Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Tom/Joblow - How much did your postage work out for buying the 1Kg of DTPA from Duralite?

Using the Auspost calculator for a 15cm x 18cm x 18cm (size of the container it comes in) 1.1 kg package its telling me $30 ! Making the postage more than the actual item.

Hi Matt,

1Kg delivered to Brisbane was a total of $40.50 and the product price is $24 on their website so I guess $16.50 for delivery. Only place I could find it.. and it came in a bucket with lid which was nice as opposed to the bag I got from another place for that red EDDHA which had leaked out in the packaging.

Thanks Tom.


After looking at the MSDS it looks like the duralite version is sodium based iron.

http://www.duralite.com.au/wp-content/u ... 291210.pdf

One product I was reading up on claims to be sodium free

http://solufeed.com/media/43286/fe_11_dtpa_tds.pdf

I wonder if build up of sodium is an issue? I think dosage is ~10g per 1000L so maybe there wouldn't be enough sodium to be an issue?

No problem.. as far as the sodium is concerned.. a lot of people salt their systems up to 3ppt to treat fish diseases ( i wouldnt unless I had to because it would kill my strawberries, they are a bit sensitive ) but the point being that to salt to 3ppt you would need 3kgs of salt for every 1000L so I cant imagine the sodium in the small amount of iron that we add would raise the ppt very much

Yeah.. I wouldn't worry about it...

What test kit are you using? I use the Hanna Iron mini-colorimeter, and found that I have to add 15g of FeDTPA to my approximately 200gallons, twice a week. All iron disappears over 2.5-3 days.

smatthew:

What test kit are you using? I use the Hanna Iron mini-colorimeter, and found that I have to add 15g of FeDTPA to my approximately 200gallons, twice a week. All iron disappears over 2.5-3 days.[/quote]





I'm using the "Aqua One Freshwater Iron Test Kit" and I will buy a Hanna Iron mini-colorimeter to keep an eye on things but once I get the dose correct it will be just a matter of adding that amount weekly and nothing should need too be checked.

I am currently adding 9.2 grams of DTPA Chelated Iron 11% per week to 1,400 litres based on the following formula:

2mg/l every 3 weeks (2 milligrams per litre)
2mg/l = 7.58 mg/gal
11% DTPA = 0.11
= 68.9090909 milligrams per gallon
1400 litre System = 369.8409 us gallons
68.9 x 369.8 = 25479.22 milligrams
25479.22mg = 25.47922 grams
25.5 grams every 3 weeks = 8.5 grams per week

Pink Measuring Spoons:
1 – Teaspoon = 5.0 grams
½ - Teaspoon = 2.8 grams
¼ - Teaspoon = 1.4 grams

Total = 9.2 grams per week

Each measuring spoon's contents were weighed on digital scales for an accurate weight. Each spoon is leveled by the handle of another spoon so the dose never varies.

And the reason for 9.2 grams and not the 8.5 grams calculated is the measuring spoons I have total 9.2 grams and I'd rather be a little over than a little less.

I sure adding a weekly dose rather than the larger dose every 3 weeks it would be taken up by the plants quicker and be better for the fish.

In this photo it's Fe-EDDHA Iron being tested and shows a reading but the DTPA Chelated Iron11% does not give any reading at all using the same test kit but if the calculations are correct it shouldn't need to checked.


Rupe:
If you can see that I'm off the mark in anyway here could you please set me right?

Thanks
Joe

Do you think this is Iron deficiency?

Kale, Rhubarb and cabbage (or maybe Brussels =- I lost track!) also show it though some looks a bit more marbled then straight intervenal.. Its all in one half of the bed and its a newer bed in the system (12 months old).







Broccoli and silver beet are not showing any issues.

mattyoga:

Someone else would be able to give you a better answer than I could but my plants were yellow over the whole leaf and would then drop off as in the first photo.


The second photo is the same plants since adding Chelated Iron and the missing Bok Choy were fully grown and have all been eaten. The Bok Choy improved with no yellowing once the Iron was added and ended up being great tasting vegetables.

looks good - I've ordered some Iron so will see - How was the kale in the background prior to treatment?

I know from a dietary point of view kale is very high in iron, so I'm guessing it requires lots to grow (though maybe is also capable of creating localized root chemistry to assimilate it)

The kale kept losing the bottom leaves, they would turn yellow and the drop off, it's still occurring but nowhere near as often as it was before the iron was added. They haven't done all that well in growth compared to the other plants possibly due too lack of iron and I probably wouldn't bother growing Kale again.

Mattyoga make sure you don't use any EDDHA Iron Chelate if you need to see your fish.

Yeah I still can't see mine... might do a partial water change... but I don't want to lose the nutrients

I wonder what brand Nate uses and if his water turns red. I need to find an iron suppliment but am hesitant of the one that discolours the water.

Tom:

I changed fish tanks and did a approximately a 1000 litre water change out 1400 litres and there's still a bit of red visible it must be iron hanging in the GB's because they tell me it definitely has NO dye in it.

Charlie if you look at his video it's a yellow powder he's using and I would think that it is DTPA