I am really happy to see you working through the problems and fixing the parameters. You are going to see a big difference by upping the excel, and adding micro and macro.
Good to see someone taking some good advice from the board and actually doing something to make their tank better.

we'll yeah wy would you want a fish tank that looks like crap. I want people to be aw struck when they walk in the room. Someday in tme.

I agree 100% deelove, let the fish poop fertilize the tank

problem with chemicals is that if you place one chemical in you will probably need another chemical to off balance that chemical...and before you know it the tank water is rather toxic

I say, let nature take care of nature...for instance: too many snails, get loaches; too much wood, lowers the ph; rocks raises the ph; natural sunlight produces certain types of algae so either get fish, snails, and/or more live plants to offset the growth of the algae - if cladophora, this is a good type of algae, grow it and prune it (as I do); too much over feeding that makes the ammonia rise (or not enough good bacteria) replenish the tank with new water (25-40%); too many live bearer fry place a few dwarf african frogs in the tank; disease breaks out in the tank, raise the temperature to 86-89, lower the water by about 4 inches in order to create more water agitation or oxygen into the water column and place a few tablespoons of aquarium salt in the tank unless the fish are very sensitive to it; create ledges/caves with sandstone, slate and/or river rock; let the gravel accumulate good bacteria (or never vacuum) in order to create a bed of "dirt/mud" for the live plant roots to feed off.......................must I go on?

and not one chemical added with all the above; let nature handle nature

but then again, to each their own