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I purchased a RedSea Iron Testkit today and SeaChem's Flourish . I tested both of my tanks and it read 0.1ppm of iron (in both tanks). Only problem is non of my books, or the testkit mentions the recommended level of iron. So, now I wouldnt have a clue how much iron to add to my tank.

Can anyone help me out?
Mango

Last edited by mangor34 at 01-Jul-2005 06:39

I am not a specialist on Iron additives, but I would assume that it depends on the number of plants you have and what kind they are.

Could you be so nice and list them?
In addition, do you add CO2?
What is your lighting?

And, did you purchase Excel or Excel Iron? Excel contains various elements that do not only up your Iron.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Tank Details

Tank Dimensions: Length: 50cm, Width: 50cm, Height: 50cm
Litres/Gallons: 33gal
Ferts:
- Weekly dose of Sera's Florena
- Seachem Flourish Iron
- Sera Flore Plus (tablets)
- Sera Florenette T (tablets)
Lighting: 3 X 6500K Plant Tubes 15watts
Temperature: 26-27*C
pH: 7
iron: 0.1ppm

Plants

- Giant Anubias
- Anubias nana Petite
- Anubias nana
- Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus)
- Java Fern 'crested'
- Cabomba (Cabomba caroliniana)
- Green Hygro
- Sunset Hygro
- Red Tiger Lotus (Nymphaea zenkeri)
- Elodea
- 2 Banana Lilys
- Green Milfoil
- Green Ozelot Sword
- Red Flame Ozelot Sword
- 3 baby unknown swords (given by lfs today)

HTH
Mango [/font]

I use the Estimative Index method. 0.2ppm to 0.7ppm is the reccomended level for Iron.If you have a rich substrate like laterite, with lots of Iron, you may be able to get away with less.

Ingo is a little bit off. It's not really how many plants etc that determine the level. Rather the amount of plants, co2 etc would determine how much and how often to dose to keep that level of FE constant. In other words more plants , Co2 etc would use it faster and require more frequent dosing, about 3 X a week. A non co2 tank would probably get away a weekly dosing.

Most liquid ferts, as Ingo mentioned contain Fe with other micros in proportion. You can up your dosage until you reach desired level.

Word of caution most hobbyist Iron test kits are notoriously unreliable. Observing the plants is as good a method as any.

For a complete list of reccomended levels you can check out Tom Barr's Estimative Index here http://www.sfbaaps.com/reference/barr_02_02.shtml

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

bensaf,

Thanks for straightening me out

I would go to aqua school anytime if you would be a teacher there.

But just for the sake of the argument:

What is the difference between

Rather the amount of plants, co2 etc would determine how much and how often to dose to keep that level of FE constant. In other words more plants , Co2 etc would use it faster and require more frequent dosing

and

[…it depends on the number of plants you have and what kind they are…In addition, do you add CO2? What is your lighting?

?

Thanks,

Ingo

Last edited by Little_Fish at 01-Jul-2005 09:14

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

What I mean is the levels of 0.2ppm to 0.7ppm should be stable and constant.
Your post suggests that, for example, that a lightly planted non co2 tank would need a lower level of iron and co2 injected tank would need a higher level.

My point is that the level would apply to both set ups,and should be kept fairly constant (ie don't let it drop to zero) BUT how you reach that level would be very different depending on the set up.

With a non Co2 set up a weekly dosing of something like Flourish or TMG should be enough to keep with that level for the week.
With a high light Co2 set up where the faster growth is consuming the FE more quickly it will take a lot more doses of Flourish, say 3 times a week, to stay with the 0.2 - 0.7 range.

Mangors question was about the level needed for good plant growth. The level is a given, the DOSAGE is a variable.

It's a very subtle difference and we're probably saying the same thing just in different ways

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Thanks guys for the replies. Finally someone knows the iron levels. Quite funny the books and testkits dont mention what levels is recommended. All they say is that overdosing isnt good and too less isnt good too.

How come books and products dont mention anything about the recommended levels?

Mango [/font]

bensaf,

You are the man!

I appreciate your clarification and, although we basically meant the same (me talking dosage, you the ppm level), your explanation is so much better and to the point of mangor’s question.

Just wait until I finally have a digital camera and I am ready to “bug” you with my plant questions.

And in general, your answers are always very detailed and to the point. Thanks for that,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Just wait until I finally have a digital camera and I am ready to “bug” you with my plant questions.

I look forward to it

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Most places have no idea what a good iron levels is for a number of reasons.

They are complex, literally. Iron forms about 10-12 inorganic complexs in water and is complexed to start with with ETDA, Gluconate, DTPH or some other organic chelator.

You can test iron at 15min after dosing, 2 hours and 24 hours. You'll get very different readings each time.

Basically what I'm telling you: don't worry about testing for iron at all.

The test kit will not tell you what you need to know: how much is enough for the plants.

I approached the issue this way: makes sure the other nutrients are in good stable ranges, then varied thwe Iron dosing up and down till I got a negative plant response, then I knew I needed to add more iron.

I used very high light and lots of plants, no fish etc.
This would error to needing more rather than less iron to keep the plants in good shape.

5mls of Iron(Sera in your case) for each 80-90 liters of tank 3x a week is the maximum amount you would ever need to make the plants happy.

From this amount, you can add less.
Weekly dosing is fine(1x5mls etc) for non CO2 enriched tanks, if you use CO2, add it 2-3x a week.

This adds the same amount of iron each week, unlike your test kit measurements.

So the dosing routine is more consistent than the test kit basically.

You can extend this idea to any nutrient.

Regards,
Tom Barr