Hey guys, i did know about lanthanum, and really loved the method of removing po4 using it, just that you need 10micron filter sock. But never heard or read much about iron citrate for removing po4, jus read it in few blogs, couldnt find the exact method though. Can anyone share their experience, if using it successfully? Does it require a filter sock?
Iron citrate vs lanthanum for removing po4
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Randy Holmes-Farley
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Very few people use soluble iron for phosphate binding in aquaria. Glenn is one with his Dutch method if you want to read his thread:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-dsr-method-dutch-synthetic-reefing.162872/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-dsr-method-dutch-synthetic-reefing.162872/
jason2459
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How is the binding of iron citrate to phosphates compared to using GFO? Or basically how does it work?
What is the iron's bioavailability of iron citrate for organisms like algae or dinoflagelets compared to dosing ferrous gluconate? My understanding iron (II) citrate is preferred? What was your choice in changing to ferrous gluconate in fergon tablets?
I know GlennF has stated he likes liquid dosing vs GFO so he has greater control over amounts used.
One issue I could see is if someone is Iron limited and has a pest ready to bloom on the uptake of iron they could then see this bloom.
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Randy Holmes-Farley
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Yes, feeding pests could be a concern.
The mechanism of action is presumably precipitation of solid particles of iron phosphate, or iron hydroxide/oxide that incorporates phosphate. The knock on dosing simple iron sulfate for iron supplementation is precipitation. But that precipitation forms small particles of iron oxide/hydroxide, and so is essentially making GFO in situ.
One concern is the relatively high levels of available iron. Iron is not always a benefit, even to pests. it can facilitate something called Fenton chemistry where tissue can be oxidatively damaged:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxidative_stress
"Metals such as iron, copper, chromium, vanadium, and cobalt are capable of redox cycling in which a single electron may be accepted or donated by the metal. This actioncatalyzes production of reactive radicals and reactive oxygen species.[67] The presence of such metals in biological systems in an uncomplexed form (not in a protein or other protective metal complex) can significantly increase the level of oxidative stress. These metals are thought to induce Fenton reactions and the Haber-Weiss reaction, in which hydroxyl radical is generated from hydrogen peroxide."
