Micro nutrients diy

[Asher E.]

When making a diy micro fertilizer how important is it that the micros are chelated?
My tank has a ph below 7.
Also I could use suggestions on what type of iron I should get. I see iron ferrous sulfate, red iron oxide, and black iron oxide.

 

[Burr740]

Fe is the only micro that needs to be chelated. No retail liquid fertilizer uses chelated compounds (besides Fe) From Seachem to Tropica, the leading All-in-Ones, my stuff. These all have non-chelated micros

These micros dont need it because it is not important for them to stick around long term in the water, matter of fact its probably best they dont. Some of them do, some longer than others, it doesnt matter. When it comes to these lesser micros plants can take what they need in quick sips every so often. It is not important to have stable concentrations in the water like it is with macros and gh

So just use SO4 compounds like this



For PH around 7 DTPA wil be your best Fe chelate to use. Thats what I use and spike it with a small amount of gluconate to provide a quick potent sip. 5:1 DTPA:gluc. But thats totally optional. All DTPA would be fine too

 

[Asher E.]

Would this be good for the iron?

 

[Burr740]

Yep

 

[Dennis Wong]

2hr Aquarist APT range uses chelated micros btw.

 

[hamfist]

2hr Aquarist APT range uses chelated micros btw.

Whats your reasoning for this Dennis ? I have no expertise in this at all BTW, so I am just an interested bystander in this conversation.

 

[Burr740]

2hr Aquarist APT range uses chelated micros btw.

Let me correct my statement then lol. All retail liquids besides APT use unchelated micros!