Iron Eated Up By Plants Or Filter Too Quiclky?

[FrankyFish]

Hi, I just got a test kit to go with my liquid nutrients. The thing is yesterday I added iron to have around 0.40 mg/l of iron. Unfortunately tonight when I came around to test it, it had dropped back to 0. Can this be absorbed by plants this quickly or did the filter take it all?

Thanks!

 

[Themuleous]

Iron test kits are one of the most unreliable you can get, I wouldn't advocate anyone getting one. Reply on the plants to tell you what they are lacking.

Do you have carbon in your filter?

Sam

 

[Colin_T]

if the plants haven't had a regular supply of iron fertiliser then they will absorb any as soon as it is offered. Quite often you have to add it every day for the first few weeks and then once the plants have absorbed their fill the levels will stabilise and you might only need to add it once or twice a week. Lots of plants will absorb lots of iron.

 

[FrankyFish]

I do have a carbon filter tough

 

[Colin_T]

if you have a carbon filter that is the problem. Carbon absorbs chemicals from the water. Iron is a chemical and as such it will be absorbed by the carbon. Take the carbon out and throw it away. Then try the iron fertiliser again.

 

[FrankyFish]

Altough on most sites it says that activated carbon is worthless to aborb iron, anyone knows about this?

 

[Themuleous]

Check out the link in my sig to The Krib, you'll be amazed what carbon does to iron levels!

Sam

 

[FrankyFish]

Well, that sure lights up my fire, I removed the carbon insert and I replaced it with ceramic beads from fluvial I had as a medium wtih the sponges. Thanks all for the prompt reponses.

 

[Themuleous]

Cool

Also makes you wonder what the hell 'inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry' is!!!

 

[Colin_T]

Also makes you wonder what the hell 'inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry' is!!!

What