Chelated iron (iron chelate) DTPA 11%
Regular price
$10.00
Regular price
Sale price
$10.00
Unit price
/
per
| Weight | Prix | Prix au kg | vs 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g | $10.00 | $100.00 | — |
| 500 g | $24.00 | $48.00 | −52 % |
| 1 kg | $39.00 | $39.00 | −61 % |
Chelated iron DTPA 11% corrects iron chlorosis in aquaponics as well as in hydroponics. It keeps iron available from pH 4 to 7.5, where EDTA drops off at 6.5, and it does not colour the water, unlike EDDHA which turns the pond a reddish-orange.
Water-soluble powder, safe for fish at normal use rates, around 2 ppm of iron. Allow approximately 18 g per 1,000 L, every 2 to 3 weeks.
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The summary
- What it is: DTPA-chelated iron at 11% iron, in water-soluble powder form, for correcting iron chlorosis in aquaponics and hydroponics.
- Suitable pH range: effective from pH 4 to 7.5, where EDTA loses its efficacy above 6.5. Above 7.5, EDDHA is required.
- What sets it apart: it does not discolour the water. EDDHA, by contrast, stains the pond a persistent orange-red.
- How much to use: approximately 18 g per 1,000 L to achieve 2 ppm of iron, every 2 to 3 weeks. The calculator works out the quantity for your volume.
- What about the fish: at the doses used in aquaponics, around 2 ppm of iron, iron chelates are considered safe.
- Formats and shipping: 100 g, 500 g or 1 kg, dispatched from France. Delivery times and costs are shown in the estimator on this page.
Versatile iron chelate, active up to pH 7.5, without discolouring the pond water
Chelated iron DTPA 11% does one thing, but it does it well: keeping dissolved iron available in water where it would otherwise precipitate spontaneously. It is the remedy for iron chlorosis, the discolouration that affects young leaves first, where the blade turns yellow while the veins remain green. Our guide iron deficiency in aquaponics covers diagnosis in detail before you buy.
Iron is one of the few elements that an aquaponic system does not produce in sufficient quantities: fish feed contributes too little, and the pH of a balanced tank, often between 6.5 and 7, causes free iron to precipitate as iron hydroxide, which plants cannot use. Chelation solves this problem by enclosing the iron atom within an organic molecule that prevents it from reacting with the water. The chelating agent does not feed the plant; it carries the iron to it.
Why the DTPA range is narrower than that of EDDHA
Each chelating agent binds iron with a given strength, and that strength is competed against by the hydroxide ions in the water: the higher the pH, the more of these ions are present, and the more readily they strip iron away from its chelant. DTPA holds up to pH 7.5, EDTA releases from pH 6.5, and EDDHA holds up to around pH 10. The DTPA range is therefore not narrower because of any lack of quality, but because its stability constant is lower than that of EDDHA. In return, it carries almost twice as much iron per gram of product and does not discolour the water. The comparison of the three chelates sets the figures side by side.
The deciding factor for a visible pond
DTPA does not colour the water. EDDHA, on the other hand, gives the tank an orange-red to pink tint, perfectly harmless, but clearly visible and difficult to remove without a water change. In an indoor aquarium, a display tank, an ornamental pond, or a setup shown to visitors, this one point is often what decides between the two products. If your water is already cloudy for another reason, our article on cloudy water in aquaponics covers the other causes.
How much to add, and how often
The target
Between 2 and 3 ppm of iron in the water, i.e. 2 to 3 mg per litre. Symptoms appear below approximately 1.5 ppm.
The dose
Approximately 18 g of product per 1,000 L brings the water to 2 ppm of iron, as the product contains 11% iron.
The rhythm
One application every 2 to 3 weeks. Iron is consumed and breaks down; it is not a permanent reserve.
The action
Dissolve the powder in a small amount of system water first, then pour into the sump or fish tank.
Control is done by testing, not by eye: leaves respond with a lag of several days, and the correction only shows on new growth. A leaf that has already lost its colour will not turn green again. An iron test prevents both chronic under-dosing and unnecessary accumulation. The dosage calculator on this page converts your volume into grams.
The UV lamp trap
DTPA iron is photodegradable: ultraviolet radiation breaks the bond between the iron and its chelating agent, and the iron becomes precipitable again. On a system fitted with a UV steriliser, the recommended practice is to switch the lamp off for 6 to 12 hours after each dose, to allow time for the plants to take it up. Shading the reservoir produces the same effect. This is the most common reason why a dose achieves nothing even when the quantity was correct.
Aquaponics, hydroponics, and what you should not expect from them
In aquaponics, DTPA covers the pH range found in the vast majority of systems, which makes it the standard choice. In hydroponics and soilless growing, it is suitable as long as the solution stays below pH 7.5; beyond that, in uncorrected hard water, EDDHA regains the advantage despite its colour. Our article regulating pH in aquaponics explains how to measure and stabilise this value, which governs everything else.
One final point of honesty: iron only corrects an iron deficiency. Yellowing that affects older leaves before young ones is not an iron deficiency but more commonly a nitrogen or magnesium deficiency, and no chelate will change that. Our guide to identifying deficiencies in aquaponics helps you avoid reaching for the wrong remedy, and which fertiliser to use in aquaponics puts iron in context alongside other inputs.
Technical specifications
The essentials
- Iron content
- 11 % de FeIron fully chelated by DTPA. Value recorded from three independent suppliers, including one manufacturer.
- Chelating agent
- DTPADiethylene triamine penta-acetic acid. This is what protects iron from precipitation.
- Effective pH range
- pH 4 to 7.5One supplier uses an upper limit of 7.0 rather than 7.5. See the note below the table.
- Water discolouration
- NoneThat is the key practical difference from EDDHA, which tints the water a reddish orange.
- Solubility
- Water-solubleSoluble powder — dissolve in a small amount of system water before adding.
- Target in water
- 2 to 3 ppm of ironDeficiency symptoms appear below approximately 1.5 ppm.
- Maintenance dose
- 18 g per 1 000 LTo target 2 ppm of iron. The dosage calculator on this page converts your volume.
- Dosing frequency
- Every 2 to 3 weeksIron is consumed and degrades in light; it does not constitute a lasting reserve.
Use and precautions
- Root application
- In the sump or the tankDissolve first in a small amount of system water, then pour into a well-agitated area.
- Foliar application
- Approximately 0.5 g per litreIndicative interval of 5 to 7 days. Figure sourced from a single supplier; treat it as a rough guide only.
- UV sensitivity
- PhotodegradableSwitch off the UV steriliser 6 to 12 hours after dosing, or shade the tank.
- Safety for Fish
- Safe at recommended dosesAround 2 ppm of iron. This is not a licence to overdose: shock doses have no place in a live system.
- Storage
- Dry, cool, sealedThe powder is hygroscopic: a poorly resealed sachet will clump together. Value recorded from a single supplier.
- Available formats
- 100 g, 500 g, 1 kgThe price per kilo decreases as the container size increases.
6 further specifications are available in the detailed view.
In the box
- 1 pack of chelated iron DTPA 11%, water-soluble powder, in the chosen size: 100 g, 500 g or 1 kg.
- No measuring spoon is included: have a kitchen scale accurate to the gram to hand.
- No iron test is included: the iron test is sold separately.
- No paper instructions are included: dosages are given on this page and in the calculator above.
The 11% iron content and the pH range have been cross-checked against three independent sources, including a chelate manufacturer. These sources do not agree exactly on the upper limit: 7.5 according to three of them, 7.0 according to Van Iperen. We use 7.5 while noting the discrepancy, and we recommend EDDHA above 7.0 if your pH tends to drift upwards. The dose of 18 g per 1,000 L is calculated directly from the iron content and confirmed by an aquaponic source. The foliar rate and storage instructions are based on a single source only: treat them as approximate figures.
DTPA, EDDHA or EDTA: which one for your water
All three carry the same iron. What sets them apart is the pH range over which they remain stable, the amount of iron per gramme, and whether or not they colour the pond water.
Not sure which of the three chelates to choose?
Three questions about your pH, your pond clarity and your priority, and we highlight the one that matches.
| Upper pH limit | Still stable at pH 7 | Iron content (%) | Leaves water colourless | Powder for 1,000 L at 2 mg of iron per litre (g) | Price for the 500 g size | pH range where iron remains available | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended DTPA 11 %Your choice | 7 | yes | 11 % | yes | 18 g | $24.00 | 4 to 7 |
| EDDHA 6 %Your choice | 9 | yes | 6 % | no | 33 g | $20.00 | 4 to 9 |
| EDTA 13 %Your choice | 6 | no | 13 % | yes | 15 g | $17.00 | 4 to 6 |
DTPA 11 %Recommended
pH stability
Upper pH limit7
Still stable at pH 7yes
Concentration and quantity
Iron content (%)11 %
Leaves water colourlessyes
Powder for 1,000 L at 2 mg of iron per litre (g)18 g
Price
Activity range
pH range where iron remains available4 to 7
EDDHA 6 %
pH stability
Upper pH limit9
Still stable at pH 7yes
Concentration and quantity
Iron content (%)6 %
Leaves water colourlessno
Powder for 1,000 L at 2 mg of iron per litre (g)33 g
Price
Activity range
pH range where iron remains available4 to 9
EDTA 13 %
pH stability
Upper pH limit6
Still stable at pH 7no
Concentration and quantity
Iron content (%)13 %
Leaves water colourlessyes
Powder for 1,000 L at 2 mg of iron per litre (g)15 g
Price
Activity range
pH range where iron remains available4 to 6
The pH boundaries come from two independent sources: Van Iperen, a chelate manufacturer, gives an upper limit of 7 for DTPA, 9 for EDDHA, and 6 for EDTA; Custom Hydro Nutrients publishes ranges of 4 to 7.5, 4 to 10, and 4 to 6.5. The table uses the more conservative upper limit of the two. The quantity per 1,000 L is calculated from the iron content of each product, targeting 2 mg of iron per litre; this gives the most honest cost comparison, since one gram of EDDHA carries half as much iron as one gram of EDTA. The colouration of the water by EDDHA is cosmetic and poses no risk to fish. The price shown is for the 500 g format of each product, in your currency.
Help choosing
Three questions and you'll know which one to choose
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Your estimate
Delivery
Estimated time
It covers preparing your order and then the transit time quoted by the carrier, counted in working days.
It is not a guaranteed delivery date: public holidays, peak periods, customs or a carrier delay can extend it. The exact amount, in your currency, is worked out in the cart once your address is entered.
A lightweight, non-fragile product, dispatched by tracked parcel from France. Exact shipping costs and final delivery times are shown at checkout once your address has been entered: they depend on the format ordered and the carrier selected. Outside the European Union, import duties and taxes remain the responsibility of the recipient. Delivery times run from the date of dispatch, excluding public holidays.
Frequently asked questions
14 questions
6 key questions, 14 in the detailed view
No questions in this category.
How much DTPA iron for your volume
Enter the total water volume of your system, including grow tanks. The calculation targets 2 ppm of iron, the upper maintenance level in aquaponics.
L
50 L10000 L
0g
of chelated iron DTPA 11% per application, to target 2 ppm of iron
Gentler maintenance dose, targeting 1.5 ppm
0 g
Calculation: 2 mg of iron per litre, divided by an iron content of 11%, gives approximately 18 g of product per 1,000 L. Use the actual water volume, not the nominal capacity of the tanks. Repeat every 2 to 3 weeks and switch off the UV steriliser 6 to 12 hours after dosing.
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