Homemade iron supplement

[Levinson]

Oh crab, I just realised what I've got isn't chelated. dang.

 

[aquadise]

Oh crab, I just realised what I've got isn't chelated. dang.

Ferrous Gluconate is a chelated iron.

 

[HWDylan]

I assume a product like this: Ferrous Gluconate Powder would give similar results?

Powder just seems easier to work with than tablets and you avoid some of the potential binding agents to keep it in tablet form.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I assume a product like this: Ferrous Gluconate Powder would give similar results?

Powder just seems easier to work with than tablets and you avoid some of the potential binding agents to keep it in tablet form.

I use ferrous gluconate powder. It was not as readily available when I started using the Fergon. There are diy recipes using the powder in the diy archive sticky.

 

[juliomexico13]

I use ferrous gluconate powder. It was not as readily available when I started using the Fergon. There are diy recipes using the powder in the diy archive sticky.

How many grams of ferrous gluconate powder to ml to make a stock solution. How much would you dose in a 300 gallon system?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The DIY chemistry archive:

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

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.

Iron levels are not critical, and folks use a wide range of targets.

Adding 1 ug/l once or twice a week seems like a fine plan to me. For 300 gallons, that means either use 0.12 mL, or dilute the stock solution 1 part solution above to 9 parts ro/di, and then dose 1.2 mL.