My amazon sword has been showing sings of iron deficiency over the last month. I've increased my dose of Flourish Iron but unless I does about 5ml three times a week the leaves start going yellow. Is this a normal intake? I have 70% eco-complete which I thought would be more than enough for a sword. Of course, I have plenty other plants too. Ever since I added compressed CO2 I seem to be losing >1ppm of NO3 and PO4 every day.
Iron dosing
- Thread starter reiverix
- Start date
3WPG over a 75G? I'd think that's about right... your plants are drinking down the nutrients as fast as they can, especially if you just started using CO2. Some plants, of course, will require more nutrients than others, and sword plants are thirsty creatures. 
Don't get nervous and turn down the Iron, I use 70ml of Plantex every week, just on one tank.
Don't get nervous and turn down the Iron, I use 70ml of Plantex every week, just on one tank.
Do you dose a trace mix?
Try dividing the total mls. per week by 6 and dosing that amount daily. This will keep the Fe in the trace mix more available on a consistent basis.
You can also continue dosing extra Fe, but it may not be necessary when you dose a trace mix daily.
Len
Try dividing the total mls. per week by 6 and dosing that amount daily. This will keep the Fe in the trace mix more available on a consistent basis.
You can also continue dosing extra Fe, but it may not be necessary when you dose a trace mix daily.
Len
I add:
to a 20 gal tank(you can scale this up/down) with high light and good CO2. 20-30ppm CO2
I add 4x a week:
1/4 teaspoon KNO3
1/16" " KH2PO4
I add on the off days:
5mls of Flourish or Plantex+B or TMG
Do weekly 50% water changes.
This should add plenty of nutrients to grow about anything.
Try this for 2-3 weeks and see what you think.
You do large weekly water changes to keep things from building up, and dose frequently to keep anything from running out. No need for a test kit, just watch the CO2(pH/KH), if you slack off, do a water change and dose the nutrients back thereafter.
You can get the KH2PO4/KNO3/Plantex Traces + Boron from
www.gregwatson.com
Dirt cheap.
If you can get the CO2 right, then you can easily do the nutrients.
Regards,
Tom Barr
to a 20 gal tank(you can scale this up/down) with high light and good CO2. 20-30ppm CO2
I add 4x a week:
1/4 teaspoon KNO3
1/16" " KH2PO4
I add on the off days:
5mls of Flourish or Plantex+B or TMG
Do weekly 50% water changes.
This should add plenty of nutrients to grow about anything.
Try this for 2-3 weeks and see what you think.
You do large weekly water changes to keep things from building up, and dose frequently to keep anything from running out. No need for a test kit, just watch the CO2(pH/KH), if you slack off, do a water change and dose the nutrients back thereafter.
You can get the KH2PO4/KNO3/Plantex Traces + Boron from
www.gregwatson.com
Dirt cheap.
If you can get the CO2 right, then you can easily do the nutrients.
Regards,
Tom Barr
I've been dosing (roughly, this varies)
5ml Flourish 2xweek
5ml Flourish Iron 2xweek
KH2PO4 and KNO3 every other day to get the levels to 1ppm and 10ppm
30% water change every week.
For the last month I have been battling some really bad staghorn algae. Stuff is in my substrate and on the bogwood and most plants. My plants are growing really well but so is the algae. Last night I found a huge 'nest' of this stuff tucked in among my cabomba.
Maybe my problem is that my dosing has been a bit eratic. ok I'll try it your way Tom. I know others have and succeeded.
5ml Flourish 2xweek
5ml Flourish Iron 2xweek
KH2PO4 and KNO3 every other day to get the levels to 1ppm and 10ppm
30% water change every week.
For the last month I have been battling some really bad staghorn algae. Stuff is in my substrate and on the bogwood and most plants. My plants are growing really well but so is the algae. Last night I found a huge 'nest' of this stuff tucked in among my cabomba.
Maybe my problem is that my dosing has been a bit eratic. ok I'll try it your way Tom. I know others have and succeeded.
Remove all the algae you can, keep up on things, do not over feed, keep things clean and tidy.
Nuttrients alone will not make up for neglect.
Regards,
Tom Barr
Nuttrients alone will not make up for neglect.
Regards,
Tom Barr