iron deficiency

[colonel]

Lately I have been getting things with my aquarium shaped up, and growth has improved some from my past struggles. Though for the past few weeks I have had iron deficiency like symptoms and I feel as if I am adding a TON of iron with out things getting better. Its a 75 gallon, 260 watts of power compact, pressurized CO2.... EI, yadda yadda yadda.... anyway. I have been doing 20 ml of CSM+b 3x/week, using the fertalator thats an estimated .9 ppm iron per week, In addition to that I have been adding 10 ml flourish Iron everyday, for an estimated .38 ppm a day. In total that is around 3.56 ppm a week of Iron being added to my tank. But yet the growth tips of Mayaca are almost white, while other in the tank, rotala rotundifolia and hygro sp. are still pretty yellow in color.
Is this a lot of iron being added? enought that this should be handling these symptoms? or is it really not all that much? and
The other question it leads me to, is it possible that this is from a lack of Magnesium? I read I believe it was on Chuck Gadd's site that Mg deficiency can some times show up like Iron def. because a lack of Mg keeps the plants from properly using iron.
I have been adding 1 teaspoon of seachem Eq. at water changes but really I believe that only adds just under .5 ppm of Mg
Any thoughts would be appriciated, maybe it just seems like a ton of iron but the plants really need more just thought I would seek some input. Thanks everyone!
Matt

 

[colonel]

Re: iron deficiency

alos forgot to add on the tips of the Mayaca and Rotala, the stems have turned a redish color while the leaves are white for mayaca, or yellow for the rotala.... Dont know if that aids at all in the idea that Mg might be playing a role.

 

[jonathan11]

Re: iron deficiency

Have an almost identical tank to yours. Someone mentioned that a lack of nitrates helped produce red colors, have to wonder myself. If that's the case, a lack of nitrates, your problem might be the macros. The micros sound okay. 1/2 tsp KNO3, 1/8 tsp phosphates 3x week. A ratio of 4:1 or 3:1 of calcium (calcium chloride for me) to epsom salts should take care of the other concerns.

Walter :gw

 

[colonel]

Re: iron deficiency

thanks for the reply walter, Macros should be in order for my self, I was doing 1/2 t. of KNO3 and 1/8 t. KH2PO4, but a few weeks ago I swiched to 3/4 t. of KNO3 and saw a positive response from the plants, I really dont think I need that much but plants were in pretty bad shape and may be sucking up much extra at the time? i dont really know but for now im sticking with it until things are all in order. My tap has a GH of only 5.5 and I know that is low in Mg, after checking with the water company. I am adding seachem eq. as a general GH booster, but like I mentioned that only adds a bit less than .5 ppm Mg.... Makes me wonder if the Iron deficiency like syptoms can indeed be from lack of Mg causing the plants to not be able to properly take in Iron.
And thats basically my question for anyone who could help out, I started adding 3/4 tsp. epsom salts along with seachem Eq. so total at water changes I am adding around 2 ppm Mg in addition to the bit in my tap water. The water company said its around 5ppm on average so we will see if this helps at all.... since I am assuming on average could go either way and there could be times there is hardly any Mg in my tap water.

 

[Tom Barr]

Re: iron deficiency

Generally, but not always, the Mg will be lower than Ca.

I'd add 1/2 teaspoon after the water change and some Seachem Eq.

The KNO3, KH2PO4, traces should be fairly easy to rule out from there.
All that is left: CO2.

If some plants grow faster than normal and some wane, and there is no algae, and the plant's tips are smallish, then it's often CO2.

If you get algae, it's almost always NO3/CO2.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[colonel]

Re: iron deficiency

thanks for the reply tom, KNO3, KH2PO4, and traces should all be in order, as with CO2, Im really pumping it in there, PH is all the way down to 5.9-6.0 And i get pretty good pearling after about 2 hours of lights being on, and as you mentioned with growth tips things are coming in larger than they have in a long time.
All the new growth is just really pale, and I feel as thought I am adding a lot of Iron, but maybe it isnt that much thats really what my question is. Does anyone else go through this much Iron? or is it something else keeping the plants from properly using the Iron? anyway the only thing I thought might be playing a role is Mg, and I have already stated adding a bit of Epsom salts along with the Seachem Eq. at water changes to see if it helps... if not I guess i really do need more Iron