Diy mixes
- Thread starter charlest
- Start date
I'm not sure I understand the question. Calcium, magnesium and potassium are not micronutrients in seawater. They are all major ions, and we have DIY recipes for all of those.
Most people do not dose nitrogen or phosphorus to reef tanks except in very special circumstances.
There are DIY recipes for iron, but not most other trace elements.
What ions are you referring to?
Most people do not dose nitrogen or phosphorus to reef tanks except in very special circumstances.
There are DIY recipes for iron, but not most other trace elements.
What ions are you referring to?
Well, I think we have a teminology issue.
Magnesium is not a micronutrient in seawater. It is the third most abundant ion. No fertilizer has enough magnesium to be useful. There is a more than a pound of solid magnesium in 100 gallons of seawater, so any supplement needs a lot of material.
My DIY magnesium recipes are here:
Do-It-Yourself Magnesium Supplements for the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php
Potassium too is a big ion in seawater, with 150 grams in 100 gallons of seawater. Folks who choose to supplement it (it never gets depleted in my aquarium) use things like iHerb potassium chloride:
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Potassium-Chloride-Powder-8-oz-227-g/777
Boron is not much of a nutrient in seawater and does not seem to get depleted in most aquaria (not in mine, for example), but it is easy to add Borax if that is needed. I describe that in this article:
Boron in a Reef Tank
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2002/chem.htm
For iron, I currently recommend that folks who want to dose it make a ferrous gluconate supplement from Fergon tables from the drug store. This describes the iron dosing:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2451335
I do not know of any good DIY for manganese or molybdenum or zinc, but commercial supplements certainly contain them. I've never added any zinc supplement to my aquarium, and it is still slightly elevated over NSW levels, so I wouldn't add zinc without measuring.
Magnesium is not a micronutrient in seawater. It is the third most abundant ion. No fertilizer has enough magnesium to be useful. There is a more than a pound of solid magnesium in 100 gallons of seawater, so any supplement needs a lot of material.
My DIY magnesium recipes are here:
Do-It-Yourself Magnesium Supplements for the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php
Potassium too is a big ion in seawater, with 150 grams in 100 gallons of seawater. Folks who choose to supplement it (it never gets depleted in my aquarium) use things like iHerb potassium chloride:
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Potassium-Chloride-Powder-8-oz-227-g/777
Boron is not much of a nutrient in seawater and does not seem to get depleted in most aquaria (not in mine, for example), but it is easy to add Borax if that is needed. I describe that in this article:
Boron in a Reef Tank
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2002/chem.htm
For iron, I currently recommend that folks who want to dose it make a ferrous gluconate supplement from Fergon tables from the drug store. This describes the iron dosing:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2451335
I do not know of any good DIY for manganese or molybdenum or zinc, but commercial supplements certainly contain them. I've never added any zinc supplement to my aquarium, and it is still slightly elevated over NSW levels, so I wouldn't add zinc without measuring.
Zinc and mo can be pretty toxic. Looks like I found the right guy. I have 5 pounds of ferrous gluconate 12% at home no need for pills. What ppm gluconate would you recommend. Its bioavailability to the corals would be short lived. Any problems using Chelators like dtpa edta etc?
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I prefer to not use as strong of a chelator as EDTA. The way iron gets loose from that involves UV and oxidation, which might vary a lot tank to tank.
I add the equivalent of about 1-2 ug/L iron once a week or so.
FWIW, I dose it most for macroalgae.
I add the equivalent of about 1-2 ug/L iron once a week or so.
FWIW, I dose it most for macroalgae.
And not to start a battle but all iron sources break down in uv. It is however bioavailable until it completely breaks down or bonds with phosphates. That process takes days and days. Leaving iron in the water column to be used over a longer period. Gluconate breaks down within half-hour or so. So I'm confused. Unless I'm incorrect.
EDTA apparently does not release iron to marine organisms unless it chemically breaks apart. Not true of things like citrate or gluconate.
Why do you think iron gluconate (not just gluconate) breaks down in 30 minutes?
These have more on iron:
First Iron Article: Macroalgae and Dosing Recommendations
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/aug2002/chem.htm
Second Iron Article: Iron: A Look at Organisms Other than Macroalgae
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2002/chem.htm
from the first one:
In many cases of iron intended for the marine hobby, the product may not tell you what the iron is chelated with, in order to protect proprietary formulations. I don't actually know if it matters too much. Very strong chelation by certain molecules will actually inhibit bioavailability by not permitting release of the iron without completely taking apart the chelating molecule, but I expect that manufacturers have avoided those molecules. EDTA and citrate, and some others, actually degrade photochemically, releasing small amounts of free iron continually. It is believed to be the free iron that is actually taken up by many organisms, and likely iron(II), though some organisms may be able to convert iron(III) to iron(II) before uptake (the detailed absorption mechanisms are generally not known). There is a more detailed discussion of this degradation and uptake in "Captive Seawater Fishes" by Stephen Spotte (1992).
Thank you for the information Randy. Good read. So why not use real gluconate. I know it's very hard to get and expensive but seems like it would be a lot more effective. Also do you have any good reads on amino acid mixes "diy" . Thanks.
What do you mean by real gluconate?
What I currently do and recommend is ferrous gluconate in the form of Fergon tablets.
You mean a bulk ferrous gluconate powder?
What I currently do and recommend is ferrous gluconate in the form of Fergon tablets.
You mean a bulk ferrous gluconate powder?
OK, but a single Fergon tablet has enough iron for weeks in my system. It isn't expensive.
