Streamlining Trace Element Dosing: Compatibility and Batch Mixing Help Needed

[CoralDanimal]

Over the past 18 months, I’ve been following the Reef Moonshiners method—not super strictly, but I do send in ICP tests quarterly and adjust trace elements as needed. My coral growth, coloration, and polyp extension are the best they’ve been in years. Whether that’s due to the Moonshiners method, water changes, or just paying closer attention to my tank (ex: ICP tests), I’m not sure, but I plan to stick with Moonshiners this year.

That said, I find it tedious to manually dose trace elements like iron, manganese, and others daily using a syringe. I also don’t want to invest hundreds of dollars in separate dosing pumps for elements that only require 1ml (or less) a day.

Here’s my question: I know certain trace elements can’t be stored together because of compatibility issues (I’m not a chemist, so I’m not sure if it’s precipitation or some other reaction), but does anyone have a guide or list showing which trace elements can be safely mixed and which ones can’t? Even knowing iron and chromium, for example, can be stored together would allow me to make a mixture of the both of them which would make dosing easier.

This is all in service of trying to streamline my dosing routine. Ideally, I’d run an ICP test, calculate my dosing needs (both correction doses and ongoing daily doses), and then mix a 30-day batch that could be dosed automatically from a single doser.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The answer is not as simple as a list since there can be many different chemical forms of an individual element.

It might be easier to know what you dose and we can discuss chemical compatibility issues.

 

[CoralDanimal]

The answer is not as simple as a list since there can be many different chemical forms of an individual element.

It might be easier to know what you dose and we can discuss chemical compatibility issues.

Thank you, Randy.

I think what would be helpful is knowing (if possible) which of the following can be stored together:

1. Manganese
2. Iron
3. Fluoride
4. Strontium
5. Chromium
6. Cobalt

 

[geologeek]

Thank you, Randy.

I think what would be helpful is knowing (if possible) which of the following can be stored together:

1. Manganese
2. Iron
3. Fluoride
4. Strontium
5. Chromium
6. Cobalt

But in what form are they? Chloride? Sulphide? Permanganate?

I think only when we know what elements you have, in which form could it be possible to say what can go with what.

 

[CoralDanimal]

But in what form are they? Chloride? Sulphide? Permanganate?

I think only when we know what elements you have, in which form could it be possible to say what can go with what.

Ah I see. Okay well then it looks like I don't have the information needed to get an answer on this. I've purchased everything from the Reef Moonshiner store and manganese, for example, is just stored in liquid form without any additional information such as other elements that are also part of the manganese liquid (link here).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The issue is fairly complex, and one needs to realize that these ions can change the form of other ions in the water, which may alter things like solubility and bioavailability.

For example, iron can come in ferrous (Fe++) and ferric (Fe+++) forms, and can be chelated with a host of different organics, or not chelated at all.

It is unfortunate that they do not tell you what they are selling you. Probably because if you knew, you'd buy it yourself from amazon for much less.

The strontium can be mixed with any of those. Fluoride likely to.

The others may be OK. I'd start mixing them, and if you do not see a precipitate, you are probably OK.

 

[CoralDanimal]

The issue is fairly complex, and one needs to realize that these ions can change the form of other ions in the water, which may alter things like solubility and bioavailability.

For example, iron can come in ferrous (Fe++) and ferric (Fe+++) forms, and can be chelated with a host of different organics, or not chelated at all.

It is unfortunate that they do not tell you what they are selling you. Probably because if you knew, you'd buy it yourself from amazon for much less.

The strontium can be mixed with any of those. Fluoride likely to.

The others may be OK. I'd start mixing them, and if you do not see a precipitate, you are probably OK.

Thank you, Randy!