SeaChem Flourish Excel Liquid Carbon Plant Supplement 17oz

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In-Store price today: $ 14.69

• Bioavailable organic carbon source for the planted aquarium.
• Use as an alternative to CO2 injection or in addition to it.
• Introduces photosynthetic intermediates.

Flourish Excel is a great source of bio-available organic carbon for planted aquariums. All plants require a source of carbon. This is typically obtained from CO2. However, it may also be derived from simple organic compounds (such as photosynthetic intermediates). You can derive a substantial benefit with the use of Flourish Excel either alone or in conjunction with CO2 . The combination is especially ideal for situations when continuing to add CO2 could result in dangerously low pH levels. Flourish Excel also has iron reducing properties. That promotes the ferrous state of iron (Fe+2), which is more easily utilized by plants than ferric iron (Fe+3).

The reason plants need CO2 is to produce longer chains of carbon compounds also known as photosynthetic intermediates. Photosynthetic intermediates includes compounds including: ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate, and 2-carboxy-3-keto-D-arabinitol 1,5 bisphosphate. Although the names are complicated, the structures are pretty simple (five carbon chains). Flourish Excel does not contain these specific compounds, but one that is very similar. By dosing with Flourish Excel you bypass the involvement of CO2 and introduce the already finished compounds that are structurally similar. Its structural similarity allows Flourish Excel to be utilized in the carbon chain building process of photosynthesis. Simple chemical or enzymatic steps can convert it to any one of the above named compounds (or a variety of others).