[supersmirky]

I am dosing PPS pro and want to know if I can add extra chelated iron (10%) to my CSM+B or should I mix iron all by itself in its own container.

I need to make a new batch this afternoon.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Edward]

Trace Element Iron can be mixed with CSM no problem. The question is does it do any good when CSM has already enough Iron. Why don't you try it and let us know how it goes?

 

[davemonkey]

I've been adding Chelated Iron to my CSM+B the past 3 weeks and I've noticed alot of GSA on the glass. I am starting this week without the extra iron. I'll let you know if it makes any difference and if my red plants show any defficiency.

-Dave

 

[Edward]

There is no connection between real red plants and Iron fertilization. Red plants are going to be red no matter what. What could look better is bright green and overall structure and health.

 

[Freshwater]

I'll second Dave,

I started dosing and extra 1cc of Seachem Iron on top of my 3 cc of CSM+B about 3 weeks ago. I had a massive GSA outbreak on a 29 gallon heavily planted 3.3 WPG with Press. CO2... Last week I tore the tank down, and started over using the same substrate.

Starting to think less might be more. But I wanted to see how hard I could push the limits of growth with the equipment I have.

my $0.02!


Freshwater

A.K.A.

Todd

 

[supersmirky]

Well I added it in my last batch....This batch has no extra added so I will see if it has any difference

 

[Tex Gal]

I have been adding extra iron for about 2 months now. I have noticed better growth and my reds are very red. I know Edward says there is not a correlation but I am not sure. My plants are doing great. I do think that my anubias needed more iron than my CSM+b was supplying. I thought about upping the entire amount but thought I should just try the iron first. I have had no thread algae or anything and my weeping moss has gone crazy with growth!

 

[Nevermore]

I have been dosing PPS-Pro for a while now. I'm continuing to have issues with staghorn, fuzz, and a little bit of thread algae. Something's not right in there but I'm not sure what it is. I just recently started adding Seachem's Iron to see if that has any beneficial effect. Too soon to tell.

 

[jazzlvr123]

There is no connection between real red plants and Iron fertilization. Red plants are going to be red no matter what. What could look better is bright green and overall structure and health.

yes this is a common mis-understood aspect about red plants. IME the more intense the lighting is the brighter red the plant is, also low nitrates also play a role in red coloration however not as much as light does. If you ever plant red plants youll notice the very tip closest to the light is always the reddest.

also Ive been dosing flourish Iron along with CSM+B for the past 8 months when tom barr suggested it to me. since then Ive had amazing results Iron is consumed by the plants faster than any other nutrient IME so fast that it becomes a limiting nutrient in your tank quite quickly which is why adding a little more Iron subsequently helps all your fertilizers become available

 

[wet]

There is no connection between real red plants and Iron fertilization. Red plants are going to be red no matter what. What could look better is bright green and overall structure and health.

I have been adding extra iron for about 2 months now. I have noticed better growth and my reds are very red.

In just cruising Google books for stuff, like this, if Iron is >75% of chloroplast and folks can measure Iron in dry weight plants in concentrations at around 50ppm (mg/kg), it makes sense that it would make whatever color your plant is a brighter, healthier color of that color... or something. (Shade?) I also believe old circulated signs of Fe deficiency were accurate: yellow veins and pale new growth.

In my experience, when I grew say ET or Glosso they looked a great green with daily Fe dosing. When I grew R. Macrandra it was a great (hot) red. Green plants will be greener and red plants will be redder. My indicator now is yellowish not limeish growth from HM, for example.

However, when folks attribute miracles or high macro uptake to dosing high amounts of Fe, you should keep in mind what a lot of those folks are actually doing is dosing lots of Fe from comprehensive mixes and using Fe as a proxy for all trace levels. (And I think most of us would agree keeping mobile and immobile traces around is good.) You should not attribute that directly to Fe.

(Tom's great Fe articles and work obviously isolated Fe. I'm typing about annecdotal experience from fellow regular people.)

However, the only thing I've gotten from underdosing (isoltaed) Iron is the pale growth above. The only thing I've gotten from massively overdosing Iron was awesome dark brown colored spots on my hardscape and glass. Good Iron dosing means means good plants, but in the troubles described above I don't think adding a couple tenths of a ppm of Iron will matter or be the cure.

FWIW, of course.

 

[Edward]

I have been dosing PPS-Pro for a while now. I'm continuing to have issues with staghorn, fuzz, and a little bit of thread algae. Something's not right in there but I'm not sure what it is. I just recently started adding Seachem's Iron to see if that has any beneficial effect. Too soon to tell.

Moved to: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/pps-analysis-feedback/58062-something-not-right.html