Hi,
I have a 50USG tank with CO2 injection and 3 WPG. My tank is planted only with mats of riccia and glosso that covers the entire surface. One thing I find it funny is the amount of FE present in the water. Whenever I test the water for FE, the result would show 0mg/l. (I'm using the Sera test kit). However, the plants are all thriving and blooming at a fast rate. I have thought of following the instructions on my liquid based fertilizer (Sera Flourina) but afraid of dosing according to it because of fears of algae.
What I'm doing now, I will add around 20 drops of the fertilizer (which is lower that the suggested dosage) every week. The tank is algae free and plants are growing. But testing of FE will certainly be 0mg/l.
Should I dose according to the instructions or should I just maintain my current dosing with FE showing 0mg/l?
Well, I have the same tester as you. Most people here do not/rarely test for Iron. As most Iron dissapear or change their form within 1-2 hours of aditition into water. Thus making the test kit inaccurate. As long as your plants are not showing signs of iron deficiency, your current regime should be okay. Just continue with it.
Cheerio,
Sleepy_lancs
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
An afternoon trimming my watery garden is better
then an afternoon with a therapist
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Oh, so FE change their form within 1 to 2 hrs. Now this is new. Meaning to say, If I followed the recommended dosage, gosh..my tank would be filled with FE and algae would be blooming as well rite?
You and I have the same problem with you. Now I just dose about 0.45 ppm worth of Fe and trace. Will be slowly reducing it to see the effect.
For your case, you can follow the recommended dosage. I don't think it will cause algae. Usually commercial product Fe should be quite low. But if your NKP are excessive then yes algae will grow.
Keep your Fe range to 0.2 to 0.7
Cheerio,
Sleepy_lancs
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
An afternoon trimming my watery garden is better
then an afternoon with a therapist
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yeah, I guess nitrates and phosphates play a very important role in algae growth. My 50USG tank is lightly stocked and water change is carried out every week at 50%, so I dun think they r high. The Sera brand of fertilizer states that it does not contain either of these so I guess its pretty safe to use it. Will increase the dosage as soon as I get back. Will see what kind of effects it has on the plants.
You have to monitor the N and P with test kits.
NO3 = 5 to 10ppm
PO4 = 0.2 to 0.5
Cheerio,
Sleepy_lancs
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
An afternoon trimming my watery garden is better
then an afternoon with a therapist
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
which test kit is most convenient to measure no3?
i have the sera one and i find it quite troublesome, whereas the AP test kit for no2 is simplier.
thanks
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