# Proper Nutrients



## Skepsis_DK (Aug 15, 2011)

Dippy's great post on planted aquariums explained how low lighting tanks should use the 5 types of flourish fertilizers. is there a single fertitilzer that adds all five? what is this Seachem Flourish Excel all about? is it like a 5 in 1?

http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-453-Flourish-Excel-500ml/dp/B000256962/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER


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## Ægir (Jan 21, 2006)

Flourish Escel is a carbon additive

Here

For the time being, stay away from fertilizers until you get the tank planted and know what it needs... or you will just have an uncontrollable algae bloom


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## Skepsis_DK (Aug 15, 2011)

how will I know what it needs once it's planted?


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## Ægir (Jan 21, 2006)

You use a test kit, for Nitrogen (nitrate), potassium, phosphates and iron.

In a low light tank, potassium (10-20ppm) and iron are all thats really necessary. To determine how much you dose, you test your aquarium, and a certain amount of liquid ferts (there are some online calculators) is added to get you to the desired level.

I am not a planted tank expert by any means so, hopefully someone will chime in


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