Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

2% and thnx for weighing in!

Well I have 6% iron and 3000 litres... and this is the calculation I used to get the amount I am supposed to use
--------------------
%6 Fe EDDHA
7.58\0.06
=126.33 per gallon \3.6 (to get litres)
35.09 per Litre x 3000 litres (my system)
105270 mg \ 1000
105.27 g TOTAL every 3 weeks
---------------------

I got that formula from this website http://verticalfoodblog.com/iron-in-aquaponics/

Now if yours is 2% and 500gallons (1892L but lets round up too 2000L) and 2000L is %66 of my 3000L that would be 2/3 of my 105.27 which is 70.18 grams but because mine is 6% and yours is 2% I guess we need to multiply the 70.18 by 3 which is 210.54 grams EVERY 3 WEEKS....
I wouldn't trust my dodgy maths though... but if you follow that link to the verticalfoodblog you can get the formula there..
Also I am only going to add half the amount suggested since I think those are commercial quantities... so around 50grams per 3 weeks for me...

Tom,

I've just added another 15grams to my system.

I mixed it in approx. 2 litres of water in a small bucket and poured half in each GB and watched both
GB's fill up and then siphon with nowhere near the same amount of colour it had when added it directly into the media guard or sump water.

It is probably a better way to add it, and I see how that works in 3 weeks time when the water should be a lot clearer and know for sure.

Joe

Joe,

That sounds like the best way to do it as some of the particles are going to get trapped in the media and not end up in the sump or FT... although I imagine it will also take a little longer to get to the sump and FT, it will be interesting to see what it looks like a day or two afterwards? thanks for the update and let me know how it goes over the next day or two.

my broccoli is looking greener!

They can look green with no iron and also look green way above recommended levels. Thye plants arent a good meter for dosing requirements.

Thanks Rupert

Should have done better homework myself. Makes sense!!

Cheers

Ken

Hi Tom,

I saw your Iron Chelate photo, welcome to the "Wine Club".

I'm not sure how I want to use this stuff anymore or maybe spray it on? I think I might try and find some DTPA and see how that goes, with Ultraferro EDDHA's colour hanging in for weeks at a time it's not a good look.

The fish think they're in an Iceland winter although there they'd get 2 hours of daylight there, here they're not getting any and it's nearly as cold.

Joe

Hi Joe,

hehe yeah I really wish it WAS wine, then the fish and I would be a lot happier

I am looking for another source of Iron too, but I am having trouble finding either DTPA or EDDHA.. I just PMd Earthbound to see if Backyard Aquaponics sell it

Hi Tom,

I've spent hours of searching with no luck yet, I've sent off a few emails and all drawn blanks.

I'll let you know if I come up with anything.

Joe.

I found this site in my searching:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/foru ... es-no.html

I found these guys

http://www.duralite.com.au/iron-dtpa-dissolvine/

they mainly sell commercial it seems... but there is a link on the right to 'hobby growers' where they sell smaller quantities but they don't deliver

Hi Tom,

Thanks for that link, I rang the guy and spoke to him and he explained that the EDDHA will always have a bright red colour in water, that is the product it's self not a dye and depending on the quantity used will determine how red it is.

He said the one needed for Aquaponics is the DTPA 11% which will give you a slight yellow tinge but nothing like the colour of the EDDHA.

I've ordered a KG and I'll let you know how I get on hopefully this will solve the problem.

Joe

they mainly sell commercial it seems... but there is a link on the right to 'hobby growers' where they sell smaller quantities but they don't deliver



Tom,

They're posting mine, but couldn't give me a shipping price until they get to Aust. Post and actually post it.


Joe

Thats good, I might give them a call as well then as even if the shipping is a bit pricey they still have a decent price for the 1kg.

I also read on that 'vertical gardening blog' page the same about the redness and that it wasn't a colouring but just its natural state... it's interesting as Nate from that website didn't seem to know about it even though he was saying that EDDHA was the best type... but I guess he had been using DTPA and not EDDHA.