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Thread: DIY iron supplement

  1. #1

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    DIY iron supplement

    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?

  2. #2

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    Re: DIY iron supplement

    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

  3. #3
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    Re: DIY iron supplement

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

  4. #4

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    DIY iron supplement

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

  5. #5

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    DIY iron supplement

    Quote Originally Posted by SantaMonica
    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.

  6. #6
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    Re: DIY iron supplement

    As it happens, I just did this today.

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

  7. #7
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    Re: DIY iron supplement

    Quote Originally Posted by 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

  8. #8

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    Re: DIY iron supplement

    [quote=Rumpy Pumpy]
    Quote Originally Posted by "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!!!

  9. #9
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    Re: DIY iron supplement

    Quote Originally Posted by srusso
    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.

  10. #10
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    Re: DIY iron supplement

    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.

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