Iron Fumarate vs Iron Gluconate

Benga · Dec 17, 2017

I heard iron is good for chaeto, however will it have adverse effects on the fish I have in my Display tank?
I often see Iron Fumarate in human supplement pills and rarely ever see Iron Gluconate, is process to get Iron Fumarate bad for aquatic life? As I often see Iron Gluconate being recommended for dosing purposes.

Or is Iron Fumarate often not advised because it may have other inactive ingredients mixed into it?

The Iron Fumarate I see in my home is Vegan with "Other Ingredients: Vegetable Cellulose, Stearic Acid, VegiBlendTM (carrot, broccoli, & tomato concentrates), Silica, and Magnesium Stearate.

Thoughts on the questions and how the product I have may effect the tank overall?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 18, 2017

Iron at appropriate levels will not hurt fish.

If you cannot find Fergon (a common brand of ferrous gluconate with OK other ingredients), then the one you suggest is likely fine. The ingredients listed do not particularly concern my, although the VegiBlend is hard to assess. It is probably just a coloring agent.

ReeferBud · Apr 14, 2018

@Randy Holmes-Farley

Does this ferrous gluconate look ok based on the ingredients? Thanks!

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 14, 2018

Yes, that is likely fine. Soak one tablet in RO/Di (say, 25 mL) overnight. It will break open and discolor the water greenish (at least the Fergon brand does). Shake it and let the solids settle out.

Then dose the clear greenish liquid above the solids.

ReeferBud · Apr 14, 2018

Thanks Randy!!

Would it be ok to create a larger solution that I could dose over time?

I read in another thread that you recommended 1-2 ppb of iron and my Red Sea test kit recommends 0.15ppm. Any idea why the large difference?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 14, 2018

ReeferBud said:
Thanks Randy!!

Would it be ok to create a larger solution that I could dose over time?

I read in another thread that you recommended 1-2 ppb of iron and my Red Sea test kit recommends 0.15ppm. Any idea why the large difference?

I have seen their value and think it is quite excessive. I’ve wondered if it was so high just so you can detect it with their kit, which is otherwise useless.

I used the solution I made over many weeks.