# liquid carbon safe to use with jungle vallis



## jonathanj (13 Aug 2018)

is there a liquid carbon you can buy thats safe for all plants like vallis  as iv got seachem flourish exel but was told it would melt your valls 
Only iv just added extra light to my tank because wonted to add more plants to my low tech and think my plants may wont some co2  carbon with the extra light know as some of plants iv got not doing that well


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## zozo (14 Aug 2018)

Try to start with a very low dose in the begining, for example 50% of the adviced dosage for the first weeks and than up it to full dose. Than the plants can slowly get used to it. If you have sensitive true aquatic plants like valis than never over dose and never spot treat near that plant.

My personal experience is Valis takes it without problems as long it isn't overdosed.. And this is what many people do. For example Easy Life-Easy Carbo recoments 1ml / 50l and never higher than 2ml / 50L, i've red people experimenting and doubling the highest recomended dose without issues and rather strong plant sp.

Just remember, Glut the base contents of all LC products, is originaly a desinfectant, it kills single cell organism (germs), this propperty also damages Algae cells and at long term higher dosage it can also kill plant cells. Hence the soft tissue true aqautic plants like Valis are the first to show.. At long term higher dosages it probably also kills single cell organsme in the water we actualy don't want to kill. This all happens on an invissible level and hard to say what the true impact is.

Personaly i see this stuff rather as a temporary aid to give plants a head start to get over the hill. Once a correctly planted setup is in good health with sufficient numbers it will no longer be depended on Liquid Carbon to fight off algae issues. If you think you are than there is somethig else wrong and liquid carbon is not the permanent patch to fix that problem. If you have difficult plant sp. that give you the idea for the need to depend upon LC then rather think about easier plant sp. or using a proper CO² setup instead of permanently dosing chemicals. In the long run a CO² setup is not only safer but also cheaper.


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## jonathanj (14 Aug 2018)

good advice and thank you zozo for reply

so its really go big or go home in other words with tank setup and co2     stop low tech or if trying to go higher tech or your tank is taking you there  because you added more light and dosing full EI   I will really be better to go full co2 system   

its just getting the balance correct for a new hobbyist to planting


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## alto (14 Aug 2018)

jonathanj said:


> so its really go big or go home in other words with tank setup and co2 stop low tech


Not really 

There are some truly stunning “low tech” journals on ukaps, they just aren’t that easy to find
(there’s an extraordinary Iwagumi somewhere)

*Low-tech project | 60x35x35 |74L*

I used Seachem Excel in a tank with Tropica’s Vallisneria spiralis ‘Tiger’ 
Tank ran for a couple years, weekly 50-70% water change, Excel dosed @ 5ml/10 US gal using tank maximum water volume (plus some ... tank was maybe 27gal (non standard size) so I just dosed for 30 gal) 
Beginning with a single pot, the Val would’ve taken over the entire tank, I removed substantial amounts every couple months



> On initial use or after a major (> 40%) water change, use 1 capful (5 mL) for every 40 L (10 US gallons). Thereafter use 1 capful for every 200 L (50 US gallons) daily or every other day. For smaller dosing please note that each cap thread is approximately 1 mL.


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## alto (14 Aug 2018)

jonathanj said:


> its just getting the balance correct for a new hobbyist to planting


I suspect the most difficult aspect of new to planted tanks, is that many don’t plant heavily - instead trying just a few plants - but then light & fertilizer etc is the same as if tank were densely planted - then algae ...

Another factor is likely the source of the aquatic plants, many cheap bunch plants come out of ponds, etc, some are sold on as “bunch plants”, others are placed in pots (not at all the same as aquatic nursery plants that have actually grown in the pots), plants vary from “easy” to “advanced”, some are not even aquatic

Aquatic Nurseries develop plant lines that transition well to aquarium life, that are stable, ship well, etc etc - this obviously costs rather more


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## alto (14 Aug 2018)

Another journal

*Two Rocks Balanced - 64L - Low tech*


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## jonathanj (14 Aug 2018)

alto said:


> Another journal
> 
> *Two Rocks Balanced - 64L - Low tech*


Just stunning and really opens your eyes to whot you can really do with low tech and time 

Only 1 T5 tube on those tanks  Crazy 

maybe I need much more plants to balance the high ferts and good light


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## Matt @ ScapeEasy (31 Jan 2019)

Having just overdosed a tank full of vallis in an attempt to kill of nuisance algae I can definately confirm that vallis doesn't like overdosed liquid carbon. All the vallis is dying off...

I have also use it at normal dose levels and had no problems.

Rescape of the below tank now essential... shame...


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