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bsfman
08-31-2011, 12:00 PM
Total system water in system #1 = 280 gallons. Total system water in system #2 = 725 gallons (these include sumps and grow bed volume). ph in system #1 is 7.9, system #2 is 8.3. Just transplanted plants into both systems. I know with the high ph, iron uptake will be an issue. How much Maxicrop Plus iron do you Maxicrop users recommend?

Thanks!

davidstcldfl
08-31-2011, 12:57 PM
Hi BSFman, The 1st time I added some....I did the guy thing, I just poured some in... :)
In your bigger system, try starting with around a 1/4 of a cup.

When I do add now, I use about a cup...to 2,000 + of water. ( about twice a month)
I adjust that, accordig to how much of a plant load I have. Lots of young lettuce plants, seem to suck up the iron. It's pretty easy to notice the yellow leaves. After awhile of trial and error, I got a feel for it. I try to add just enough to stay ahead of the curve.

In addition, I use a liquid iron product from Lowes. I think the brand is Sunniland (?) A gallon is only like 5 or 6 dollars. It helps make the Maxi-crop ($) go further. Bannana peels are the only other thing I add on a regualr basis.

bsfman
08-31-2011, 01:15 PM
Hi BSFman, The 1st time I added some....I did the guy thing, I just poured some in... :)
In your bigger system, try starting with around a 1/4 of a cup.


Thanks david. Wow! 1/4 cup was way more than I had figured to add so I appreciate the advice! n I was gonna start with like a half an ounce which probably wouldn't have made a dent in the iron needs of the plants. The stuff doesn't have aquaponics instructions on the label - just foliar spray and drench applications.

Oliver
08-31-2011, 02:34 PM
I am up to three of the supplied Maxicrop +iron cups every two to three weeks. I have a total of about 300 gallons of water in the system. The fish seem fine and the plants are growing well. I mix the three cups (supplied) in a 1/2 gallon plastic bottle with water and then pour it into each of the five 11 square foot grow beds.

Before adding it, the cucumbers didn't have much green in them, mostly white. They are growing more green now, along with other plant leaves; so it looks like the dosage is about right.

The picture below shows peppers on the left two thirds. On the right are vines, cucumbers and melons. One melon can be seen sitting on the Hydroton just to the right of the fish feeder, almost in the dark.

Almost forgot, this picture is live so if it is night time (pacific time) when you see it, you won't.

Oliver

p.s. Added fish picture (live) as well. Each time you refresh the page, the fish picture will look different (if day time).

http://71.121.61.47/greenhouse-1.jpg

http://71.121.61.47/fishcam.jpg

bsfman
08-31-2011, 02:56 PM
Awesome! Thanks Oliver. Sounds like a safe dosage is way more than I guessed! (Your plants and fish look great by the way!)

davidstcldfl
08-31-2011, 03:37 PM
Oliver, nice looking plants... :D "Live' pictures...very cool.. :mrgreen:


I am up to three of the supplied Maxicrop +iron cups every two to three weeks
I buy the liquid gallons...I never got a cup with it ...?... :( Are you buying it in a dry form...?

BSF, I didn't want to tell you to use too much to start, it's easy to add more. I've heard other folks added so much, it darkened the water ...like I did the 1st time... :lol:

urbanfarmer
08-31-2011, 05:39 PM
Total system water in system #1 = 280 gallons. Total system water in system #2 = 725 gallons (these include sumps and grow bed volume). ph in system #1 is 7.9, system #2 is 8.3. Just transplanted plants into both systems. I know with the high ph, iron uptake will be an issue. How much Maxicrop Plus iron do you Maxicrop users recommend?

Thanks!
You don't need that Maxicrop stuff. If you are always adding it you basically have a hydroponic system with fish. We're doing aquaponics! Anyway, it's seaweed extract so you can also over time get a sodium build up and kill everything.

Buy chelated iron from the garden center. For $5 you'll have enough for 3-5 years...

You have been warned! :twisted:

bsfman
08-31-2011, 05:54 PM
Buy chelated iron from the garden center. For $5 you'll have enough for 3-5 years...


So if I was to do that, what is the applicable chelated iron dosing rate? Same as the recommendations for the Maxicrop?

urbanfarmer
08-31-2011, 06:43 PM
Buy chelated iron from the garden center. For $5 you'll have enough for 3-5 years...


So if I was to do that, what is the applicable chelated iron dosing rate? Same as the recommendations for the Maxicrop?
It depends on the make up of the liquid iron, but it should not be cups but rather teaspoons and you won't be adding it all that often. It will take a while for you to get a feel for your system. It's not a linear relationship between time and the demand for iron. Many factors including other nutrients, sun, temperatures, pH, stage of plant growth, type of plant, etc. will determine how much of what (in this case iron) the plants/system needs. After a while you will know that during this season when the plants are "yay heigh" then it needs this much iron. It's hard to say EXACTLY, but you WILL figure it out as you become a veteran gardener! :-D Just understand a gallon of the liquid iron lasts A VERY LONG TIME. For the first few doses WAIT until you see a deficiency because unless you have a way to measure the iron you could overdose the system and cause a phosphorous nutrient lockout and then that will send you spiraling down a dark vortex!

Sea weed extract is good if you want to cheat your way around letting your system mature itself, and should only be used in the beginning or as an emergency in the absence of other nutrient solutions. It's just too darn expensive and has sodium for no reason.

Don't listen to Murray Hallam who says to add it all the time 24/7/365... that's just dumb.

Calcium, potassium, and iron are the only things that really have trouble getting in or staying in the system. You should add nothing else. Add calcium/potassium in compounds when raising the pH and the iron as described above.

Feel free to ask any other questions. I know, it's starting to get complex! :lol:

bsfman
09-01-2011, 05:39 AM
Thanks urbanfarmer, for the advice. I was basically just using the Maxicrop for it's iron content due to my high ph. Looks like the $5 per gallon price for chelated iron is WAY cheaper than the $10 per liter I paid at the hydro shop for the Maxicrop. I'm all about letting my fish provide the essentials for my plants, and I'm trying to avoid adding anything other than food for the fish to my system, but my high ph concerned me about the iron uptake thing. I am trying to gradually bring the ph down by using rainwater for the majority of my make up water rather than the high ph canal water. I don't wish to add any chemicals to lower the ph. I'm planting a variety of plants with the assumption some will do well and some won't given the particular water chemistry of my systems. When it becomes evident which plants do beat, I will concentrate on growing them. I don't wish to spend a lot of time, effort and $$ trying to fight the equilibrium of my water just to suit certain plants.

badflash
09-01-2011, 07:32 AM
If you are looking for a cheap source of lots of nutrients, including iron, try bloodmeal. I add 1 tbls per 100 gallons as needed.

urbanfarmer
09-01-2011, 11:22 AM
Thanks urbanfarmer, for the advice. I was basically just using the Maxicrop for it's iron content due to my high ph. Looks like the $5 per gallon price for chelated iron is WAY cheaper than the $10 per liter I paid at the hydro shop for the Maxicrop. I'm all about letting my fish provide the essentials for my plants, and I'm trying to avoid adding anything other than food for the fish to my system, but my high ph concerned me about the iron uptake thing. I am trying to gradually bring the ph down by using rainwater for the majority of my make up water rather than the high ph canal water. I don't wish to add any chemicals to lower the ph. I'm planting a variety of plants with the assumption some will do well and some won't given the particular water chemistry of my systems. When it becomes evident which plants do beat, I will concentrate on growing them. I don't wish to spend a lot of time, effort and $$ trying to fight the equilibrium of my water just to suit certain plants.
You're lucky. It's $25 at my hydro shop!

BTW, I think your pH is FINE. I probably wouldn't bother with it... How old is your system, exactly?

bsfman
09-01-2011, 01:09 PM
BTW, I think your pH is FINE. I probably wouldn't bother with it... How old is your system, exactly?

The small system was set up June 9th and populated with three dozen 3" to 6" tilapia June 14th - so 2 1/2 months. It had fully cycled by July 19th. The big system was set up Aug 22nd and populated with 150 tilapia fry August 24th - so it's just a week old. Both systems are fully cycled because I populated the fiter on the new one with old media. Zero ammonia on both systems (bith systems were initially filled with 4ppm ammonia well water), zero nitrites both systems, 10ppm nitrate on the new system, and (hard to judge the color) maybe 200 ppm nitrate on the old system.

The big system has a low bio load with only 150 1" tilapia fingerlings in 725 gallons of system water. The tilapia in the small system have grown to maybe a 7 1/2 inch average length. Perhaps 10 pounds give or take of fish. Obviously, it has a much larger bio load than the big system.

davidstcldfl
09-01-2011, 04:21 PM
[quote="urbanfarmer"] You're lucky. It's $25 at my hydro shop!

quote]

UF...Aren't you buying gallons like I am ? I pay 25 in Orlando.
BSF said he was getting a liter for 10 bucks or so, (maybe he meant a quart...?)

bsfman
09-01-2011, 05:00 PM
BSF said he was getting a liter for 10 bucks or so, (maybe he meant a quart...?)

Nope. It's marked one liter - 35 ounces. Ten bucks. (actually $9.95)

davidstcldfl
09-01-2011, 05:47 PM
BSF said he was getting a liter for 10 bucks or so, (maybe he meant a quart...?)

Nope. It's marked one liter - 35 ounces. Ten bucks. (actually $9.95)

Must be new packaging. (?)
I went to my hydro store's web site, they still have them listed as qts and gallons.
Looks like your getting a better buy BFS, with the liter versus the qt.... :D

urbanfarmer
09-01-2011, 10:03 PM
UF...Aren't you buying gallons like I am ? I pay 25 in Orlando.
OH, right... LOL... yea just checked... $10 per quart and $25 for the gallon...



BTW, I think your pH is FINE. I probably wouldn't bother with it... How old is your system, exactly?

The small system was set up June 9th and populated with three dozen 3" to 6" tilapia June 14th - so 2 1/2 months. It had fully cycled by July 19th. The big system was set up Aug 22nd and populated with 150 tilapia fry August 24th - so it's just a week old. Both systems are fully cycled because I populated the fiter on the new one with old media. Zero ammonia on both systems (bith systems were initially filled with 4ppm ammonia well water), zero nitrites both systems, 10ppm nitrate on the new system, and (hard to judge the color) maybe 200 ppm nitrate on the old system.

The big system has a low bio load with only 150 1" tilapia fingerlings in 725 gallons of system water. The tilapia in the small system have grown to maybe a 7 1/2 inch average length. Perhaps 10 pounds give or take of fish. Obviously, it has a much larger bio load than the big system.
That's plenty young. Leave it be. The filter is far from the only place there are bacteria that need to populate the system. Give it plenty of time. Remember, there is more biomass in the microbes than the fish and plants put together, but you can't SEE the microbes! :mrgreen:

bsfman
09-02-2011, 07:37 AM
BSF said he was getting a liter for 10 bucks or so, (maybe he meant a quart...?)


I ain't confused! I swear! :o

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk306/tarvus33991/Maxicrop.jpg

urbanfarmer
09-02-2011, 04:02 PM
I believe you. I was the one confused! That's a different brand than David and I have used seeing as he shops at the same hydro store as me (the one with all the pot growers, oh wait that's all of them).

davidstcldfl
09-02-2011, 07:02 PM
Uf, I went to the web site, of the hydro store that I go to. I checked out their picture of the 'quart' of maxi-crop w/ iron. (they have it marked as a quart)
When I enlarged their picture....it's the same as BSF's picture.

urbanfarmer
09-02-2011, 08:15 PM
Uf, I went to the web site, of the hydro store that I go to. I checked out their picture of the 'quart' of maxi-crop w/ iron. (they have it marked as a quart)
When I enlarged their picture....it's the same as BSF's picture.
Well, I guess we don't shop at the same shop! :lol:

Bioritize
09-03-2011, 10:18 AM
Is there a way to add a piece of cast iron to the system to supply the iron need of the plants? I was thinking of sticking a piece of iron in one of the grow beds or my bio filter.

bsfman
09-03-2011, 12:02 PM
Is there a way to add a piece of cast iron to the system to supply the iron need of the plants? I was thinking of sticking a piece of iron in one of the grow beds or my bio filter.

I was wondering the same thing, Bioritize. That would possibly add ferrous oxide to the system, but not sure if that is even soluable and if so, available for plant uptake.

urbanfarmer
09-03-2011, 03:29 PM
Is there a way to add a piece of cast iron to the system to supply the iron need of the plants? I was thinking of sticking a piece of iron in one of the grow beds or my bio filter.
I'm going with no, it won't work reliably or efficiently.

davidstcldfl
09-04-2011, 05:54 AM
Is there a way to add a piece of cast iron to the system to supply the iron need of the plants? I was thinking of sticking a piece of iron in one of the grow beds or my bio filter.

I was wondering the same thing, Bioritize. That would possibly add ferrous oxide to the system, but not sure if that is even soluable and if so, available for plant uptake.
I read an article many years ago, they were talking about 'how to' add iron to nut trees. They used iron shavings from a lathe, and buried them around the drip line, just under the grass roots.
Along that idea, it would be easy to use fine steel wool pad(s), used in wood working. I know they rust really fast. They could be burried in the media bed, under the inflow..... In a bio-filter, they could hang in a pantyhouse. They might rust faster in the media, they would be exposed to more oxygen.

As UF already pointed out, they wouldn't be 'as' reliable, as mesauring in a liquid with a pre-known iron content.

urbanfarmer
09-04-2011, 07:20 AM
Is there a way to add a piece of cast iron to the system to supply the iron need of the plants? I was thinking of sticking a piece of iron in one of the grow beds or my bio filter.

I was wondering the same thing, Bioritize. That would possibly add ferrous oxide to the system, but not sure if that is even soluable and if so, available for plant uptake.
I read an article many years ago, they were talking about 'how to' add iron to nut trees. They used iron shavings from a lathe, and buried them around the drip line, just under the grass roots.
Along that idea, it would be easy to use fine steel wool pad(s), used in wood working. I know they rust really fast. They could be burried in the media bed, under the inflow..... In a bio-filter, they could hang in a pantyhouse. They might rust faster in the media, they would be exposed to more oxygen.

As UF already pointed out, they wouldn't be 'as' reliable, as mesauring in a liquid with a pre-known iron content.
I just don't think the iron will get to the plant...

badflash
09-04-2011, 07:45 AM
Why use such strange and risky things when low cost safer solutions are available? Blood meal is a wonderful source of iron and other nutrients. Used moderately it work wonders and has lots of other nutrients too. The nutrients are readily accessible as well.

keith_r
09-04-2011, 02:28 PM
you won't get iron for the plants with anything like that.. you need chelated iron

badflash
09-05-2011, 07:33 AM
you won't get iron for the plants with anything like that.. you need chelated iron

I did. Plants greened up in days. Have you tried it? Blood meal has been used for centuries. You just can't over due it.

urbanfarmer
09-05-2011, 12:19 PM
you won't get iron for the plants with anything like that.. you need chelated iron

I did. Plants greened up in days. Have you tried it? Blood meal has been used for centuries. You just can't over due it.
I think he meant putting iron shavings in the grow bed! :D

Yes, iron from blood meal should be available or will be quickly available to the plant. However, what you probably saw was a result of the nitrogen from the blood meal. Your plant may have been deficient, but also adding nitrogen triggers the plant to take in more nutrients overall and grow!

davidstcldfl
09-05-2011, 12:52 PM
Wikipedia mentioned this.....
Blood meal is completely soluble and can be mixed with water to be used as a liquid fertilizer
I guess that would include the nitrogen and iron.

urbanfarmer
09-05-2011, 04:46 PM
Well, if you've ever tasted blood you'll know there's iron in them hills! ;-)

badflash
09-05-2011, 06:39 PM
I'd been adding worm teach, which has loads of nitrogen. The fish also should have supplied plenty. I'm betting on iron. No much with iron goes into the worm bin and my fish food is light on it as well.


[However, what you probably saw was a result of the nitrogen from the blood meal. Your plant may have been deficient, but also adding nitrogen triggers the plant to take in more nutrients overall and grow!

urbanfarmer
09-05-2011, 09:03 PM
I'd been adding worm teach, which has loads of nitrogen. The fish also should have supplied plenty. I'm betting on iron. No much with iron goes into the worm bin and my fish food is light on it as well.


[However, what you probably saw was a result of the nitrogen from the blood meal. Your plant may have been deficient, but also adding nitrogen triggers the plant to take in more nutrients overall and grow!
Makes sense then ;) I would just venture to guess that most people "on average" get a great growth response due to the nitrogen rather than the iron unless, of course, there was definitely an iron deficiency.

badflash
09-06-2011, 03:16 PM
I don't know UF. My system seems to need iron and potassium. I don't think my fish food, good as it is, has a lot of either. I use ashes for the potassium and bloodmeal for the iron. I just do it sparingly as too much of either one is a problem.

If you don't dose with a fertilizer, where else would they come from?

davidstcldfl
09-06-2011, 04:28 PM
I use ashes for the potassium and bloodmeal for the iron
Badflash, do you use hardwood ashes you make ? and at what kind of a dose ?
I've been using banana peels in the media beds (the worms love 'em) I don't think I can eat enough to keep up with the need... :roll:

urbanfarmer
09-06-2011, 04:54 PM
I don't know UF. My system seems to need iron and potassium. I don't think my fish food, good as it is, has a lot of either. I use ashes for the potassium and bloodmeal for the iron. I just do it sparingly as too much of either one is a problem.

If you don't dose with a fertilizer, where else would they come from?
Oh, I did not mean to give the impression we should not add a nutrient that is deficient, but that a system that is running well should not need anything else added besides potassium, iron, and calcium. The rest is pretty abundant from the fish waste.

Like David, I use wood ash for potassium. Since my gravel grow bed is a worm bin I like to put banana peels in there. If I was to ever have any leftover plant matter that is high in potassium, I would likely put it in there too. That is the exception because I don't put anything in the gravel for the worms (besides the fish poo). Other options include getting a "pH down" that is a potassium salt.

For calcium there are quite a few options. Recently, I started a fire and put some leftover bones on a grill. I let them char and get very brittle. I haven't gone to crush them yet, but they are ready for that. Eggshells and oyster shells are more common to use. I like to dissolve them in either vinegar or hydrochloric acid. Other options include using a "pH down" that is a calcium salt.

For iron, I use chelated iron. Since it's so cheap, I don't really bother with other alternatives, but I like the idea of the blood meal. I have a stock pile in case SHTF! :lol:

badflash
09-06-2011, 06:16 PM
Sounds like we are in violent agreement. This thread started with a mystery deficiency. No matter what anyone thinks they have, it is always a mystery. Potassium and Iron are the two that people need to supplement. Ashes and blood do the trick. Never a shortage of either.

As far as cheap goes, stock up now, or plan for self sufficiency. The days of fruit and honey are coming to close. Invest in solar PV's and windmills now. The endgame is at hand. I hope this is obvious enough of a hint that I don't sound line an oracle. Anyone not drinking the kool-ade should see what is coming.

For response to the last paragraph, please post in the SUMP.

urbanfarmer
09-06-2011, 08:06 PM
Great! :mrgreen:

badflash
09-11-2011, 08:50 PM
I only burn hardwoods, so that is what I have, mostly oak, some apple and elm. I add 2 tablespoons for 100 gallons and again a week later if I see some, but not enought improvement. Same goes for blood meal. Easy does it.



I use ashes for the potassium and bloodmeal for the iron
Badflash, do you use hardwood ashes you make ? and at what kind of a dose ?
I've been using banana peels in the media beds (the worms love 'em) I don't think I can eat enough to keep up with the need... :roll:

davidstcldfl
09-12-2011, 03:55 AM
Thanks Badflash.... :)

Eleven11
02-02-2012, 07:03 PM
So just to recap...


For potasium supplement:

2 tblsp of hardwood ash for every 100 gallons

Or

Bannana peels but you must have worms in grow beds to process them?


For iron supplement:

Chelated iron
Lowes - Sunniland Liquid Iron:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_167411-31102-12 ... facetInfo= (http://www.lowes.com/pd_167411-31102-123744_0__?productId=3082949&Ntt=sunniland&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dsunniland&facetInfo=)

What is the dose and what is the percentage of Iron in this product?

Or

Bloodmeal
Home Depot - Miracle Grow Bloodmeal
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R ... reId=10051 (http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100583722/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=bloodmeal&storeId=10051)

No listed percentage of iron here either. What was the dosage again?


For Calcium supplement:

Crushed Oyster or eggshell - either in a stocking and planted in grow bed or dissolved in acid and added to system.



Ok, regarding banana peels, I read that they are sprayed heavily with insecticide during transporting. Have you guys had any problems with them?

bsfman
02-03-2012, 06:37 AM
Ok, regarding banana peels, I read that they are sprayed heavily with insecticide during transporting. Have you guys had any problems with them?

If that's a concern, you could always splurge a little bit and buy a few organic bananas to use. ;)

Eleven11
02-03-2012, 02:17 PM
I'll have to see if I can find some organic bananas. It would be interesting to compare tastes.

I couldn't find the exact article I read but here is something a bit similar...

http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=BN

Here is something a bit more positive though...

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/08 ... uted-water (http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/08/11/139547323/slippery-banana-peels-could-be-a-savior-for-polluted-water)

Eleven11
02-04-2012, 07:52 AM
Regarding the worms...

Do you chop up the peels or just throw them in whole?

Also, I missed whether you are using a separate worm bin or just adding the peels right to the grow bed.

If you are adding to the grow bed directly, are you burying them or something?



I use ashes for the potassium and bloodmeal for the iron
Badflash, do you use hardwood ashes you make ? and at what kind of a dose ?
I've been using banana peels in the media beds (the worms love 'em) I don't think I can eat enough to keep up with the need... :roll:

Eleven11
02-04-2012, 07:15 PM
Hmmm ok after looking into iron... I planned to get the Sunniland liquid iron from Lowes but they tell they don't carry it even though it is on the website. He says they can't carry raw iron since it can be used to make bombs. Oh well... next... I called another garden store but they didn't have raw iron either... they did have Iron Sulfate solution from Bonide.

Here's a link to the ingredients:
http://www.bonide.com/lbonide/backlabels/l298.pdf

So... which iron is best?

Raw liquid iron
Iron Sulfate
Iron Chelate

Any thoughts on this Bonide product?

How do you guys know when you have a potassium or calcium deficiency?

bsfman
02-04-2012, 07:37 PM
So... which iron is best?

Raw liquid iron
Iron Sulfate
Iron Chelate


Chelated iron

davidstcldfl
02-05-2012, 05:47 AM
How do you guys know when you have a potassium or calcium deficiency?

Urbanfarmer shared the following...
Which comes first? (http://www.diyaquaponics.com/forum/showthread.php?6-Which-comes-first)

pictures...
http://5e.plantphys.net/printer.php?ch=5&id=289

Don't forget. the PH 'can' lock out minerals too....

http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad157/davidstcldfl/nutrient-ph-range.jpg

Eleven11
02-05-2012, 05:08 PM
Great article on deficiencies, thanx !

I added some hardwood ash today... mixed it in a liter bottle and poured some in each bed.

I'm still looking for a local source of iron chelate.

sdanchenko
02-05-2012, 06:48 PM
Urbanfarmer shared the following...
Which comes first? (http://www.diyaquaponics.com/forum/showthread.php?6-Which-comes-first)


There is no posts from Urbanfarmer on that link :?:

Shas
02-09-2012, 07:09 PM
Bloodmeal is no doubt the safest
and most biologically appropriate source of iron
(it has already been utilised by both plants and animals).

I'm have a question about chelated iron supplements, though-
if it is purchased from a garden or hydroponics store
it will likely be chelated with DPTA (Diethylenetriaminepentaacetate).
The makers of iron dietary supplements from the health food shop
seems to be a bit reluctant to list the actual chelating agent,
saying things like "amino acids"
(is DPTA not an amino acid?).

I'm wondering whether horticultural and human supplements
are actually the same thing
(gee, I can buy dietary supplements at Walmart garden centres!).
If they are not, how safe are the plant supplements for fish?
And for people who eat those fish?

Does anyone have firm information about this?
(guesses I can come up with myself!)

davidstcldfl
02-10-2012, 04:43 AM
Interesting point Shas.....now you have me wondering too '?'

Eleven11
02-10-2012, 09:39 AM
Here's something from MiracleGro

I don't see iron listed though...

[attachment=0:snrvor7l]Blood Meal - Organic Choice.jpg[/attachment:snrvor7l]

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R ... reId=10051 (http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100583722/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=bloodmeal&storeId=10051)



Bloodmeal is no doubt the safest
and most biologically appropriate source of iron
(it has already been utilised by both plants and animals).

Roger R.
11-04-2012, 07:46 PM
As Shas eluded to, what about crushing up a few of these for adding iron to your system?
It's approved for human consumption, in a form that people can absorb so it seems plants could too.
http://pics2.ds-static.com/prodimg/251200/300.JPG
•65 mg
•No artificial flavors, no preservatives
•No yeast, starch or gluten
•Formulated for easy absorption
•Equivalent to 325mg ferrous sulfate

Ingredients
Ferrous Sulfate, Cellulose Gel, Dibasic Calcium Phosphate, Croscarmellose Sodium, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Titanium Dioxide [Artificial Color], Magnesium Stearate, Polyethylene Glycol, Triethyl Citrate, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Citrate.

keith_r
11-05-2012, 06:32 AM
i'd rather not chance it and stick with something proven both safe and effective.. maxicrop with iron can be purchased from most hydroponic shops, or online..in my 100gallon ft/gb system, 1 liter was lasted for a year.. i got my first bottle from amazon, for under 10bucks

Oliver
11-05-2012, 09:22 AM
From Wikipedia:

"Blood meal is a dry, inert powder made from blood used as a high-nitrogen fertilizer and a high protein animal feed. N = 13.25%, P = 1.0%, K = 0.6%. It is one of the highest non-synthetic sources of nitrogen. It usually comes from cattle as a slaughterhouse by-product."

I will not be putting it in any of my systems.

Oliver

Tanktotable
12-12-2012, 05:24 PM
What is you have chelated iron in powdered form, what is the right dose?

bbikebbs
03-22-2013, 02:58 PM
Bringing this thread back to life because I just did some testing for chelated iron. Found zero in my system. Here's the test kit I used:
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w424/bbikebbs/IMG_0144_zps90399d56.jpg

I've got maxicrop with iron. Could get bloodmeal, maybe chelated iron via internet. With planting right around the corner (strawberries are in already!), I need to do something because I had symptoms of deficiencies last fall. What ever I do, I will add this test to my weekly testing just to see what happens.

I will probably add 1 cup of Maxicrop to my 175 gallons of water and test in a couple of days. That's short term. Has anyone come to a conclusion on long term?