Dosing iron

[framerguy]

I have been studying about dosing Iron in my tank. According to The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners Part 2: What Chemicals Must be Supplemented by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com adding iron to a tank with lots of macro algaes can be beneficial. In other articles it stated that mangroves benefit from it as well. Also in the articles it states that trying to decide how much to dose is inconsequential because it doesn't matter how much you dose, the extra doesn't harm anything, which makes testing not necessary but something I would probably like to do anyway. My questions are..
1:is anyone here dosing?
2:how much?
3:what source of iron are you using?
4:how big is your tank?
5:what benefits have you noticed?

Thanks to any that respond.

 

[Dentoid]

Greg, as you know I have been doing the Balling method for a couple of months. One of the components is a heavy metal supplement that contains iron. Take a look. It's a very small dose added to the main Balling solution that is dosed daily. So far I have not noticed any changes in my tank for the better or worse, just better stability of chemistry.

 

[lcstorc]

I'm following along on this one.

 

[Luukosian]

As far as the extra not harming anything im not sure I believe that. I used to dose iron in a couple of my freshwater planted tanks and have direct experience that too much will cause an algae bloom....at least in freshwater. I used to dose a iron suppliment seperate but now i just use what is included in the trace mix I use because I never noticed increased growth/health. But like I said thats freshwater so I guess im just rambling off topic lol.

 

[framerguy]

I have no direct experience dosing Iron. The articles I have read say that if you are having a diatom bloom and you dose Iron, one of two things may happen. Either the macro algaes will be stimulated to grow and will out compete the diatoms and other micro algae for nutrients, or the micro algaes will get worse.

What I am noticing in my tank is that the macro algaes are growing but not at a rate I am content with. I just introduced a lot of Sea grasses. And I have an entire tank full of mangroves. In my reading, I have come to the conclusion that my tanks may be deficient in iron. Even if I am not deficient, I think the addition of iron will help with the seagrass, algae and mangroves. If nothing else it will make them greener.

 

[Boomer]

Randy does not really say "because it doesn't matter how much you dose, the extra doesn't harm anything, which makes testing not necessary". It does matter how much you does. His method, which we had up two weeks ago on a forum, states that the DIY iron sup you make does not need to be that critical on dosing. It dose not say "it doesn't matter how much you dose"

What you want to do Frame is fine and may very well be needed in the your situation.

Dose as follows

1 Fergon tablet / 20 ml. of RO/DI water. Then give it time to settle and dose only the unsettled apart. Then add ~ 1 ml / day / 300 gals or if you wish 2 ml ever other day. That means if you went to 1.2 ml / day / 300 gal it will be something to worry about. You can also dilute it more say 1 T / 50 ml of water. Try not to over dose to much.

You can also use the SeaChem iron sup for FW planted tanks. Try starting at 1/2 dosage.

 

[framerguy]

Thank you Boomer. I really needed those numbers.

You sounded a bit miffed at my choice of words. It was just how I took the meaning of the following quote from Randy's article. I wasn't trying to infer anything more.

Deciding how much iron to add is fairly easy because, in my experience, it doesn't seem to matter too much. Presumably, once you add enough to eliminate it as a limiting nutrient for macroalgal growth, extra iron does not cause apparent harm

I apologize to Randy and you for misunderstanding. I really do appreciate the advice on how much to dose.

 

[hma]

In my eyes no really good ideas to dose iron into a reef-tank daily. Even with so small quantities it comes to the oxidation, since only a fraction can be used by the animals and algae. The oxidation product is iron three-oxide (ferrous-oxide (Fe2O3) ) and is as brown surface on sand and Deokration to be seen in the long term.

But that is only my opinion, which one does not have to divide. Iron does not harm reliably, it looks only bad, after some months and/or years the dosage.

 

[Boomer]

Somethings to read an know on iron in reef tanks.

Iron

First Iron Article: Macroalgae and Dosing Recommendations
Chemistry and the Aquarium

Second Iron Article: Iron: A Look at Organisms Other than Macroalgae
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2002/chem.htm

HMA

The real issue for me with dosing Iron is there is no test kit to test it for to have it anywhere near NSW levels.

Greg

No worry I knew what you really meant I just did not want anyone getting the wrong idea

 

[hma]

The real issue for me with dosing Iron is there is no test kit to test it for to have it anywhere near NSW levels.

Hi Boomer,

I can measure with a photosynthesis-meter and would never dose iron ADDITIONALLY ! In my reef-tank it is not necessary. The daily quantity supplied by the Balling method is perfect and sufficiently, however a multiple smaller than the recommended quantity.

 

[Boomer]

I can measure with a photosynthesis-meter and would never dose iron ADDITIONALLY !

Measure what ? It can't tell you much iron is in the water and such uptake of iron in x, y or z life form is different.

 

[framerguy]

Thanks Guys!

Boomer- The first article was one I had looked at closely. The second I haven't read yet and will do that right after I update my chronicle. Thanks so much!

Heinz- "The daily quantity supplied by the Balling method is perfect and sufficiently," I believe that is what Scott (Dentoid) mentions also. I am not doing the Balling method yet. I believe that I read that you can't have refugiums when doing that method...actually, the refugiums are my favorite part. I will have to look into it further if I find I can use that method AND have my refugiums.

 

[framerguy]

I have been dosing with Fergon starting on Jan 12. Yesterday, my Kent iron supplement came in along with my iron test. I tested and came up with undetectable measures of iron! I also tested using the low range method and still got nothing. I followed the instructions on the Kent bottle last night and tonight reducing by an arbitrary 10% which left me using 3ml for my size system. It seemed like a lot to me. I will give it another week and retest.

 

[hma]

Thanks Guys!

Boomer- The first article was one I had looked at closely. The second I haven't read yet and will do that right after I update my chronicle. Thanks so much!

Heinz- "The daily quantity supplied by the Balling method is perfect and sufficiently," I believe that is what Scott (Dentoid) mentions also. I am not doing the Balling method yet. I believe that I read that you can't have refugiums when doing that method...actually, the refugiums are my favorite part. I will have to look into it further if I find I can use that method AND have my refugiums.

This view is WRONG Greg. Of course you can also apply the Balling method if you pursue a fuge or DSB or Algaescrubber or what ever. I would know with pleasure who has written this? Why one should not be able to use a fuge and Balling together, this is incomprehensible to me.

 

[Basile]

I know this is an old post but the OP and other info was good so i decided to add to it.

i have a 75 G starfire display refugium FULL of macroalgaes and i can't seem to supply enough iron to it.

I've been dosing seachem iron , full dose once a week, then twice a week still at 0ppm. Now i'm at every 3 days. I'm constantly testing of course; but i can tell you, the algaes are consuming it. They're perkier, the colors are much more pronounced, they grow faster, i did't get algae bloom in my main reef. I do have a good CUC , i have 3 urchin that are phenomenal algae eaters, plus a sailfin and 2 tangs. The fuge its self has a seahare that eats only nuisance algaes and nibbles a bit at the macro but don't do serious damages, thats my pal ! If you do start a big macroalgae tank get a seahare, they clean your tank of nuisance such as hair lages and other, because with large refugium you get dead spots no matter what. I have 2 Tunze 6055 at max (1,450 USgal./h) and still get still water because of the macroalgae growth.

If you don't dose i notice the macro's just stop growing. Iron seem to be essential to that growth. As far as algae bloom; the photoperiod is more important i think. I added one more hour to mine and the balance was tipped. I had cyano and an algae bloom, as soon as i returned to my original setting i had no more problems. By the way conch are very useful too in a fuge they don't eat macroalgaes and eat cyano

Only one per 60 gallon or they starve, they need huge amount of algaes to survive. I have only 3 conch in my 150G reef and still supplement with dry seeweed, they're great sand movers too.

Ulva is one of pods favorite foods they go throught like tissue paper.

The experiment continues. I'll see if the green tank will require as much iron. I found that iodine , although i did dose didn't go as fast as i though it would. Hight calcium is also needed for macroalgaes for good health. Hight calcium actually discourage microalgaes from blooming from my reading, the reverse of macroalgaes who needs it for their different cell structure apparently.


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[Creekview]

I've been dosing Seachem Flourish iron supplement for a couple of years. It helps with my in tank macros, as well as the algae scrubber. Never had a problem. I also dose at 1/4 recommended dosage Seachem Flourish Excel, which is a liquid carbon.