Quick Question On Plant Nutrition

[geer head]

I'm sure if I kept searching, I could find the answer to my question, but after 10 minutes I feel lazy.

I have a 55 (US) gal tank that has plants and is getting more.


I am just starting CO2 injection and I currently use Flourish Trace for trace elements. One of the guys at the LFS said that the trace would be enough and I won't need to supplement with iron. He does have a tank of his own and was very knowledgeable about everything else, but it would be nice to get a couple second opinions.

Will I be fine without using iron?

Also, the directions on the bottle of trace say to add 1 capful every two weeks (for every 20gal). I'm currently doing a water change every week (soon I'll start cutting back to two weeks then one month), so should I put in that amount of trace every water change, or should I put it 1/2 that amount every water change, etc? Once I get down to two weeks or less, should I follow the directions, or should I put in 1/2 every week?

Thanks! I'm completely new to planted tanks and it would be nice for this not to be a $300 mistake, lol.

 

[aaronnorth]

it will be fine without iron unless the plants show a iron defficiency. When iron is dosed it can react with phosphate and become ferric (Fe+3) which isnt of much use to plants anyway.

definatley dose weekly. daily, or every other day is better. i would do 3 capfuls a week.

 

[geer head]

Thanks.