DIY iron supplement

[srusso]

Well I looking for a DIY method to dose iron for my scrubber. The only thing I could come up with is leaving some small piece of iron to rust way in the sump... What do you think?

[new2scrub]

you can buy iron suplement pills at your local drug store most of them are reef safe and i know fore a fact that the brand (CVS) and the brand (FERGON) are safe as i have been using them for over a year. the proper way to use them is to disolve a tablet in ro water and let the fillers settle to the bottom then dose the clear liquid but i have been using the whole tabs for 6 months without issue

[SantaMonica]

Some people have put iron nails in the sump. I can't recommend it though, never tried it.

[srusso]

you can buy iron suplement pills at your local drug store most of them are reef safe and i know fore a fact that the brand (CVS) and the brand (FERGON) are safe as i have been using them for over a year. the proper way to use them is to disolve a tablet in ro water and let the fillers settle to the bottom then dose the clear liquid but i have been using the whole tabs for 6 months without issue

How much do I dose? When did you start using the tabs? Do you know what fillers they use?

[srusso]

Some people have put iron nails in the sump. I can't recommend it though, never tried it.

Do you know who? Or posts of them attempting this? I am looking for a household source of iron.

[Rumpy Pumpy]

As it happens, I just did this today.

Just one small nail to begin with. I'll let you know what happens.

[Rumpy Pumpy]

As it happens, I just did this today.

Just one small nail to begin with. I'll let you know what happens.


Just went & had a look. It's only been 4 or 5 hours and it's already visibly rusty

[srusso]

[quote="Rumpy Pumpy":30ckmv0o]Just went & had a look. It's only been 4 or 5 hours and it's already visibly rusty[/quote:30ckmv0o]

Nice! Where in your sump did you put it? I wonder if iron nails have other metals in it...? This would be a nice way to keep your iron levels up without doing much work. I wonder how fast it will break down.

Thanks! please do keep us updated thanks again!!!

[Rumpy Pumpy]

Nice! Where in your sump did you put it? I wonder if iron nails have other metals in it...? This would be a nice way to keep your iron levels up without doing much work. I wonder how fast it will break down.

Thanks! please do keep us updated thanks again!!!


Right next to the return pump.

I don't think it's pure iron. I think it's mild steel but Google suggests that steel alloys don't contain copper, which is the biggest concern.

I don't have an iron test kit. Maybe I'll get one from Ebay and monitor the levels.

[Floyd R Turbo]

I'd have to look it up, but I've seen pics of people with planted tanks where they run a canister filter and dozens of nails just placed in the filter canister between a couple pieces of media. I think just about any standard nail will do and I wouldn't place it too close to the pump intake, just in the water flow path is fine.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Found this on another site:


ferric oxide (rust), is Fe+++, which can't be easily absorbed by plants unless they're terribly desperate for iron

So a chelated iron supplement is the best.

http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/index ... ItemStart= (http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=inven&EditU=2&Regit=6&ReturnOption1=cats&ReturnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart=)

Or something like it

[Rumpy Pumpy]

Found this on another site:


ferric oxide (rust), is Fe+++, which can't be easily absorbed by plants unless they're terribly desperate for iron




Ah well.

I'll still leave it to rust and see if it makes any difference.

Ordered an Fe kit too.

[thatgrimguy]

I'm relatively new to the algae scrubber game.. But what's the iron for?

[srusso]

I'm relatively new to the algae scrubber game.. But what's the iron for?

For the algae, sorry I am trying to keep the thread on track.

[srusso]

I'd have to look it up, but I've seen pics of people with planted tanks where they run a canister filter and dozens of nails just placed in the filter canister between a couple pieces of media. I think just about any standard nail will do and I wouldn't place it too close to the pump intake, just in the water flow path is fine.

Coming from the planted tank world before this I am surprised I haven't heard this sooner! Thanks a google search quickly pulls up tons of hits. I will report back my findings, thanks Bud.

[srusso]

Holy crap! People have been using iron nails for a lot of things!! Apparently it is basically what GFO is made from!! Well not made from iron nails but you get the idea. So in a reef tank it will bind PO4 and Silica!! And provide a scrubber with the needed iron... Still reading but if anyone wants to follow along here is a link.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showt ... d=11767913 (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=11767913)

[kentth]

you can buy iron suplement pills at your local drug store most of them are reef safe and i know fore a fact that the brand (CVS) and the brand (FERGON) are safe as i have been using them for over a year. the proper way to use them is to disolve a tablet in ro water and let the fillers settle to the bottom then dose the clear liquid but i have been using the whole tabs for 6 months without issue
new2scrub

How much of the liquid do you dose at a time? What is the volume of you system?

thanks
Kent