Maxicrop Plus Iron dosing rate?

[bsfman]

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]

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]

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]

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).

[bsfman]

Awesome! Thanks Oliver. Sounds like a safe dosage is way more than I guessed! (Your plants and fish look great by the way!)

[davidstcldfl]

Oliver, nice looking plants... "Live' pictures...very cool..

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...

[urbanfarmer]

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!

[bsfman]

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]

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! 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!

[bsfman]

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.