[tetra73]

I have already done a search here. Too much iron isn't good. I have no correct means to measure the iron level. Am I dosing too much iron if I only add 1ml of it to a 40g tank with normal EI dosing? BTW, I mixed my iron solution in a 500ml of water and 2 table spoons of chelated iron. Other sources of iron are coming from my GH booster with Seachem equilibrium and the laterites in my dirt. I added a lot of laterites too. In the past, I used to dose iron 3x per week. Then, I stopped dosing iron for 2 weeks in order to see if my s repens would improve. Is hard to say since they are doing ok, not great, even they have been in my tank for over 2 months. They aren't thriving. I am thinking about adding iron back but with reduce dosage. Let says 1ml per each water change. I do 2 wc per week.

 

[Darkblade48]

I don't think you are overdosing; if anything, you are underdosing iron.

You can search for the many calculators out there; they will help you determine what kind of dosing you require to reach the desired levels.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

I have already done a search here. Too much iron isn't good. I have no correct means to measure the iron level. Am I dosing too much iron if I only add 1ml of it to a 40g tank with normal EI dosing? BTW, I mixed my iron solution in a 500ml of water and 2 table spoons of chelated iron. Other sources of iron are coming from my GH booster with Seachem equilibrium and the laterites in my dirt. I added a lot of laterites too. In the past, I used to dose iron 3x per week. Then, I stopped dosing iron for 2 weeks in order to see if my s repens would improve. Is hard to say since they are doing ok, not great, even they have been in my tank for over 2 months. They aren't thriving. I am thinking about adding iron back but with reduce dosage. Let says 1ml per each water change. I do 2 wc per week.

Hi tetra73,

Based upon Rex Grigg's old formula it looks like the concentration of your solution is about 2/3 the strength he used to mix up.

Chelated Iron
* Mix 35 grams of powder (about 3 tablespoons per my calculations) with 2 cups (473 ml of water).
* 1 ml of this solution will raise the iron level in 10 gallons of
water by 0.2 ppm.
* Suggested range for iron is 0.1-0.5 ppm

I dose Iron 1 ml per 10 gallons of the concentration he recommended in his mix. I find if I overdose Iron I have issues with Black Brush Algae (BBA). L. repens is relatively easy to grow. I didn't notice a source of macro nutrients listed, what are you using for nitrogen, phosphates, and potassium?

 

[tetra73]

Hi tetra73,

Based upon Rex Grigg's old formula it looks like the concentration of your solution is about 2/3 the strength he used to mix up.


I dose Iron 1 ml per 10 gallons of the concentration he recommended in his mix. I find if I overdose Iron I have issues with Black Brush Algae (BBA). L. repens is relatively easy to grow. I didn't notice a source of macro nutrients listed, what are you using for nitrogen, phosphates, and potassium?

Yeah, I used his method for all of my dry fert dosing. 2 table spoons of whatever ferts to 500ml of water. I mixed my own solutions using dry ferts.

 

[tetra73]

I don't think you are overdosing; if anything, you are underdosing iron.

You can search for the many calculators out there; they will help you determine what kind of dosing you require to reach the desired levels.

That's good to know. I guess I should add 1ml of iron per each water change then. No, I am not experiencing or seeing any iron deficiency. I am not seeing any pale looking, transparent leaves.