Thought I’d share the first two blossoms of the season here – from a peach seedling, and from a Zaiger NewRoot1 Rootstock.


Thought I’d share the first two blossoms of the season here – from a peach seedling, and from a Zaiger NewRoot1 Rootstock.
This is adapted from the Taylor Test website, to better suit the needs of Aquaponics enthusiasts.
You can get the reagents you will need online, or from a local pool supply store. In the USA, Leslie Pools will have the reagents, but you can find better prices if you figure out where all the pool guys buy their supplies. On 12/14/2014, Leslie Pools online showed the price as $28.97 + tax + shipping for the reagents. I recall purchasing them a pool supply company for $16ish.
The reagents we need are all in dropper bottles. Taylor Test uses a letter after the reagent to indicate the bottle size. A = 3/4 oz. C=2oz. E=16oz. Because of the differing usage levels, I recommend buying the R-0011L in the A size. It matches up well with the other reagents in C size.
The Reagent Shopping List
The regular procedure has a resolution of 4ppm. The Alternate procedure has a resolution of 10ppm, but half as much reagent and uses an API test tube (which you already have) instead of a 25ml container (which you might need to buy).
One thing that can make the whole process easier is the Taylor Technologies 9265 Magnetic Mixer. It stirs the sample for you during the titration, uses LED lights to help you see the process, and includes a 25ml sample container + the necessary batteries. Not a must-have, but definitely a neat gadget that makes the process easier.
Procedure:
Alternate Procedure:
Manganese is an essential micronutrient for plants, participating in several metabolic processes – mainly photosynthesis. Of course, an excess amount is toxic.
Deficiency symptoms can include: Interveinal chlorosis on older leaves, light green leaves with dead patches ringed in yellow, few flowers or fruit. Interveinal Chlorosis and few flowers/fruit can have many causes, so testing is recommended to determine actual deficiency.
Hoagland suggests a Manganese level of 0.5ppm. While higher than the PNEC_Aquatic of 0.246, a review of common Aquaponics organisms suggests that levels <1ppm should be safe.
Unless you have a colorimeter, your best bet is the SenSafe Manganese test strips. These aren’t normal test strips, but the directions are clear.
Know of a different or better way to test for Manganese in Aquaponics? Let me know in the comments and I’ll update this post.