Dosing Iron to a reef aquarium

[Damura]

Hi Randy,

I started dosing my DIY ferrous Chloride (FeCl3 6H2O) and I cannot see it in my ICP results. There are two options:
1. I dose a very low quantity
2. I do not dose the correct type of Iron

What do you think would be the correct answer ( I saw in one of the posts you recommended Ferrous Gluconate)

Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It is consumed and precipitated rapidly. The gluconate form will be more stable than the chloride form, and seeing detectable levels may not be needed anyway.

 

[Damura]

It is consumed and precipitated rapidly. The gluconate form will be more stable than the chloride form, and seeing detectable levels may not be needed anyway.

Any recommended dose? I know that Iron, like every other heavy metal can easily become poisonous, and I am moving blindfolded because the ICP does not show anything...don't want to find myself overdosing. Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have a DIY recipe using Fergon iron tablets.

One Fergon tablet (ferrous gluconate) contains 27 mg of iron. Dissolve that in about 27 mL RO/DI (my recommendation, but other concentrations are OK, just don't dilute too much), the concentration is about 27 mg/27 ml ~ 1 mg/mL.

I dose ~1 mL to my tank with a volume of about 300 gallons ) once or twice a week.