Cloudy Water After Water Change

[Henry Hatch]

I've been running into a cloudy water problem after water changes and dosing. I've been dosing nitrates, phosphates, flourish, and flourish iron after water changes. The water becomes cloudy and gradually clears. I have a non co2 tank into which I dose nitrates, phosphates, and equilbrium at the levels recommended by Tom. Water is crystal clear. I haven't done a water change yet on this tank.

I read some postings here and on APD and suspect that there may be an interaction with the iron in Flourish , Flourish Iron, and po4 since I have been dosing them at the same time.

Is this likely the problem ? Also If this interaction is producing iron phosphate does this mean these two elements are not available to plants when they combine ?

Henry Hatch

 

[essabee]

I used to have that problem till I realised that the tap water was high with ferrous salts which were oxidised to insoluble ferric salts in the aquarium.

 

[Tom Barr]

Yep, very likely.
If you have harder water, even more likely.

I'd switch over to TMG, it's got a strong chelator than Flourish.
I also do not dose PO4 and Fe on the same days.
That will help(either or both)

Regards,
Tom Barr