Dosing Fe

[joe]

Sorry if this been asked before. I've searched thru the forums and it seems I might have some Fe deficiency (double verified from http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_nutrient.htm). My polysperma sunset is showing yellowies leaves. I do no have a Fe testkit since some mention that it is not very accurate.

The solution I read is to add Fe. Got some Fe laterite balls yesterday and was wondering if I need to add them everyday into the substrate??? Fe is used up quite fast and some say even in 24 hours!!! So should I also supplement liquid Fe fertliser or just use the balls?

[xter]

I had similar problem for one of my plants which I bought from Pe-Wee previously. I didn't know that it's suppose to be red in color, only realised it when I saw the plant in Gen X.

I was advised by the Gen X guy that laterite balls is just for stem and will have to dose liquid FE for leaves absorption for daily basis for optimal result. At the most is alternate days dosage, anything more than that won't be effective.

Dose liquid FE only after 2 hrs of lightning so that the absorption rate is higher, so that oxidisation will be minimal.

After trying the above, the redness is coming back after 4 days of dosages.

BTW, I'm using those Taiwan brand FE, not too sure about Seachem dosage which I'm going to try out. [:]

[bclee]

Don't really need a Fe kit. Just add fertilisers with Fe bit by bit until the sypmtoms are gone.

I only dose Fe once a week or sometimes 2 weeks. No Fe deficiency problem.

BC

[joe]

bclee, u are adding Fe laterite balls or liquid ones?

[bclee]

I used laterite balls before, but for only heavy root-feeders like Cyrptocoryne, Echinodorus and Nymphea lotus.

I use Equilibrium and Flourish as my Fe source which I dose only when I change water.

I think liq ferts will benefit stem plants like H. Polypersma more readily.

BC

[peterkoh]

hi folks,

will overdosing fe encourage more algae growth esp. green spot algae ? i notice algae on the aquarium glass appear faster and in greater amt after adding fe at 1/2 the recommended dosage on alternate days. i'm using UP brand fe liquid.

thks.

[PeterGwee]

You need a proper balance of nutrients to encourage good plant growth so that they could out compete algae and those all in type might not be able to supplement all the nutrients required or in proper proportion....testing with test kits in my opinion does help a lot. Now I am embarking on testing NO3 and PO4 to find out how much my plants are "eating" by providing all the necessary nutrients (N,P,K,Mg,Ca,Micros,Carbon)...It might help if you can measure NO3 and PO4 as limiting either of this nutrients can lead to problems (I thought they were the cause of algae previously but now am convince somewhat they are needed as well and in large proportion)

NO3= 20ppm (Don't know why it is so high, even Tom Barr find it hard to believe I had so high nitrate after going through my specs) No need to supplement..

PO4= 0.5-0.8ppm (approx.) Previously 0.25 (could be lesser as test kit can only measure minimum 0.25) Dose 0.5 ppm more after finding it could well be the reason why NO3 uptake is so little-- Tom Barr mention that NO3 uptake drops drastically when PO4 is less than 0.3-0.2ppm.

Fe= Never measure..dose according to reaction of plants (Using TMG at the moment)

GH= 5 (Dose as an when Ca & Mg deficiency shows)

CO2= 20ppm -30ppm

Plant growth: Algae going away and plant growth is good.