I use Excel nearly every day (usually only miss when away for a weekend) as per instructions on the bottle. I have been dosing very small amounts of KNO2 + KH2PO4 once a week, and CSM+B once a week. I found some measuring spoons that have the really small measurements, like "nip," "pinch," etc.

I have very rarely done a water change, and not scientifically. I usually remove 1-3 gal approximately once a month while planting something new, or replanting, or trimming. Otherwise my arm/hand displaces water all over the place! And just go ahead and replace what I took out with new water and dose a small amount of GH Booster or Equilibrium.

It's not a spectacular tank, aquascape-wise, but I've been learning with it. The crypts generally seem pretty healthy in there. The C. pygmaea didn't do much.

I seem to get a tiny amount of "green dot" algae on the front of the tank on occasion, usually after a water change. Perhaps that has something to do with an influx of CO2? Not sure.