DIY Iron- Making a Moonshine equivalent?

[Caseyoidae]

Hey Everyone,

So far, I have tracked down a recipe for fluoride and manganese and am hoping to move on to iron.

Has anyone found a recipe for a RM iron equivalent? Perhaps using fergon?

Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

We have diy recipes for most ions here:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-chemistry-archive.987116/

 

[Caseyoidae]

Thanks Randy!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You’re welcome.

Happy reefing. :)

 

[Caseyoidae]

Using the Moonshine tool it appears that .04 ml daily of their FE solution will raise 100 gallons of water to the target of .7-1 ugl. Using ferrous gluconate, from bulk supplements, can you tell me how I would create an equivalent? Or what effect on 100 gallons your ratio has?

Amazon product ASIN B075H16T61
This is the one you recommend, I believe.

Thanks! :)

 

[Caseyoidae]

Bump :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ferrous gluconate is about 11.6% iron.

If you want 0.04 mL of the additive to add 1 ug/L to 100 gallons (= 378.5 L), then that 0.04 mL needs to contain 378 ug of iron.

378 ug/0.04 mL = 9450 ug iron per mL

9450 ug iron needs 81.5 mg of ferrous gluconate.

Thus, if you add 8.15 grams (8,150 mg) into 100 ml of water, it will have the desired potency.

 

[jrp1588]

Ferrous gluconate is about 11.6% iron.

If you want 0.04 mL of the additive to add 1 ug/L to 100 gallons (= 378.5 L), then that 0.04 mL needs to contain 378 ug of iron.

378 ug/0.04 mL = 9450 ug iron per mL

9450 ug iron needs 81.5 mg of ferrous gluconate.

Thus, if you add 8.15 grams (8,150 mg) into 100 ml of water, it will have the desired potency.

I followed this recipe using Bulk Supplements Ferrous Gluconate, and added about 146g into a 1800ml container. It took around a half cup of the powder, and added a surprising amount of volume to the solution. It also seems like it didn't all dissolve. I do feel like .04ml is a super tiny amount to dose for that much water volume. The smallest measuring device I have is a 1ml syringe. I could probably hit .4ml pretty reliably, but .04 is going to be a struggle to have any kind of precision or accuracy. Anyone else have these issues? I'm probably going to just start over and dilute this by 10.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It’s a very strong solution. Far more than I usually use, and moonshine may not use the gluconate. I’d increase the water volume until it all dissolves and just dose proportionally more.

 

[jrp1588]

It’s a very strong solution. Far more than I usually use, and moonshine may not use the gluconate. I’d increase the water volume until it all dissolves and just dose proportionally more.

What recipe do you use? I got here from the thread that has a bunch of saved recipes for various traces.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-chemistry-archive.987116/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I use a recipe about 10x lower in concentration (like my old Fergon tablet recipe).

Bear in mind that iron is fine over a super wide range in the tank. Exact levels are definitely not critical. Some folks target as high as 0.1 ppm, but 10,000x less may be plenty.

 

[jrp1588]

Okay, sounds good.

 

[t5Nitro]

I just throw a quarter tab of otc ferrous gluconate into a filter sock in the sump occasionally (known deficiency after not dosing and without water changes). Tank has responded nicely. Could start with less and increase the dose size once a week until you get to your desired level.

It doesn't have to be exact. I wouldn't do that in tanks smaller than yours.