Iron dose

janos · Apr 17, 2018

Hi to all.Would like to know this kind of iron is good for dosing for my reef tank.Thank you

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 17, 2018

It will likely work OK, but my preference is ferrous gluconate since it will likely remain soluble longer, and is readily available as Fergon tablets.

xlzerolx · Apr 17, 2018

I have another related question. Ferrous gluconate seems to be difficult to find around my parts locally. The only Iron tablets that I can find easily are ferrous bisglycinate.
What the heck is bisglycinate and will it work for supplement dosing in a reef tank?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 17, 2018

It means a ferrous iron ion with two glycine amino acids attached to it. It is likely a fine choice.

xlzerolx · Apr 17, 2018

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
It means a ferrous iron ion with two glycine amino acids attached to it. It is likely a fine choice.

Thanks much!

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 17, 2018

You're welcome.

FWIW, here's what it actually looks like:

janos · Apr 18, 2018

Thank you Randy as always your answer is good for me,try to find the right one but here in Canada nothing easy.Ask about the FE citrate and the pharmacist told me i know what is that but you can not get in Canada.
We do not have Dino X,we do not have Vibrant,we do not have lot of thing.Reefing here not as simple as it looks.That is why i use all of your chemistry knowledge.Thank you again

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 18, 2018

I'd go ahead with the ferrous sulfate, just recognizing that it may not last as long in the aquarium.

janos · Apr 18, 2018

Thank you Randy i try the first dose today.Will check the dose somewhere,i think you have that here in some tread.Thank you

janos · Apr 18, 2018

OK i find one

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
The dose is not critical. 1 mL per 100 gallons once or twice a week is more than enough.

janos · Apr 18, 2018

One more Q to Randy.How do i make a stock solution from that tablet.The 1 tablet is 60 mg iron.Thank you

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 18, 2018

I dissolved a Fergon tablet in about 25 mL of RO/DI and dosed it over many weeks.

I dosed 1-2 ug/L once a week or so.

janos · Apr 19, 2018

Thank you again Randy,i think i go find somewhere Fergon tablet,would be easy to fallow.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 19, 2018

You’re welcome,

Happy Reefing!

five.five-six · Apr 29, 2018

What’s a ug? I just put 3 tabs in this 60 ML bottle with it’s own dropper, figure a squirt a week is close enough?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 29, 2018

five.five-six said:
What’s a ug? I just put 3 tabs in this 60 ML bottle with it’s own dropper, figure a squirt a week is close enough?

3 tablets of what?

five.five-six · Apr 29, 2018

3 tabs of this:

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 29, 2018

Each ordinary Fergon tablet contains 27 mg of iron. You put 3 in 60 mL, so there is (27 x 3)/60 = 1.35 mg/mL, or 1,350 ug/mL.

Adding 1 mL to 100 gallons water volume will boost iron by about 3.6 ug/L.

I typically dosed 1-2 ug/L once a week or so.

five.five-six · Apr 29, 2018

Ok, so I will cut that solution in half and dose 1ml/ week. My tank is 135 with about 150 gal total water. What about the brown crud that didn’t dissolve, is it inert? Should I discard?