# Flourish dosing chart, too much?



## praline3001 (Dec 29, 2014)

I have been using Flourish and Flourish Excel with great results in my 40 gallon bowfront.

I want to add a co2 system eventually but the good ones are REALLY pricey (over 200) and I failed out of DIY long ago. So for now Its Excel. 
I was going over this Seachem dosing chart and was thinking of following it to make sure my plants are as healthy as possible. I was Reading the chart and that seems like A LOT to add to a tank to me. I am concerned I will OD my livestock. 
Here is the chart: http://www.seachem.com/support/PlantDoseChart.pdf

It does say every tank is different so here is my set up:
40 gal. bowfront
Satellite LED lighting with supplemental LED light strips. 
Water changes 30% per week ~ I could go more but my test levels are all perfect and I don't like screwing up my bacteria. 
The tank is quickly turning into a "heavily planted" tank 
I have a bunch of nerite snails, I guess 30 now? I haven't counted. I have 10 cherry shrimp as well. 3 tetra, 1 dwarf blue gourami and 3 cory cats. I had 4 cory cats but 1 is currently MIA
Flourite subtrate

What do you think of this dosing chart? Too much or just right for my tank?

Here is a shot of my tank I took a few days ago.


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## rjordan393 (Nov 23, 2012)

I am inclined to say "keep what you are doing" but in the long run, your parameters may get out of balance. The Seachem chart is for actual water volume and not the tank size. So you might be overdosing. In a few more weeks, you might starting seeing changes in your plants and a lot of green dust algae on the glass.
For the first day, the chart recommends 5 ml Excel per 10 gallons. That would be 20 ml of Excel if you had 40 gallons of water; but from looking at your picture, my guess is that the aquascaping takes up close to 1/2 to 2/3 thirds the tank volume. So once you determine an estimate of the water volume, then you can apply the recommendations on all Seachems products based on water volume. As an example, lets say you have 20 gallons. Then on the first day after a water change, you would dose 
5 ml/10 gallons = 0.5 X 20 gallon = 10 ml of Excel. then day 2 through 6, you would dose
5 ml/50 gallons = 0.1 X 20 gallon = 2 ml of Excel. 
So when using any products, always use the rate of the dose X the actual or estimated water volume.


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## praline3001 (Dec 29, 2014)

rjordan393 said:


> I am inclined to say "keep what you are doing" but in the long run, your parameters may get out of balance. The Seachem chart is for actual water volume and not the tank size. So you might be overdosing. In a few more weeks, you might starting seeing changes in your plants and a lot of green dust algae on the glass.
> For the first day, the chart recommends 5 ml Excel per 10 gallons. That would be 20 ml of Excel if you had 40 gallons of water; but from looking at your picture, my guess is that the aquascaping takes up close to 1/2 to 2/3 thirds the tank volume. So once you determine an estimate of the water volume, then you can apply the recommendations on all Seachems products based on water volume. As an example, lets say you have 20 gallons. Then on the first day after a water change, you would dose
> 5 ml/10 gallons = 0.5 X 20 gallon = 10 ml of Excel. then day 2 through 6, you would dose
> 5 ml/50 gallons = 0.1 X 20 gallon = 2 ml of Excel.
> So when using any products, always use the rate of the dose X the actual or estimated water volume.


I haven't started using most of those things on the dosing chart. Currently I am using Excel, Flourish and Trace. I am asking if its a good list BEFORE I go and buy everything and start throwing it in my tank. I do half doses on most stuff dealing with animals in order to play it safe so if I do go with that dose chart I would be dosing for a 20 gallon. 
I just want to make sure that is a good solid chart and it wasn't too much. I am still pretty new at this planted tank thing so wanted to make sure I was in the right ballpark going with that list.


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## rjordan393 (Nov 23, 2012)

There is an online dosing calculator that can work out any dose for any volume of water that you will find helpful. It has two menu's. One is for dry or wet dosing and the other is for pre-mixed fertilizers from a variety of distributors. Go to: http://calc.petalphile,com/
There is also a Fertilator at the top of this page.
Also it is more economical to mix your own fertilizers and the companys to purchase them from are:
www.aquariumfertilizer.com and www.greenleafaquariums.com
If you decide to mix your own ferts, its best to purchase a scale to weigh out the chemicals.


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## illustrator (Jul 18, 2010)

You make me curious: if you have so many nerites, do you breed them and which species is it? 

FRom my understanding many have planctonic larvae which may need at least brackish water, but some are pure freshwater species which hatch from the egg cases as fully formed snails. However, even with these, there are few records of successfull breeding.

p.s. the aquarium looks great, but I think that the gravel is awfull.


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## rjordan393 (Nov 23, 2012)

When I started out with keeping plants, I was using the Seachem line of products. But I learned that preparing my own fertilizers was much more economical. Now I have test kits for nitrates, phosphates, potassium, iron, general hardness and carbonate hardness. So after a water change, I test and adjust each parameter because I want better control of them. So it can get a bit involved.

But if you want to stay with the Seachem line of products and you are doing fine with them, then stay with what you are using but you may need an iron supplement. Just keep an eye on the plants for any changes in color, yellow marks or pinholes. 

Also I do not keep snails but do a search on the ones you have to see if they can damage your plants.


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