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what is the optimal iron concentration in the water that can be achieved before the fish get iron poisoning?

how much iron and micronutrients do plants intake?
where can i find out specifically?

Hi
Try this site:
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertilizer/gluconate.html
It goes into great detail (from a chemists point of view)
on plants, iron and the mechanism of nutrient uptake.
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

interesting reading, but i can't see anything about what concentration is already toxic to fish.
it was a good link, thanks!

Hi,
The toxicity of iron is mentioned specifically as
1mM (~56ppm) in Diana Walstad's book, ECOLOGY of the
PLANTED AQUARIUM. Specific to iron toxicity, there
are five different referenced pages.
Our EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) allows .08ppm
iron in our drinking water. (my well is .083 - gotta fix
that.)
In another reference, same book, its stated that 1.2ppm
caused a plant (Hydrilla verticillata) to "become covered
with a rusty brown color and begin to decay."

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

good info, thanks!

so who should i trust? the 56ppm, or the 0.8ppm threshold?

should i supplument my tank with iron at all? doing so might be dangerous in the long run, exposing my fish for high concentrations over time, but it should help the plants too, and "charging" old plants will get them into transplant shock.

what do you do?

Hi,
I get around the Fe requirements by using SeaChem's
Flourite which is a fractionated form of Laterite.

As a general rule, if you have a planted tank, and
a normal stocking level of fish that you feed
regularly, you should not have to worry about the
amount of Fe in the tank. Take a look at the chart,
I believe it gives the symptoms for inadequate Fe.
If your plants show those symptoms, then I'd add a
supplement such as Flourish with iron.

I try not to add what is called "ferts" as it is
very easy to add something that the plants don't
need, but the algae does.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--