Mixing nitrate, iodine, and Cheato Gro

Eldredge

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Is there any problem with mixing iodine, nitrate solution, Chaeto Gro, and RODI water so that I can dose them all together? Thanks!
 

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Thanks for your response. Do you know what the problem might be? I mixed a little bit up and I don’t see any precipitation or obvious problems, but I am no chemist.
Not offhand, I just know that a lot of things can't be mixed together for dosing, ie: alkalinity + calcium, most trace elements, etc.
 

Sean Clark

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I think the issue here would be getting the consumption rates down perfectly and mixing in appropriate ratios. Add growth and that the ratio will always be changing. It will most likely be easier to just dose them separately based on individual consumption rates. Iodine can wipe your tank out if overdosed, even a little, no idea what is actually in ChetoGro because it is not disclosed. I would not do it.
 
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Eldredge

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I think the issue here would be getting the consumption rates down perfectly and mixing in appropriate ratios. Add growth and that the ratio will always be changing. It will most likely be easier to just dose them separately based on individual consumption rates. Iodine can wipe your tank out if overdosed, even a little, no idea what is actually in ChetoGro because it is not disclosed. I would not do it.

Yes. You’re right. I have been dosing consistent amounst for quite a while, and everything is stable. I’m heading out of town so I won’t be able to hand dose. I have mixed up the proper ratio so that I can dose the same amount I have been dosing for the week that I am gone.

Like you said, I don’t know what’s in Chaeto Gro, but it works well for me. I assume it is iron and the other trace elements that Chaeto sucks out of the water. I don’t see that there will be any chemical reactions, but like I said, I’m not a chemist.

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it.
 

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Chaetogro contains iodine. Brightwell just forgot to list it (or purposely didn't list it). Its in the ingredients, but they don't advertise it containing iodine like they do the rest of the elements
 

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Here are the ingredients they list as the "sources of nutrients"

Potassium sulfate, Calcium chloride, Magnesium sulfate, Potassium iodide, Iron EDTA, Zinc sulfate, Manganese chloride, Sodium tetraborate, Cobalt chloride, Sodium molybdate

Strangely enough, their guarenteed analysis does not match the elements they list as being in chaetogro. They have the guaranteed analysis as: 0-0-1.30; Potassium (K) as Soluble Potash (K2O) (min) 1.30%; Boron 0.009%; Carbon 0.005%; Calcium 0.14%; Chlorine 0.39%; Cobalt 0.0004%; Iron 0.1%; Magnesium 0.4%; Manganese 0.0475%; Molybdenum 0.004%; Sulfur 0.16%; Zinc 0.002%


Here are the 13 elements they say are within the bottle in their "technical background" section
Potassium
Boron
Carbon
Calcium
Chlorine
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese
Molybdenum and Cobalt
Nickel
Sulfur
Zinc


However, we can see this is not true, as again, they are missing iodine.

 
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Eldredge

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Here are the ingredients they list as the "sources of nutrients"

Potassium sulfate, Calcium chloride, Magnesium sulfate, Potassium iodide, Iron EDTA, Zinc sulfate, Manganese chloride, Sodium tetraborate, Cobalt chloride, Sodium molybdate

Strangely enough, their guarenteed analysis does not match the elements they list as being in chaetogro. They have the guaranteed analysis as: 0-0-1.30; Potassium (K) as Soluble Potash (K2O) (min) 1.30%; Boron 0.009%; Carbon 0.005%; Calcium 0.14%; Chlorine 0.39%; Cobalt 0.0004%; Iron 0.1%; Magnesium 0.4%; Manganese 0.0475%; Molybdenum 0.004%; Sulfur 0.16%; Zinc 0.002%


Here are the 13 elements they say are within the bottle in their "technical background" section
Potassium
Boron
Carbon
Calcium
Chlorine
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese
Molybdenum and Cobalt
Nickel
Sulfur
Zinc


However, we can see this is not true, as again, they are missing iodine.


Thanks for all the great information! I know Chaeto Gro works well for me. Looking at the list of ingredients, I don’t see why adding a little more iodine and some nitrate would be a problem. Thanks for your help.
 

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Thanks for all the great information! I know Chaeto Gro works well for me. Looking at the list of ingredients, I don’t see why adding a little more iodine and some nitrate would be a problem. Thanks for your help.



I wouldn't add iodine on top of this unless you are testing it. It is possible to have too much iodine
 
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Eldredge

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I wouldn't add iodine on top of this unless you are testing it. It is possible to have too much iodine

Thanks for the tip. According to ICP, my iodine was almost 0, so I started dosing a couple of drops of lugal's daily. I need to get it tested and see how I am doing.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Is there any problem with mixing iodine, nitrate solution, Chaeto Gro, and RODI water so that I can dose them all together? Thanks!

Depends on the type of iodine. I would not add I2 to trace element mixtures.
 

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Thanks for the tip. According to ICP, my iodine was almost 0, so I started dosing a couple of drops of lugal's daily. I need to get it tested and see how I am doing.


Typically lugols is not something to dose for iodine as its not the right "form." It's more used for coral infections and such (at least that's what I've seen it used for).
 
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Eldredge

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Definitely do not mix Lugols into trace element mixtures. It can oxidize some of them and make them less soluble.

How about iodide solution? I have a quart I got from Florida Aqua Farms. Would this be better for dosing and safe to mix with Chaeto Gro and Pottasium Nitrate solution? Thanks for your help.
 

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How about iodide solution? I have a quart I got from Florida Aqua Farms. Would this be better for dosing and safe to mix with Chaeto Gro and Pottasium Nitrate solution? Thanks for your help.


Why do you assume the iodine in chaetogro is not enough? Were you dosing chaetogro before the icp?


You can also feed foods that are higher in iodine :)
(randy has a list of this I think on his iodine article).
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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How about iodide solution? I have a quart I got from Florida Aqua Farms. Would this be better for dosing and safe to mix with Chaeto Gro and Pottasium Nitrate solution? Thanks for your help.

I expect that you can mix iodide with typical trace element supplements. If you get a precipitate, it’s a no go.
 
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Eldredge

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Why do you assume the iodine in chaetogro is not enough? Were you dosing chaetogro before the icp?


You can also feed foods that are higher in iodine :)
(randy has a list of this I think on his iodine article).

Yes, I have dosed chaetogro for quite a while, and the ICP was showing close to 0, so I started dosing Lugol's. I think I will switch to iodide. I'm about due for another ICP test, so I will see how it is doing. Thanks!
 

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