Dosing Excel with no water changes?

beznsarah · 09-14-2006, 03:12 PM

I have a 75 gal low-tech tank and was wondering if it's ok to small amounts of Excel without water changes. I don't plan on doing water changes except for maybe once or twice a year. I want to keep this really low maint.

I've been dosing 2 capfuls every other day and will be cutting back or totally eliminating that soon. The main reason I am doing the dosing is that I've noticed it has helped keep the algae at bay. I started dosing right after I added 60 or 70 stems of various fast growing plants. I figured the Excel would give them a jump start.

Anyhow anyone have any issues with adding small amounts of Excel and not doing regular water changes? Will there be any harmful build-ups or will the plants absorb all of it? I'm not sure what all is in Excel other than co2.

Thanks

**random_alias** · 09-14-2006, 08:25 PM

I thought I remembered SeaChem discussing this in their sponsor forum at APC:

Another Excel Question - Aquatic Plant Central- aquascaping...a living art

Exerpt from their reply:

"Flourish Excel is biologically degraded in about a day as it is an easily metabolized source of carbon (not CO2). There is no residual material left to cause concern."

beznsarah · 09-17-2006, 06:12 PM

kool, thanks for pointing that out

mrbelvedere · 09-18-2006, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beznsarah

I have a 75 gal low-tech tank and was wondering if it's ok to small amounts of Excel without water changes. I don't plan on doing water changes except for maybe once or twice a year. I want to keep this really low maint.

What's so hard about water changes?

beznsarah · 09-18-2006, 05:02 PM

They're not that hard but if I don't really need to do them why bother? It's kind of like saying what's so hard about tire changes? I can change a tire in about 5-10 min but why change my tire every week if it's not necessary? Now if I was driving in the Indy 500

, sure I'll need frequent tire changes, etc.

That's the beauty of low-tech i guess, not that there is anything wrong with hi-tech

09-14-2006, 03:12 PM	#1
beznsarah Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: texas Posts: 43	Dosing Excel with no water changes? I have a 75 gal low-tech tank and was wondering if it's ok to small amounts of Excel without water changes. I don't plan on doing water changes except for maybe once or twice a year. I want to keep this really low maint. I've been dosing 2 capfuls every other day and will be cutting back or totally eliminating that soon. The main reason I am doing the dosing is that I've noticed it has helped keep the algae at bay. I started dosing right after I added 60 or 70 stems of various fast growing plants. I figured the Excel would give them a jump start. Anyhow anyone have any issues with adding small amounts of Excel and not doing regular water changes? Will there be any harmful build-ups or will the plants absorb all of it? I'm not sure what all is in Excel other than co2. Thanks

09-14-2006, 08:25 PM	#2
random_alias Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (18/100%) Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: NC Posts: 838	I thought I remembered SeaChem discussing this in their sponsor forum at APC: Another Excel Question - Aquatic Plant Central- aquascaping...a living art Exerpt from their reply: "Flourish Excel is biologically degraded in about a day as it is an easily metabolized source of carbon (not CO2). There is no residual material left to cause concern." __________________ "Insanity: doing [or asking] the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

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09-17-2006, 06:12 PM	#3
beznsarah Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: texas Posts: 43	kool, thanks for pointing that out

09-18-2006, 05:02 PM	#5
beznsarah Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: texas Posts: 43	They're not that hard but if I don't really need to do them why bother? It's kind of like saying what's so hard about tire changes? I can change a tire in about 5-10 min but why change my tire every week if it's not necessary? Now if I was driving in the Indy 500 , sure I'll need frequent tire changes, etc. That's the beauty of low-tech i guess, not that there is anything wrong with hi-tech