Seachem Flourish Excel

Flourish Excel™ is a source of bioavailable organic carbon. All plants need 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 CO2 injection or Flourish Excel™ does not necessarily negate the use of the other. Since the processes of producing and building on photosynthetic intermediates occur simultaneously, substantial benefit can be gained from using Flourish Excel™ alone or in conjunction with CO2. The combination is especially ideal for situations where continuing to add CO2 could lead to dangerously low pH levels. Flourish Excel™ also has iron-reducing properties that promote the ferrous state of iron (Fe+2), which is more readily utilized by plants than ferric iron (Fe+3).

The reason plants need CO2 is to produce longer chain carbon compounds, also called 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 per se, but one that is quite similar. By dosing with Flourish Excel™, you bypass the involvement of CO2 and introduce the already finished and structurally similar compounds. It is in its structural similarity that Flourish Excel™ can be used in the process of building the carbon chain of photosynthesis. Simple chemical or enzymatic steps can easily convert it to any of the compounds named above (or a variety of others).