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High phospate level

Sean Bugeja

Seedling
Joined
7 Apr 2019
Messages
19
Location
Malta
My phosphate is over 2 ppm. I stopped dosing k2po4. My question is..... Will the high phospate level interact with the iron I'm supplying and create an iron defiency? I think my high phosphates are coming from the flake food I'm feeding... Water changes simply reduce it temporarily. No algae in tank
 
Hi all,
My phosphate is over 2 ppm.
The first thing I'd say is that it doesn't make any difference, assuming your plants are growing OK? you can just ignore it. All it means is that the plants aren't likely to be phosphorus deficient.
I stopped dosing k2po4.
Are you still dosing a potassium source, like potassium nitrate (KNO3) or potassium chloride (KCl)? You need to keep on adding potassium, because plants need a lot more potassium than they do phosphate (PO4---), and K2PO4 is as much a potassium source (~45% K) as a phosphorus one (18% P, 55% PO4).
My question is..... Will the high phospate level interact with the iron I'm supplying and create an iron defiency?
It will, but nearly all anions react with iron (Fe+++) ions, so it doesn't really make any practical difference. We have to use chelator for iron (like FeEDTA), because of the difficulties of <"keeping iron in solution">.

Because Malta is a limestone island, I'm assuming that your water is hard? In that case you may need another chelator, <"like FeEDDHA">,

cheers Darrel
 
I live in Malta the water is hard and if you go to a local garden center the chelated iron is eddha I have some myself 3euro for about a life times worth lol but stains the water a slight pinky color
 
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