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Iron

2K views 19 replies 7 participants last post by  Solcielo lawrencia 
#1 ·
Hi all
I am sure this has been asked a thousand times over
But can't seem to find it

I want to start adding 13.2 % chelated iron to my tank
Can anyone advise on what the target ppm is
And how to calculate how much to add

Thanks
 
#7 ·
I agree

What type of tank do you have? There are many spectrum of tanks ranging from Low tech (low light, little water changes and no CO2) to High tech (high light, frequent water changes and CO2 injection) and many shades in between. The water changes being the most important when it comes to fertilizing.

As Nilocg said most trace mixes have iron in them. It's quite possible you don't need additional iron.

I've never noticed increased color with iron to be honest. Once you have enough that's all the plants need. More won't make a difference. Increasing light, limiting nitrogen and to an extent higher GH can improve coloration.

The best way to get vibrant reds is to choose plants that are truly red and take good overall care. If a red plant is happy it will display it's color. Adding red spectrum lighting also makes reds pop more.
 
#3 ·
thanks for the response
I am looking to add iron for better colouration especially to bring out the red in my Ludwigia arcuata
as this is very green at the moment.
my tank is 220 litres / 28 us gallons and my trace elements contain 8.2% FE

thanks
 
#4 ·
Do you EI dose? I looked into adding iron to my tank as well and the person I asked said to put 1/3rd of what you'd dose in micros.

So in a 500 ml solution for a 100 gallon tank. I'm just using numbers here, not accurate. If it requires 9 tablespoons of trace, then you would add 3 Tablespoons of iron to the mix.
 
#6 ·
cheers lads :)

wickedOdie this is along the lines of what the supplier of the Salts I got gave for dosing
only problem I have with this is. it does not tell me what my Iron levels would actually be

Audionut not following you calculation there as I am a slow with these things LOL
however the calculator is very useful thanks

what level of FE do people usually target ? am I right in saying between 0.2 - 0.5 ppm

thanks again
 
#8 ·
Cheers
I am running a high tech EI tank
Dry ferts / High light co2 injected and 50%+ water changes a week

I am only learning but was of the belief
fe helped with colour. But probably have this totally wrong

The trace elements I use state 8.2% fe
 
#9 ·
A 3:1 ratio of trace mix to iron is a good ratio IMO. If you want extra iron target a dose of 0.125 ppm in addition to your trace mix dosing.

If your'e using my calculator then select your iron, assuming DTPA 13%, then enter 0.125 in the concentration box and calculate. That's about all there is to it.

I didn't mean that iron does not increase reds. Many people swear by it. However, unless I have experienced it and concluded that was indeed the cause I can't say for sure. I simply have never seen the connection. Myth? Who knows. I've never tried to disprove it lol.

If I may ask, what trace mix are you using? I don't have any trace mixes that are 8.2% iron in my calculator. If you have something I don't have listed I can add it.
 
#15 ·
If your lights don't have a strong red spectrum the red in your plants would be weak. The production of other than the green pigment in plants is for protection from intense light - its like a sunscreen to reflect away an unwanted part of the spectrum. If your lights are intense enough and have a strong red spectrum, your plants will produce anthocyanin which will make it look red/violet depending on the genetics of the plant. Yes nutrients come into play; but only to the extent that keeps the plant healthy and deficient free.

Anthocyanin in plants have been noticed to be produced in other stress conditions - but those are in the realm of unhealthy conditions, pathological and environmental.
 
#16 ·
WOW so it seems on here the general thinking is Fe is not a factor in red colouration
so now the question. is there a negative to me adding it other than if I overdose ?
just to see if there is any affect ?

Iron aside how can I improve red colouration ?

Zorfox this is the trace I use
Chelated Trace Elements - Dry Salts - Dry Chemicals - Fertilisers
apologies if posting this link is not allowed
 
#17 ·
WOW so it seems on here the general thinking is Fe is not a factor in red colouration
so now the question. is there a negative to me adding it other than if I overdose ?
just to see if there is any affect ?
No problem at all.

Iron aside how can I improve red colouration ?
Increase light and CO2 if possible. Continue dosing non-limiting nutrients. Basically, good over all plant care. I'm not aware of a magic bullet for red colors other than adding red spectrum lighting.

Zorfox this is the trace I use
Chelated Trace Elements - Dry Salts - Dry Chemicals - Fertilisers
apologies if posting this link is not allowed
Thanks for this. I added it to the calculator. It's listed as AquariumPlantFoodUK Trace.
 
#18 ·
I am the one who originally tested the red color spectra and found that red spectra is what's necessary for red coloration in plants that produce anthocyanin. Without it, no amount of Fe or PO4, temperature, or CO2 (not necessary, btw), will result in the induction of anthocyanin. Thus, it's best to start with the appropriate light spectra. High light intensities alone will not induce the production of anthocyanin if red spectra is limited. Red spectra is specifically what is needed. Also, violet and ultra-violet light may also induce the production of these pigments, though further tests need to be conducted to confirm.

Iron is indeed necessary, however, excess will be harmful. Some fish are sensitive to high levels of Fe such as Otos and acute exposure can lead to physiological problems and chronic exposure will eventually result in death. Excess Fe is also toxic to plants:

"Aquarists who are trying to achieve "optimal" fertilizer concentrations may become fixated on iron. You'll often get the mis-impression that iron is a macronutrient of aquatic plants. In fact, iron retards plant growth at levels higher than 2.0 mg/l, and it's toxic to plants at levels greater than 5.0 mg/l, several agricultural extension websites will tell you. "
Iron transformations | The Skeptical Aquarist

According to PortalMasterRY's water testing threads, it appears that submerged aquatic plants don't use very much iron at all. Using iron as the proxy, then it suggests that all the other trace elements are also not used much. This may be part of the reason why there are many threads regarding growth problems, deformation, stunting and necrosis, because of the toxic accumulation that occurs after a few weeks even with large water changes.
 
#19 ·
Cheers for the information :)
so it seems like lighting might be something worth looking into .

another question just to be annoying LOL
I was also told that the addition of Fe would also make my green plants greener....
is this also something you would consider a misconception?
 
#20 ·
The situation you mention is if they plants are iron-deficient to begin with. Fe is required for the production of chlorophyll. No chlorophyll, no green plants. It cannot, however, make plants greener if they are already producing as much chlorophyll as it can.

Also note, most LED light fixtures have relatively poor green color rendition due to the cyan valley, a low spectral output centered around 490nm (450-530nm). Thus, plants appear much more yellow from these LEDs due to the yellow phosphor content to create white light.
 
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