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Re: Questions about PMDD



>If I understand correctly the best method is to measure the iron content 
>of the water and dose enough PMDD to keep iron levels at .1 ppm.
Not necessarily 0.1 ppm! this for very good reasons:
1st of all your tank might not ask for all this concentration of
micro-elements but something more or something less. It could depend on
many factors, the main ones may be light and CO2.
2nd - as you already said - we don't know what that 0.1 is the measure of. 

>I'm 
>using terralit as a substrate additive and have never had insufficient 
>iron level in my tank <.1 ppm (also no signs of iron deficiency in my 
well.. this basically answer your question. I've never used Terralit, so I
don't know that substrate but asking if Terralit should be used alone or as
complement to some other product of the same brand is not the point here.
If you haven't had any iron deficiency (especially under long term period)
and you've used a _complete_ trace-element supplier (as PMDD "should" be),
it's likely that a micro-nutrient deficiency would not be the problem. But
more investigation is need here. We need more data of your water values and
on your tank condition. 


>observed an overt element deficiency in my plants.  Just slow growth in 
>some species, rising nitrate levels, and outbreaks of algae.
if your nitrate levels are rising up (and probably phosphates are rising
too, that's why algae are growing!) it appears that something other than
nitrogen is the limiting factor, and not necessarily iron. Chech your TH,
KH, and CO2 levels and also if you have old lights.


Ciao!:)
Luca