# Flourish excel and vals



## DeezDrama (Jan 13, 2008)

Just setup a new planted tank about a week ago- its a 30 gal long with 55w compact fl lighting/ flourite and sand substrate, bought onion plant,wisteria,hornwort,Rotala , and val- Had black brush algae problem already - took the plants out and gave them a tap water bath and removed the algae with a washcloth squeezing it off- replanted the tank and added flourish excel as per instructions on bottle- the tanks been doing well now for 2 days but read that flourish excel will kill val plants. It seems excel works in keeping control of algae- but i wanted vals growing- will it kill them? what if i half the dosage?


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

I have no Val in any of my tanks. :-( Even a low dose of Excel was too much for it.


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

My understanding is that it is not just Vals that are negatively effected by Excel, but also egera densa, riccia fluitans, pellia and any other liverworts. Basically anything without a stomata. According to Tom Barr, *"Excel may block the CA enzyme of these plants that have to take the CO2 through their outer epidemal layers."* http://www.barrreport.com/co2-aquatic-plant-fertilization/2562-excel-vs-co2.html

However, some claim that very slowly working the doses up over several weeks to the the maximum, prevents problems with these plants. Personally, I would not risk it. I would just decide which plants I want to grow and base my decision of whether to use Excel or not on that.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

I have Riccia, it grows better emersed, though, clinging to the outlet of the HOB filters. No Elodea


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## elmer (Sep 20, 2007)

I have vals, and they're okay with Excel. Been dosing it for 2-3 months. I have low light (1.6 W/gal)


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

elmer said:


> I have vals, and they're okay with Excel. Been dosing it for 2-3 months. I have low light (1.6 W/gal)


Interesting....what is the size of your tank, how much do you dose, and how frequently? How frequently do you do water changes and how much water do you replace weekly? Thanks.


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## Do78521 (Dec 15, 2006)

I had italian vals in my 55 gal with 55w power compact, at first they are short so i planted them in my foreground but now its grow higher and higher. I dosed excel 3 to 4 times a week, or when ever i remember, they been doing great, spreading like crazy and grow tall. I also dose flourish, seachem k, seachen iron, water change is once in every two weeks


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## Do78521 (Dec 15, 2006)

I have italian vals in my 55 gal with 55w power compact, at first they are short so i planted them in my foreground but now its grow higher and higher. I dosed excel 3 to 4 times a week, or when ever i remember, they been doing great, spreading like crazy and grow tall. I also dose flourish, seachem k, seachen iron, water change is once in every two weeks


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

I have Vallisneria nana in a tank I dose every other day with gluteraldehyde in place of Excel and it's doing great - sending out new leaves and runners forming everywhere. I do smaller doses than called for as I'm new to using gluteraldehyde. 

Are some types of vals more susceptible to Excel/gluteraldehyde than others?


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