Iron gluconate

[redfishsc]

I think I read somewhere about making an iron supplement out of dietary iron pills that are made from iron gluconate.

If I'm not mistaken, it was one of Randy's articles, and he also mentioned a Walgreens (I think) brand to avoid due to phosphate content.


Anyone have any clue on using iron gluconate?

Thanks!

(BTW I have read fully the two articles in the links below and I don't recall the info on gluconate being in either one of them, so it may not have been something Randy wrote--- if not, sorry Randy!)

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/aug2002/chem.htm
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2002/chem.htm

 

[HighlandReefer]

Randy's Iron Mix: 1 Fergon tablet/ 50 ml. of RODI water. Let settle. Dose the unsettled part.

Fergon tablets can be purchased at the grocery store. I've been dosing about 5 - 10 ml. of the solution per week in about 145 gal. of water. I'm not sure how much you would add to your nano?

Iron dosing, IME, has improved chaeto growth. There is some research (questionable), that has shown improvement in certain soft coral growth. I have seen a correlation myself, but I have quite a few different factors going on in my system. I noted improvement in Xenia and Kenya Tree corals. Each time I stop dosing iron, the growth of these two corals seems to slow down significantly. My system has very low nitrate & phosphate levels which is not normally conducive to soft coral growth.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That DIY is what I've been using for the past few years (can't remember exactly when I started using it). If you do not want to DIY, Seachem sells the same thing in premixed form.

 

[redfishsc]

I'd rather do the DIY form, partly b/c there is a pharmacy that carries Fergon that is 2 miles from home.

By the way, do I need to keep the fergon mix in the fridge?

Thanks!

Matt

 

[HighlandReefer]

According to Randy, there are ingredients in the Fergon Pills that will provide food for bacteria. If you contaminate the mix, then bacteria will grow in it. I did this myself by using an old Salifert syringe which I placed in my tank water. I would use a very clean container to mix the solution in and pour it into a cap for dosing, which will help prevent contamination. Make sure you use clean RODI water also. That said, I would think putting the solution in a refrigerator may help if contamination occurs.

FWIW, I compared the cost of Randy's Iron Mix to the SeaChem Flourish Iron product and the cost of Randy's mix is so much cheaper, if you had to throw a few batches out, it still would save you a lot of money.

 

[HighlandReefer]

Another idea would be to mix small batches which are used up quickly. I mixed up a large batch which has been around for several months.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I let mine sit at room temperature and I've not noticed anything change in it.

 

[redfishsc]

Using the one-pill to 50ML of water, what dosage would you guys recommend? Based on what you are dosing, Cliff, it looks like I would probably need to dose 1/2ml per week.


I have a syringe that, I think, has 1 ml graduations on it.

I suppose to make dosing easier, I could mix the pill with 100 or 150 ml of water and just dose 2 or 3ml of solution.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Exact dosing is not critical. I add a few mL once or twice a week to my system with about 350 gallons total volume.

 

[redfishsc]

If that's the case, could I just put a rusty nail in my sump

 

[David Grigor]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13971651#post13971651 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redfishsc
If that's the case, could I just put a rusty nail in my sump

and if you need a little extra iron, step on it first.......

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

f that's the case, could I just put a rusty nail in my sump

Using GFO may reduce the need for iron, but a nail may not be adequately pure, or have enough surface area.

 

[redfishsc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13971696#post13971696 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by David Grigor
and if you need a little extra iron, step on it first.......

Hemoglobin for the reef tank? May be good for clams and such who like phytoplankton






Randy, GFO can contribute to iron? I was wondering about that. I have avoided using GFO thus far due to cost (I am a penny-pinching grad student) but this may help me rethink.

I still think I can get the chaeto to remove enough nitrate and phosphate to keep levels low enough. I do have SPS in my nano, but the real show-offs in the tank are soft corals and a few LPS.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It may. I do think that some dissolves.