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Re: Trace mineral mix
Frank Hillman wrote:
> Being unhappy with the currently available substrate
> enrichment/fertilizers products (they all seem to have to much N or P or
> both) I have just about convinced one of my suppliers to custom blend a
> packet of dry trace minerals only. This is what I have asked for:
>
> Iron 5%
> Maganesse 2%
> Zinc 4%
> Copper 0.10%
> Boron 1.3%
> Molybdenum 0.06%
>
> The blend is pretty much the "standard issue" hydroponics mix. The mix
> will be injected into the substrate as a thick slurry or combined with a
> solid material(clay ball method but something better than clay)) and
> inserted around the plants. Anyone care to make comment: too much/to
> little/something missing from the list? K will be provided from
> potassium nitrate since it is readily available off the shelf.
Using trace minerals in large quantities (you don't say how much you
plan to use but it needs to be milligrams or less) is toxic.
I don't have too much information on it but my sister who is studying to
be a lab technician and is performing soil analysis has told me that
manganese is very toxic and zinc and copper are less toxic. Non chelated
iron should not be toxic however high concentrations of chelated iron in
the substrate might be dangerous.
Please refer to the notes on F-T-E in my website for instructions on the
amounts of this used. Iron is not toxic however manganese is very toxic.
Be careful. If you want to use a fertilizer amendment for clay balls, I
suggest that you choose a conventional fertilizer which contains trace
nutrients. Use only about 200 mg per clay ball or less if you are using
the pellet method. Find the URL link to the plant guild pages for
information about the pellet method (or perhaps Frank will post a follow
up to this msg)
Steve Pushak Vancouver, BC, CANADA
Visit "Steve's Aquatic Page" http://home.infinet.net/teban/
for LOTS of pics, tips and links for aquatic gardening!!!