Re: Iron - a Hard Nutrient to Figure -- or -- Fe Fe2 fo fum

["S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>]

*Thusly* spake Roger Miller:
 
> According to me hydroponics source iron toxicity is
> unlikely unless the pH 
> drops below 5.  These symptoms would be in the
> greenhouse, not in the tank: 
> excessively green growth and deficiencies of manganese
> and/or zinc.  I'm not 
> too sure how you determine when the green is excessive.

One way might be that you need a lot less post-production
on your photos ;-)

> . . . It sounds to me like you might actually need a
plant
> analysis to diagnose the 
> problem.

I think iron is rather confusing but ironcially so.  I've
heard iron tests disparaged, and for what sounds like good
reasons -- most hobbyist type ones don't really work very
well.  I've also heard that iron levels can be rather low
and that's fine and some folks have said they dose large
amounts.  I tried both and I've done it on tanks with UVs
running nonstop and tanks without UV.  I don't really
notice a difference in the plants -- I've never noticed
chlorisis in my plants.  So I don't know what happens with
iron except that it seems relatively easy for plants to get
enough and a lot doesn't cause much (any) visible harm. 
Btw, my tap water has virtually no iron in it so that isn't
a source of iron.

So I don't understand a thing about iron, perhaps less than
I thought I did a year ago.  But I'm beginning to think it
doesn't much matter, so to speak.  I'm starting to think
iron is like water in an aquarium -- sure you can have to
much, and none is not acceptable at all, but in between
there's lots of room to move.

Scott H.

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