# Looking for a source of iron



## pepperonihead (Nov 25, 2004)

Looking for a source of iron that is not soooo expensive. The flourish Iron is very expensive and I don't see why there should not be a source of iron that is cheap. Kind of like using green light stump remover for your nitrate. Buying it that way is so cheap and does no harm to the fish tank when used properly. Has any one found a cheaper source of Iron that does not have other ingredients that are harmful to fish tanks?


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

You can buy chelated iron (powder) for really cheap compared to liquid. Green Leaf Aquariums has it here for $10 per 1/2 pound:

http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizer.html

That's enough to last a LONG time.

Also, CSM+B (micro-nutrient blend) has iron in it.

-Dave


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## hooha (Apr 21, 2005)

you're likely going to benefit from looking into dry ferts. www.greenleafaquariums.com is a sponsoring vendor on the site. If you look at the cost of Green Light Stump Remover compared to dry nitrate, it actually costs less to buy the dry nitrate. There is also the chelated iron, which would be cheaper than Flourish bottles.

The caveat with the chelated iron products - the Flourish products are arguably better than the chelated iron (also found in other brands of iron supplements).


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi pepperonihead,

I agree, I used the Seachem line and had excellent results but over time it got to be expensive. Based on what I read in this and other forums I decided to do DIY Ferts using the PPS-Pro method but forgot to order chelated iron when I placed my order. One of our GSAS members said they got most of their ferts from an indoor gardening store. I found a store nearby that sold "Grow More Organic Based Iron Chelate 10%" in 8 ounce containers for $6.99.

I mix it up per the dosing instructions on Rex Grigg's site http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/dosing.html since he sells a 10% chelated iron. Plants and fish are doing great!


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## pepperonihead (Nov 25, 2004)

*Thanks every body.*

I use all the dry ferts already and use Csm+b. But it does not have enough Iron. I also didn't order the Chelated Iron when I ordered my dry ferts. I was looking for something that I could just go out and buy from a nersury or something. So thank you very much Seattle Aquarist! I am going to go to the local nersuries today and see if I can find the Organic stuff!


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## hooha (Apr 21, 2005)

Pepperonihead, if you find any, post your success here if you have a chance. I used to do the local searches for stuff but started buying online as the amount of time I'd waste looking at different places wasn't worth the limited amount of extra time I have.


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## pepperonihead (Nov 25, 2004)

Your right Hooha. I can't find it. This sucks because I inspected the Grow More Factory in So. Cal and if I had known I wanted it at the time and that he made it he probably would have given me some.


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## wet (Nov 24, 2008)

also be aware that iron sold via agro supply is likely to use the much weaker EDTA chelating agent, not DTPA (or Seachems gluconate), which keeps iron in its available state for a longer period of time. (this is even more important in southern californias relatively high ph water.) 

I'll give you a cup of DTPA chelated fe, which will last forever, if you want to pick up in downtown la.


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## pepperonihead (Nov 25, 2004)

*Where in Downtown LA*

I will be on Highland ave tommorrow. I will be at the Convention Center at about noon or 1 pm.


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## ShaneSmith (Feb 15, 2004)

Guys it is not that EDTA is stronger or weaker than DTPA. DTPA has a different pH in which is optimally chelates than EDTA. Look up their activity levels at diff pH's and decide what fits your tanks. Gluconate is a terrible inefficient chelator in comparison to these other forms.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi ShaneSmith,

The Chelated Iron I found at the hydroponic store was HEDTA. Here is an interesting read on the various types of Chelated Iron.

" Chelated iron - Agents like EDTA, HEDTA; these are expensive but very effective in soils below pH 7; DTPA chelate is effective up to about soil pH 7.5; if the soil is calcareous, the only effective iron chelating agent is EDDHA; one example of this is Sequestrene-138 (trade name)"

Although they are talking about soil PH, I would assume water PH would result in the same effects.


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## ShaneSmith (Feb 15, 2004)

Take what i say with a grain of salt, i have not yet graduated but i am studying horticulture. I think we can learn a lot from the industry and i don't know why people don't take more information from the well established sources. Yes you can use that information, it is valid for our purposes. So in reality DTPA, HEDTA, and EDTA should all perform the very well in our aquatic environments... If you inject co2 and have reasonably soft water (less than 150ppm carbonates/bicarbonates). 95% of us probably meet these requirements, the exception would be people using well water.


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