Bradjames13 Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 I'm currently using Excel in my tank now if I suddenly stop using Excel will it shock the plants and they will die? I want it too be CO2 free, I'm currently using 5 ml a week sometimes 10ml that's if I remember too put some in and my vallisneria spiralis are melting and not growing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pipejax Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 Sounds like the amount you are adding is not a whole lot. Plants will grow slower and you may have a little more algae show up in the tank. I think the vals will grow back in time. Others may know more than i though. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomethingIsFishy Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 Not sure if it's the same thing but when I switched a tank from CO2 injected to no CO2, I dimmed my led lighting and shortened the light period. Now I've increased both and plants seem to be fine. Not even my crypts melted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWetLeaf Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 You probably won't have a problem in regard to the Excel dosing. But you will likely have to rebalance your light and fertilizers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradjames13 Posted October 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 I keep my lights on 12 hours a day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradjames13 Posted October 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 As for fertilizer I have flourish root tabs and use tropica Specialised Fertiliser once a week and pretty much everyday a little of Flourish advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biodives Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 I'd like to know if people feel fertilizers are necessary even just to keep plants healthy or if you add them to maximize growth rates. My plants seem to be perfectly happy with no/minimal fertilization (micro-nutrients fertilizer). They could probably grow faster with more fertilizer and especially with added CO2 but that just means more frequent trimming and thus more maintenance. My strategy is to run a "nitrogen-starved tank", so plant growth is limited to the amount of nitrogen they can acquire, which is limited to how much I feed my fish. The idea is that that ensures low ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels to keep my fish happy and robust but not excessive plant growth (although some still grow like weeds). So far out of 9 plants tried, across 3 tanks, all 9 are growing and doing well. Am I just lucky?, are fertilizers over-used?, or are you guys all growing highly demanding plants that need CO2, high light intensity and fertilizers. PS: my tanks are on soft/neutral water (1 dGH, pH 6.9) using only RO for replacements. Substrate is "dirty sand" but no potting soil, clays, or other nutrient-rich materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geleen Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 (edited) Biodives "So far out of 9 plants tried, across 3 tanks, all 9 are growing and doing well." Why mess with a good thing. Looks like you found a balance that works for you. Be carefull with the RO addition only. Usually if you want reduced PH...in Edmonton... mix 25% tap water with prime of course. Some bottom feeding plants like swords like the addition of root tab fertilizers every 4 months or so. BTW most fish will be fine in edmonton water.......when breeding fish -for some species - may need lowering of hardness and or PH. "low ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels" ammonia and nitrIte must be 0 at all times > biological filtration. nitrAtes are removed with water changes and most folks aim for 5- 40 ppm (plants do well at 5-15 ppm in most applications) Edited October 19, 2016 by geleen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geleen Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 I'm currently using Excel in my tank now if I suddenly stop using Excel will it shock the plants and they will die? I want it too be CO2 free, I'm currently using 5 ml a week sometimes 10ml that's if I remember too put some in and my vallisneria spiralis are melting and not growing. just stop no worries. ...Excell is know to kill vallisneria. As someone mentioned the photo period may need to be adjusted when you get too much algea growth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimplyFishKeeping Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 You should be fine to stop. If you see algae starting to develop kick your photoperiod back by a few hours. In regards to your Val's melting that's normal. They don't like excel. If you stop they'll probably bounce right back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderlen3000 Posted November 15, 2016 Report Share Posted November 15, 2016 Excel will melt java fern too .... not to the point of total melting like val, but the leaf tip show sign of it ... I once overdose the excel and kill all my Odessa barbs .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradjames13 Posted November 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 I've never experienced my java fern melting, if anything it just grow like wild fire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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