initial use or after a major (> 40%) water change, use 1 capful (5 mL) for every 40 L (10 gallons*). Thereafter use 1 capful for every 200 L (50 gallons*) daily or every other day. Dosing may be slowly increased in high-growth aquariums. For smaller dosing please note that each cap thread is approximately 1 mL.
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/FlourishExcel.html


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## itrack4u (Nov 16, 2009)

tak13 said:


> Are both the same source for CO2? Right now I can't get DIY Co2 to work so I thought about Flourish Excel. *Can Flourish Excel substitutes for Diy Co2?*
> I have a Eclipse 6 gallon.
> Plants: Dwarf hairgrass and Dwarf Baby Tears.
> Lighting: 26w Hampton Bay lamp.


I have a 5g. I started with excel. After 2 months, I was not impressed with the results. It took me 3 batches of diy co2, to get it right. It's been just over a week and I am very impressed with the co2. With the initial investment of co2, I think in the long run it's cheaper than excel.

What problem are you having with your diy co2?


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## tak13 (Jan 12, 2010)

itrack4u said:


> I have a 5g. I started with excel. After 2 months, I was not impressed with the results. It took me 3 batches of diy co2, to get it right. It's been just over a week and I am very impressed with the co2. With the initial investment of co2, I think in the long run it's cheaper than excel.
> 
> What problem are you having with your diy co2?


I actually got the diy co2 worked yesterday. It took me the 4th try to get it right. The first two got wrong because bottle got leaked and i didn't know how to check it. 3rd time didn't get enough sugar. It took me weeks to figure out what went wrong, almost give up on this. 4th, I make a new bottle and bought more sugar. (The bubble looks awesome, it still creates bubbles right now, just got to buy a diffuser from ebay).
I just got Excel today from LFS too, so I am asking how much should I dose. 
I found a measure thing from the kitchen. I'll start dose them tomorrow.


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## itrack4u (Nov 16, 2009)

tak13 said:


> I actually got the diy co2 worked yesterday. It took me the 4th try to get it right. The first two got wrong because bottle got leaked and i didn't know how to check it. 3rd time didn't get enough sugar. It took me weeks to figure out what went wrong, almost give up on this. 4th, I make a new bottle and bought more sugar. (The bubble looks awesome, it still creates bubbles right now, just got to buy a diffuser from ebay).
> I just got Excel today from LFS too, so I am asking how much should I dose.
> I found a measure thing from the kitchen. I'll start dose them tomorrow.


If your co2 is working there should be no need to dose excel. 
I only used the cap to measure my excel. Each line in the cap is 1 cc, I think. It gives the directions on the bottle. 

I used just under one half (1/2) of a capful for my 5 gal.


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## tak13 (Jan 12, 2010)

itrack4u said:


> If your co2 is working there should be no need to dose excel.
> I only used the cap to measure my excel. Each line in the cap is 1 cc, I think. It gives the directions on the bottle.
> 
> I used just under one half (1/2) of a capful for my 5 gal.


By the time I read your comment I already bought the Excel, that stuff is expensive. But then I heard Excel kills algae, so I may need it later.
Just started getting into Dry Ferts by reading threads about them. That stuff last at least a year, crazy! But it kinda hard since we have to calculate and test to get the right amount for the tank, complicate stuff!


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## hbosman (Oct 5, 2006)

tak13 said:


> By the time I read your comment I already bought the Excel, that stuff is expensive. But then I heard Excel kills algae, so I may need it later.
> Just started getting into Dry Ferts by reading threads about them. That stuff last at least a year, crazy! But it kinda hard since we have to calculate and test to get the right amount for the tank, complicate stuff!


Since you already have the excel, you might want to use it in combination with the diy. Sometimes diy can be inconsistant and the excel might help with that.


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## tak13 (Jan 12, 2010)

Just one more question:
*For the recommended initial and thereafter dose, are they safe for fishes and shrimps?* I do have fishes and shrimps, so I don't want to kill them just because I want my plants to grow.


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## Frogmanx82 (Dec 8, 2009)

I just went with Excel rather than messing with a DIY. I have a 55 gallon tank and a capful per day will still last several months. Its pretty easy. I have about 30 cherry shrimp and they seem unaffected after a month of use. Hair algae has really receded. 

I have heard that DIY is a pain and if you really want a CO2 injection, you might as well go with the canister and do it right. I have seen many threads where people tear down the DIY and go with a canister. I haven't seen any that go the other way.


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## hbosman (Oct 5, 2006)

I've used two capfuls of excel in a 46 gallon without distressing shrimp or fish. I even have valisneria growing that's unaffected by two capfuls. I did wipe out valisneria with 4 capfuls once but, the vals grew back afterwards and I never tried that much again.


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## cjp999 (Nov 18, 2008)

How much Excel in two capfuls? I ask because not all Excel bottles have the same size cap.


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## Frogmanx82 (Dec 8, 2009)

A capful should be 5 ml, at least mine is and that is the recommended daily dose for a 50 gallon tank.


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## cjp999 (Nov 18, 2008)

Frogmanx82 said:


> A capful should be 5 ml, at least mine is and that is the recommended daily dose for a 50 gallon tank.


Wow. A double dose and the vals are unaffected? I recently stopped using Excel for fear of killing the vals I just planted. However, I want to do a bit of spot treatment to kill some algae, and was wondering how much would be safe with the vals in the tank.


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## Left C (Nov 15, 2003)

You asked some questions about using Excel and CO2 together. 

From: http://www.seachem.com/support/FAQs/FlourishExcel.html
*Q: Is Flourish Excel a replacement for CO2 in a planted aquarium?
*
A: Yes and no. It provides the same benefit as CO2, i.e. it provides the plants with a source of carbon for growth just as CO2 provides them with carbon. However CO2 by itself will give you quantitatively more growth than Excel by itself, although Excel does provide a substantial amount in comparison. If CO2 is a 10, Excel is a 6-7. Using both together provides additional benefit. One of the advantages of the Excel is no up front equipment costs and complexity of valves, hoses and regulators, etc.


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