So why the iron dosing?

[slipknottin]

Noticed that the majority of plant or algae keepers seem to be dosing iron into the tank once a week or so. Why did you choose this method over using an iron rich substrate like onyx or fluorite?

 

[SeanT]

Dosing iron allows you to control the amount that enters the take versus just any old amount leeching in.
The reason to dose iron is that it keeps many macro-algaes from going sexual and spoiling water conditions.

 

[billsreef]

Also macro algaes, unlike vascular plants with roots, take up thier nutrients from the water column and not the substrate.

 

[slipknottin]

Iron rich substrates will add iron into the water column. A slow release steady supply that wont reach undesirable levels.

C prolifera, Mexicana, racesamosa, cuppressoidies and a few others are 'root' feeders like vascular plants, they use their rhizoids for a similar purpose.

 

[GACDIVER]

I thought Rhizoids were these:
"Cellular outgrowths which usually aids in anchoring and to increase surface area for acquiring water or nutrients."

Macro algae are non vascular so they donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t have xylem and phloem tubules. Even if the roots did absorb they would not have any where to put it. In non vascular plants the whole plant absorbs material. The rhizoids just add to the surface area of the plant. At least thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s what I thought.

Sean

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Why did you choose this method over using an iron rich substrate like onyx or fluorite?

Control.

Iron rich substrates will add iron into the water column. A slow release steady supply that wont reach undesirable levels.

Is there any documentation that shows that to be true in seawater?