Seachem Flourish Excel

Flourish Excel™ is a source of bioavailable organic carbon. All plants require a source of carbon. This is usually obtained from CO2, but can also be derived from simple organic compounds (such as photosynthetic intermediates). The use of either CO2 injection or Flourish Excel™ does not necessarily preclude the use of the other. Since the processes of producing photosynthetic intermediates and building upon them occur simultaneously, a significant benefit can be gained from using Flourish Excel™ either alone or in conjunction with CO2. The combination is particularly ideal for situations where continued addition of CO2 could result in dangerously low pH levels. Flourish Excel™ also has iron-reducing properties that promote the ferrous state of iron (Fe+2), which is more readily available to plants than iron (Fe+3).

The reason plants need CO2 is to produce longer-chain carbon compounds, also known as photosynthetic intermediates. Photosynthetic intermediates include compounds such as ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate and 2-carboxy-3-keto-D-arabinitol-1,5-bisphosphate. Although the names are complicated, the structures are quite simple (5 carbon chains). Flourish Excel™ does not contain these specific compounds itself, but one that is quite similar. By dosing with Flourish Excel™, you bypass the mixing of CO2 and introduce the already prepared, structurally similar compounds. It is in its structural similarity that Flourish Excel™ can be used in the carbon chain building process of photosynthesis. Simple chemical or enzymatic steps can easily convert it to any of the above compounds (or a variety of others).