# CSM+B Iron dose



## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

If I dose 1/8 tsp of CSM+B to 5 gallons of water, how much iron did I add to the water? I can remember being able to calculate this myself, but I was younger then.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

That's why I use calculators. 
You're adding 1.85ppm of Fe. You're way above any dosing methods.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

mistergreen said:


> That's why I use calculators.
> You're adding 1.85ppm of Fe. You're way above any dosing methods.


Thank you!! :smile: I couldn't find the calculator I used to use. Now that I have a number I can adjust what I plan to dose to a reasonable amount - I haven't dosed at all yet.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Have I made any mistakes in figuring this out?

--CSM+B trace mix solution--

8 fluid ounce bottle, 236 ml of water

Each dose to be 5 ml of the water and CSM mix.

236ml divided by 5 ml equals 47 doses in bottle.

Tank to be dosed holds 5 gallons of water.

*1/8 tsp of CSM+B in 5 gallons of water = 1.85 ppm of iron.
*
Desired iron concentration in 5 gallons is 0.2 ppm of iron
0.125 tsp x 0.2/1.85 = 0.014 tsp of CSM+B per dose
Total CSM+B = 47 x 0.014 = 0.64 tsp of CSM+B (5/8 tsp)

Add 5/8 tsp of CSM+B to 8 fl oz bottle
Fill bottle with tap water, and shake to dissolve.
Dose 5 ml of solution at a time.

My tap water ranges from near zero to .027 ppm iron, so it can be ignored.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

My calculator validates your conclusion.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Thank You!!


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## Stan510 (Dec 23, 2018)

I guess if your using CO2,then Iron might not be needed. But for all other setups,aquariums,aquaponics and maybe hydroponics..I tell you gluconate Iron drives plants wild. Seen it with my own two, and half the time four eyes. Glasses.

One more,maybe more than the dose on the bottle is needed for a heavy plant growth. Still,fish are fine and happy. I'm even thinking its healthy for them. Gives them energy.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

Oh, check if you have phosphate in your tap. We know what it does to Fe.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

My city water isn't checked for phosphates. But, if it had more than a trace there wouldn't be that much iron in the water. Iron would precipitate out.

I looked at my supply of CSM+B and it looks like I added enough iron to it years ago to double the iron in the mix (as I vaguely remember it). So, I'm not sure how much iron is in the mix. I just bought a small bottle of Flourish Iron from Amazon to use instead. I'm much more confident that it has a knowable amount of iron.


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## Maryland Guppy (Mar 5, 2015)

Now about .378ml of Flourish Iron to reach .2ppm

Tough to measure, need a small (1-2ml) graduated cylinder.


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## Maryland Guppy (Mar 5, 2015)

Stan510 said:


> I guess if your using CO2,then Iron might not be needed. But for all other setups,aquariums,aquaponics and maybe hydroponics..I tell you gluconate Iron drives plants wild.


I am at a loss here. What does CO2 have to do with the "need" of iron?

Many hydroponics micros contain EDTA, DTPA, and EDDHA chelated iron but no gluconate.
Most dose weekly and gluconate is so short lived in the water column.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Maryland Guppy said:


> Now about .378ml of Flourish Iron to reach .2ppm
> 
> Tough to measure, need a small (1-2ml) graduated cylinder.


Is there a problem with using a 350ml bottle with diluted Flourish Iron? It would have mostly water, but would the iron be deteriorated as the bottle sits waiting to all be used?


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## Maryland Guppy (Mar 5, 2015)

hoppycalif said:


> Is there a problem with using a 350ml bottle with diluted Flourish Iron? It would have mostly water, but would the iron be deteriorated as the bottle sits waiting to all be used?


Don't remember if there is a preservative in Flourish Iron???

I would make much smaller batches, it will take a very long time dosing such small amounts.

What size dose would be easy for you to measure?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Maryland Guppy said:


> Don't remember if there is a preservative in Flourish Iron???
> 
> I would make much smaller batches, it will take a very long time dosing such small amounts.
> 
> What size dose would be easy for you to measure?


The easiest accurate amount I can dose is 5 ml. I might be able to dose 1 ml, if I still have a syringe that handles less than 5 ml maximum.

As I recall Flourish Iron is ferrous gluconate.


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## mysiak (Jan 17, 2018)

I am using this kind of dosing pump, one dose is 1ml in average and fits perfectly on Seachem 500ml bottles. I just unscrew the cap, remove a little of the content so it doesn't spill later and screw on the pump. Flourish tends to plug the output nozzle with precipitates, but they're easy to remove or dissolve in clean water every week or two. Extremely handy for daily dosage of small amounts of any "water like" liquid.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

mysiak said:


> I am using this kind of dosing pump, one dose is 1ml in average and fits perfectly on Seachem 500ml bottles. I just unscrew the cap, remove a little of the content so it doesn't spill later and screw on the pump. Flourish tends to plug the output nozzle with precipitates, but they're easy to remove or dissolve in clean water every week or two. Extremely handy for daily dosage of small amounts of any "water like" liquid.
> View attachment 62817


A simple solution! Thanks for the idea. Sometimes I get so engrossed in looking for a complicated solution that I forget to look for simple solutions.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

If I take a 236 ml bottle, add 9 ml of Flourish Iron to the bottle, then fill it with water, will a 5 ml dose of that mix give me 0.10 ppm of iron in a 5 gallon aquarium? That's how my calculation comes out.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

yup, adding 5ml iron straight into 5G will give you 2.64ppm. Diluting the iron by 26 in solution will give you 0.1 ppm in a 5G.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

mistergreen said:


> yup, adding 5ml iron straight into 5G will give you 2.64ppm. Diluting the iron by 26 in solution will give you 0.1 ppm in a 5G.


Thank you! This is how I plan to do it, using distilled water in the mix, instead of tap water. So, there should be nothing in that water that would affect the dissolved iron.


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## Stan510 (Dec 23, 2018)

The only thing plants need is iron. All else they get plenty of from tap water,water changes and top offs.
Flourish iron gluconate does wonders and why it hasn't been said loud before I don't know. My Sword plant is even larger since my post of it 2 weeks ago. No root ferts..all Iron. 

All I can think of is...hard core plant growers splurge for Co2 systems. Might not notice a need. Low Tech? It's a huge difference..life and death literally. Plus the life part is big and healthy not "hanging in there".
My Syngonium now has leaves that look waxed...you will NEVER,ever,see that on a houseplant in potting soils that lush. They feel thick..not papery as your typical Home Depot plant does. As I said water from this tank has improved my potted "Florida" Anthurium andraeanum into a surge of blooms,and many new shoots at the base.
I'm going to post my guru who I found agree's with me. And.lol..I found him AFTER I reinvented the wheel of aquarium plant needs. It's nice to see him put it in technical terms and data.


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