Iron causing temporary turbidity

Koty · Feb 1, 2023

I am adding 10 ml of Seachem flurish iron to my tank (110g) once a week. Within minutes the water become turbid for about an hour. Any idea what is the cause (too fast for bacterial growth)?

Dan_P · Feb 1, 2023

Koty said:
I am adding 10 ml of Seachem flurish iron to my tank (110g) once a week. Within minutes the water become turbid for about an hour. Any idea what is the cause (too fast for bacterial growth)?

This product is iron gluconate, right? New bottle? Clear solution being added?

What you describe sounds like a precipitate forming, though if it’s chelated iron, I am at a loss to explain.

taricha · Feb 1, 2023

Are you using anything else in your tank? Oxidizers? Iron can precipitate, but usually iron dosing products are stable a little longer than that.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 1, 2023

Koty said:
I am adding 10 ml of Seachem flurish iron to my tank (110g) once a week. Within minutes the water become turbid for about an hour. Any idea what is the cause (too fast for bacterial growth)?

That’s a super high dose. That dose is intended for planted tanks, not reefs.

the product is 10,000 ppm. You dosed the tank to 0.2 ppm.

id recommend 50-100 times less for a reef.

Koty · Feb 1, 2023

Dan_P said:
This product is iron gluconate, right? New bottle? Clear solution being added?

What you describe sounds like a precipitate forming, though if it’s chelated iron, I am at a loss to explain.

No precipittation as its 10 ml in 420 liters

Koty · Feb 1, 2023

taricha said:
Are you using anything else in your tank? Oxidizers? Iron can precipitate, but usually iron dosing products are stable a little longer than that.

No oxidizers The only iron precipitation that I have is in the dosing container #1 (Aquaforest 123+)

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
That’s a super high dose. That dose is intended for planted tanks, not reefs.

the product is 10,000 ppm. You dosed the tank to 0.2 ppm.

id recommend 50-100 times less for a reef.

OOPS... I have been doing it for over a year. I will correct it from now on. I do have a lot of algae (and some Chaeto) (due to many heavily fed fish). Is it possible that the algae are secreting their natural chelators?
I guess that what saved me from doing real damage is the fact that the iron-gluconate is probably absorbed quickly. I know iron can be is very toxic (Many years ago Dr. Richard Klausner was my Branch chief

calling Fe "The double edge sword").

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 1, 2023

Koty said:
No oxidizers The only iron precipitation that I have is in the dosing container #1 (Aquaforest 123+)

OOPS... I have been doing it for over a year. I will correct it from now on. I do have a lot of algae (and some Chaeto) (due to many heavily fed fish). Is it possible that the algae are secreting their natural chelators?
I guess that what saved me from doing real damage is the fact that the iron-gluconate is probably absorbed quickly. I know iron can be is very toxic (Many years ago Dr. Richard Klausner was my Branch chief calling Fe "The double edge sword").

To be honest, I’m not sure what the turbidity is, assuming Seachem made the product as claimed.