Iron and Iodide

lion king

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I do alot of my own research, but for some reason am having a hard time, as to what levels each of these elements need to be for optimum macroalgae health. I've run refugiums and reactors for years with good results, but still maintained regular water changes with quality salt to rely on replacing used elements. I now run fowlrs only, and really not doing water changes at all anymore. I've gotten serious about the care for refugiums and believe these are the 2 vital elements for macro health. I've studied the formulas that specifically target macro and found them to be unnecessary. I will be using the Brightwell products, Ferrion and Iodion, I've always had good success with Brightwell products. I only dose what I can test for, so I'll be using the Salifert Iodide test and the Seachem Iron test, I am considering the Hanna Iron test once I learn the proper level of concentration. Any experience with the testing options would also be appreciated. So what level of Iron and Iodide?
 

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I will see if I can find articles written by Randy Holmes Farley.

I read what he wrote on iron. In a nutshell, “It would be difficult to dose too much iron”. Much further into the article, iron storage mechanisms were used by certain macros. I spilled 50 fold iron dosage recommendation into a grow out tank of Gracilaria Hayi. Water was stained pink for a week. After a few days I noticed an increase in thickness of G Hayi leaves and a change in touch from lightly calcified to spongy. I changed nothing in this tank: water cleared up in two weeks, red macro returned to normal “thin & crispy”.

Optimal levels mostly mean, don’t bottom out.



 
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lion king

lion king

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I will see if I can find articles written by Randy Holmes Farley.

I read what he wrote on iron. In a nutshell, “It would be difficult to dose too much iron”. Much further into the article, iron storage mechanisms were used by certain macros. I spilled 50 fold iron dosage recommendation into a grow out tank of Gracilaria Hayi. Water was stained pink for a week. After a few days I noticed an increase in thickness of G Hayi leaves and a change in touch from lightly calcified to spongy. I changed nothing in this tank: water cleared up in two weeks, red macro returned to normal “thin & crispy”.

Optimal levels mostly mean, don’t bottom out.



Not a big fan. There's always a toxic level, just as in humans, fish filter using their liver, and I've seen tons of liver damage in many of the fish I've lost. From all my research I guess I'm on my own, just can't get a straight answer "in hobbyist terms". I'll just use the test I mentioned as a gauge as to not OD.
 

taricha

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From all my research I guess I'm on my own, just can't get a straight answer "in hobbyist terms". I'll just use the test I mentioned as a gauge as to not OD.
Red Sea Fe+ supplement for reefs targets 0.10ppm Fe. Seachem Flourish Iron (for planted tanks) also says aim for 0.10ppm.

why do you think those advised numbers should be discarded? Randy would point out that they are unnaturally high (for reefs) and he's certainly correct, lower may be fine.
But those target values don't seem detrimental for anyone, and they are also measurable on test kits.
(Fe depletes rapidly, so I wouldn't advise my approach to other nutrients "dose whatever level will still be detectable in 2-3days". You might have to go unreasonably high for that)
 
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lion king

lion king

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Red Sea Fe+ supplement for reefs targets 0.10ppm Fe. Seachem Flourish Iron (for planted tanks) also says aim for 0.10ppm.

why do you think those advised numbers should be discarded? Randy would point out that they are unnaturally high (for reefs) and he's certainly correct, lower may be fine.
But those target values don't seem detrimental for anyone, and they are also measurable on test kits.
(Fe depletes rapidly, so I wouldn't advise my approach to other nutrients "dose whatever level will still be detectable in 2-3days". You might have to go unreasonably high for that)

Thank you, I do not have the products for their recommendation, I was trying to pull info online and it doesn't seem like a common discussed subject. I did not think to pull info from the iron supplement recommendation, it seems Brightwell recommends to maintain between .05 to .10ppm. That sounds good to me. I read that optimum levels of iron also lessens micro algae growth which sometimes can be problematic in refugiums.
 

vlangel

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Thank you folks for contributing to this thread. I also have a macro algae reef with a dedicated fuge attached. I used to rely on weekly WCs to make up for the iron and iodine consumption but now that I do not keep seahorses anymore, I do bi-monthly WCs. I am guessing that that is insufficient to make up for those elements being depleted. I just bought Flourish to dose iron and its comforting to know that iron is not easily overdosed.
 

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