Iron is to low tech what co2 is to high tech.

[starlord]

I've got relatively new copper pipes and my wife's got this habit of boiling water in an aluminum teapot - I've been meaning to mention it to her a few times now.

[Doubled]

I've been re-reading this thread over and over and still can't wrap my head around what you're getting at. Are you saying that using CO2 is similar to using iron in some way?

[shakinStevens]

I've noticed a lot of low-tech vs high-tech comparisons using the dirted tank method, and it's interesting to see how close the gap is. What strikes me is that low-tech tanks rarely get iron dosing. I'm convinced that with some hardy fish and consistent iron dosing, low-tech would give high-tech an even run for its money. Assuming both are using top-notch grow lights, of course. The thing is, dosing iron is a breeze compared to dealing with empty Co2 bottles - taking them to a welder's shop and all the hassle that comes with it. Iron really is underappreciated for the impact it has in low-tech tanks.

Many people struggle with EI, but you rarely hear about it on forums. The successful tanks get all the attention, while the unsuccessful ones quietly disappear or get sold off. I've seen it happen on other forums, where people post their entire setup for sale after giving up.

The main issue is pH - it needs to be acidic enough to use Fe EDTA. However, some people's water just won't cooperate. Others have problems with deficiencies in Ca, Mg, S, and more, but don't know how to identify or fix them. I had a terrible experience with CSM+B fertilizer - it just wouldn't grow anything in my tank. I later discovered it was because I had no zinc and my pH was off. Even after correcting the zinc deficiency and switching to FE DTPA, the results were underwhelming. The hard green spot algae took over the glass due to a phosphate deficiency. I had to dose four times the normal amount of phosphate, and even that wasn't enough to last a week. Weekly maintenance was a nightmare.

By the way, boiling tap water in an aluminum pot doesn't do anything, and it's not hazardous to humans or fish.

[starlord]

I've found that aluminum, even in small amounts, can be a risk and I've read it's linked to Alzheimer's, which is why I'm not too keen on my wife boiling water in that aluminum teapot. The comparison between Co2 and iron is that iron can give all the plants in low tech a boost, just like Co2 does in high tech. It's not as dramatic, no fizzy water, but I've found iron to be way more important for aquarium plant health in low tech than any other ingredient.

Low tech has its own rules, and I've found that not making large water changes is best. Leave that to the Co2 people who make huge changes weekly or even daily, and set up systems that constantly add tap water. I've had my fair share of experience, and I can tell you that I'll never go back to huge weekly water changes as long as I have large amounts of plants, including the Syngonium that loves EDTA iron.

[shakinStevens]

I've noticed a lot of low-tech vs high-tech comparisons using the dirted tank method, and it's interesting to see how close the gap is. What strikes me is that low-tech tanks rarely get iron dosing. I'm convinced that with some hardy fish and consistent iron dosing, low-tech would give high-tech an even run for its money. Assuming both are using top-notch grow lights, of course. The thing is, dosing iron is a breeze compared to dealing with empty Co2 bottles - taking them to a welder's shop and all the hassle that comes with it. Iron really is underappreciated for the impact it has in low-tech tanks.

Aluminum is everywhere, it's in our bodies and it's in the earth. I'm not saying it's a risk factor for Alzheimer's but we should be careful. The CDC's got a list of risk factors for Alzheimer's and aluminum isn't on it. High blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, depression, smoking, hearing loss, and binge drinking are the main ones.

You're focusing on one thing at a time, like potassium, then iron, now CO2. But there are 15 elements plants need to grow, besides oxygen and hydrogen from water. Any one of these can make or break a planted tank. I went through 7 elements and still had issues. It wasn't until I looked at all 15 that I had success. One thing I learned is that if your fertilizer doesn't have an element, it's probably going to be deficient.

Low tech and high tech have the same goal: giving plants what they need to grow. Low tech people just do it differently. There's a middle ground that uses a mix of both. It all depends on your tap water, maintenance, tank size, and stocking.

[starlord]

I keep things simple, that's just how I roll. Low tech, low price, it's the way to go for me. I've seen those dirted tanks go toe-to-toe with Co2 tanks for weeks, but then they start to slow down as the dirt gets washed away with big water changes. That's why I'm convinced low tech needs to ditch the huge water changes. It took me years to figure this out - four years of hardcore plant keeping without Co2, to be exact. And you know what the game-changer was? Iron. That's right, iron is the secret to making low tech planted aquariums thrive.

[starlord]

Another thing I've been thinking about - chelated iron. I'm starting to wonder if the chelation process doesn't also unlock other micronutrients in the water for the plants. Fluxx, it seems like you wouldn't need to add as many trace elements once you're using chelated iron. I mean, it's like it's opening up a whole new world of nutrients for the plants to absorb.

[starlord]

I changed the title to better reflect my point. I see lots of low tech versus hi while doing the dirted tank method for low tech and that makes it a tighter race - but they never dose Iron in the low tech. I'm sure with some hardy fish and consistent dosing low tech would close the gap even more. Both using advanced gro lights of course. Dosing iron though is so much easier than taking your empty Co2 bottles corass town to a welders shop and all that it entails. Iron is really underrated for what it does in low tech.

[TwinTankman]

I'm probably the oddball in this conversation since I've done the opposite of what's being discussed here. I've kept a high-tech CO2 tank with intense lighting for over a decade, but my current setup consists mainly of low-maintenance plants.

I've relied on Tropica fertilizers for the most part, and I've also used Excel. In my larger, heavily planted tanks with snails and shrimp, I've started incorporating some Seachem products, like Equilibrium. My tanks are essentially jungles, with most plants being transplanted from other tanks. I've had a compacta sword for nearly 20 years, and my anubias plants often break the surface.

I change around 50-65% of the water every few weeks and then add Excel and the specific fertilizers for each tank. I appreciate plants for their role in filtering the water and benefiting the fish, but with numerous tanks to manage and a focus on fish, I don't have as much time for plant care.

I've had some interesting exchanges with Tom Barr about 15 years ago, and I've learned a lot from Karen Randall's work. One of her quotes that stuck with me is, "If you can't grow any plant under 3 wpg, look for the reason elsewhere."

[starlord]

If you're using Co2, that puts you in high tech territory. I think low tech enthusiasts just don't want the hassle of dealing with cylinders and frequent trips to get them refilled. But they still want to get the best results possible from their dirted, fertilized aquariums with plants. And let's be honest, the better the lighting, the better the outcome.

Eventually, dirted soils will run out and get depleted. That's when iron becomes the most crucial additive. Or, you can start over.