Concentrated Iron Supplement for all Marine Fish & Reef Aquaria.Overview:
- Highly-concentrated and stable iron solution for supplementing
aquaria containing hermatypic organisms (i.e. “photosynthetic” or
zooxanthellate corals, clams, and their allies), macroalgae, coralline
algae, mangroves, marsh grasses, and other desirable marine algae and
plants.
- Particularly suited to systems outfitted with a refugium or mud system.
- Stronger than most competing products.
- Composed of purified water and ultra-high purity materials.
- Formulated by a marine scientist.
Technical Background:Photosynthesis
is carried out within cell bodies known as Chloroplasts. Iron is
utilized in the electron transport chain within the chloroplasts, and is
therefore required by photosynthetic organisms for continued
functioning and health. In marine aquaria, these organisms include
macroalgae (such as Caulerpa, Halimeda, and Penicillus spp.), marsh
grasses and mangroves, encrusting calcareous algae, and the symbiotic
zooxanthellae and zoochlorellae that reside within the tissues of
hermatypic corals, clams, and their allies, as well as in some sponges.
In effect, the availability of iron becomes a limiting factor in the
rate of photosynthesis, and hence the rate of nutrient uptake and
growth, for these organisms. While each aquarium will require different
concentrations of iron, a good place to begin is within a range of 0.05 -
0.10 ppm; this will generally provide sufficient iron for the
photosynthetic organisms present in the system. Some aquaria may
require, or benefit from, iron concentrations greater than 0.10 ppm,
however greatly exceeding this level is not recommended. The best method
of determining the optimal iron concentration for an aquarium is to
begin at 0.05 ppm and then gradually (i.e. over a period of weeks)
increase the concentration as warranted by the appearance of the
aquarium. Phosphate is a substance that encourages growth of algae under
the environmental conditions commonly found in marine aquaria, and
overdosing iron in the presence of excessive phosphate may result in
algal proliferation; for this reason, the concentration of phosphate in a
marine aquarium should be maintained as close to immeasurable as
possible.
The
rate at which iron is extracted from the water is determined by the
stocking density of photosynthetic organisms, type of lighting, and
other conditions. Once the rate of iron uptake in the aquarium has been
determined, the proper dosing rate of this product can be easily
calculated.
Instructions and Guidelines:Basic:Shake
product well before using. Add 5 ml (1 capful) of product per 50
US-gallons of aquarium water every other day or as needed to maintain
the iron concentration within a range of 0.05 - 0.10 ppm. When used in
this fashion, 250 ml treats up to 2,500 US-gallons (9,464 L).
Advanced:Determine
the iron concentration in the aquarium using an accurate test kit
before supplementing. Shake this product well before using. Each ml of
Ferrion will increase the concentration of iron (“[Fe3+]”) in 1
US-gallon (3.785 L) of water by 1 ppm. It is advisable to ensure that
the concentration of phosphate not exceed 0.05 ppm in the aquarium to be
dosed with an iron supplement; see opposite sidebar for additional
information. If the initial [Fe3+] in the aquarium is below 0.10 ppm,
add this product at the maximum rate of 10 ml per 20 US-gallons daily
until the desired concentration is attained, then dose daily or weekly
as needed (see below). Always attempt to maintain the [Fe3+] within a
range of +/-0.02 ppm. To determine the dosing rate of this product once
the desired [Fe3+] has been acquired, measure the daily rate of iron
uptake (i.e. the decrease in iron) in your aquarium by measuring the
aquarium's [Fe3+] at the same time each day over a one- to two-week
period. To determine the daily dosing rate (preferable to weekly dosing)
for iron maintenance: estimate the volume of water in the entire
aquarium system; multiply this number by the volume of water in the
system to get the daily dosage required (ml) to maintain a stable
[Fe3+]. Daily dosing maintains a more stable [Fe3+] (and more natural
environment) than dosing weekly, in which the [Fe3+] spikes just after
dosing and then gradually decreases throughout the course of the week.
Guaranteed Analysis: Iron (Fe) (min) 0.40%, Chelated Iron (118 mg/oz.; 4,000 ppm)
Ingredients: Purified water, Sodium feredetate
Size: 500 mL