Saltwater Plant Supplement

[somethin fishy]

This maybe a silly question but would there be any merit in using a supplement like flourish to aid seaweed growth In a coldwater marine tank?

If not has anybody used something else?

[somethin fishy]

OK I 'e-mailed seahchem;

"Could you please tell me if any of your Flourish products would be suitable for promoting growth of seaweed in a saltwater aquarium? This is not a reef tank, no corals.."

Reply is:

"It would not be unsuitable, but we've never tried it in this application so we couldn't guarantee positive results although there is no reason to expect any negative results."

Anybody have any thoughts?

--

[Pies]

All you need to grow weed is light and current, well I have heaps of it growing in my tank and thats all I have.

Don't think I would add anything to grow seaweed.

Pies

[lduncan]

I may be wrong, but Flourish mainly contains iron right? I may be wrong again, but I think seaweed relies on iodine more than it does iron.

Layton

[wasp]

Flourish is not suitable for marine, because the iron in it is in a form that will precipitate out with your carbonate alkalinity as soon as you add it to the water.

However, Somethin Fishy, you are correct that iron addition will be big benefit to plant growth in a marine tank. The reason is that iron occurs in trace amounts that are quickly depleted in aquaria with a good amount of plant growth, and it can in fact be iron, rather than nitrates, etc. that will become limiting.

The best locally available product to supplement iron in marine aquaria is Seachem Reef Plus. However, this product is not really ideal because it is not primarily a iron supplement, and you may end up overdosing other trace elements.

The best way to do it right, would be to purchase a proper marine iron supplement from an e - vendor such as Marine Depot.

If you have a lot of plant growth, it is virtually garuanteed you will see a good improvement upon adding iron. And of course this will assist in removal of other nasties from your water that the plants will absorb. You then harvest the surplus plant growth and will aid your water quality.

[lduncan]

Don't the makers of Zeovit do an iron supplement? Maybe Brendan could help you out.

Layton

[jetskisteve]

i have a bottle of iron suppement that you can have for free if you want it.

[somethin fishy]

Found out seachem also do REEF IODIDE.

That sounds like what I want.

Thanks for your help guys..

[wasp]

You will still benefit from iron.

Here is a useful read http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/aug2002/chem.htm

[wasp]

Hey Steve, if somethin fishy doesn't want that iron, I'll take it if that's OK.

Which iron is it?

[Nicks]

I have a couple of irons here, don't use then. Just buy polyester clothes the creases fall out.

But seriously.

Iodine supplement.

Go to a chemist or health food shop and buy Lugols Solution.

Mix 1 part lugols to 50parts de-ionised or other clean water.

Add 1/4 teaspoon of bicarb as a preservative and this is an excellent ionine supplement.

I think you add 12mls per 50imp gallons per week. add in small doses daily.

You can get a full list on UR. do a search for iodine or lugols.

Costs very very cheap, last you long long time

Nicks

[petplanet]

Red Sea do Marine Green for growing marine algae. A good calcium level would be important for some of the calcifying algaes.