Flourish vs Flourish Excel...Or Neither?

[morpheus]

I am assembling a list of things to order for this new tank setup. Some people dose their tanks with Flourish and some with Excel, and some both.

I know Flourish is for mineral deficiencies, so if I keep on top of weekly water changes this shouldnt be an issue. And Excel is essentially to act as CO2 and an algecide, instead of being reliant on the outside air and fish to supply CO2.

I have read if you essentially keep the light low, and regular water changes, you dont need either. Also i am planning to keep shrimp in there, and read Excel is bad for them (possibly why my last attempt at RCS didnt work out well).

What is the opinion? Should I skip dosing all together?

Thanks.

[mnemenoi]

Your call really, we dose both in shrimp tanks with no major issues. They are a bit more sensitive to it then other stuff, so be careful with the amount or cut it in half. If you use root tabs Flourish can be avoided entirely.

[morpheus]

I may have been dosing too heavily last time i was using excel. i do plan on root tabs, so i may continue with Excel since i wont have a huge number of fish in there.

[TattedUpFishGuy]

Flourish excel over flourish anyday! Imo

[Crush]

Right now I'm using flourish root tabs, api co2 booster, and api leaf zone. So far that's working out great. It seems like I get very quick growth out of the anacharis (elodea) with this combo though that is a fast growing plant anyways. I'd recommend using both flourish and flourish excel

[Crush]

Btw I have ghost shrimp and amano shrimp. So far they are ok with my setup so far.

[troy tucker]

I use API. root tabs and nothing else. I have been thinking about adding co2 but not yet.

[morpheus]

Right now I'm using flourish root tabs, api co2 booster, and api leaf zone. So far that's working out great. It seems like I get very quick growth out of the anacharis (elodea) with this combo though that is a fast growing plant anyways. I'd recommend using both flourish and flourish excel

i think i will start using just excel and root tabs and see how the plants start to fill in as a whole....may end up using flourish later, but can baby step it for starters

[morpheus]

Btw I have ghost shrimp and amano shrimp. So far they are ok with my setup so far.

i am going back and forth on the type of shrimp right now. i like blue velvet, but may change my mind when actually ready to stock.

i am essentially growing up the colony first to one be a nice colorful addition/clean-up crew, but the shrimplets can be a grazing food source for the scarlet badis since they are picky eaters.....should still leaving enough shrimplets to reach adulthood and further the colony.

[EpikMuffin]

I stopped using excel and have been using only root tabs. My plants and cherry shrimps seem to do better without excel lol. I probably overdosed the excel, but since everything is doing better without it I never use it again.

[LordBarron7692]

I use both and root tabs but I dose the liquids once a week though