Dosing Iron to reduce Phosphates?

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m dosing 10x the amount of Fe that I started with, and I see “zero reduction” in PO4 at this point in time, and everything is exactly the same. No changes.

How much iron is that? It is probably far too small to directly detect iron phosphate precipitation. Folks using that method dose large amounts.

 

[dschuffert]

This is an interesting thread. I have dosed Fe for coral color. I didn't realize there could also be an impact to Phosphate reduction.

 

[Reefahholic]

How much iron is that? It is probably far too small to directly detect iron phosphate precipitation. Folks using that method dose large amounts.

I’ll have to look at it. I don’t think it’s a lot. A small to moderate amount for a 105/G maybe.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

This is an interesting thread. I have dosed Fe for coral color. I didn't realize there could also be an impact to Phosphate reduction.

You need to dose large amount to have a useful effect. Far more then ordinary iron supplementation.

 

[dschuffert]

You need to dose large amount to have a useful effect. Far more then ordinary iron supplementation.

True if the gap is large. I am dosing 4ML daily (Red Sea Fe) in 900L, keeping me around the 12 ppb range.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

True if the gap is large. I am dosing 4ML daily (Red Sea Fe) in 900L, keeping me around the 12 ppb range.

If you dosed a full 12 ppb every day, even if every iron atom dosed precipitated as ferric phosphate, you’d only remove 20 ppb of phosphate.

 

[dschuffert]

If you dosed a full 12 ppb every day, even if every iron atom dosed precipitated as ferric phosphate, you’d only remove 20 ppb of phosphate.

Good point. I am not dosing Fe to lower phosphate. I commented on the post that I dose Fe for coral color and was not aware of any impact on phosphate. I am learning about the phosphate discussion and just learned a little more from you, thanks!