All Discussions Tagged 'iron' - Fishtanktv2024-03-29T10:48:44Zhttp://fishtanktv.com/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=iron&feed=yes&xn_auth=nothe truth about claytag:fishtanktv.com,2011-11-24:6423219:Topic:1073702011-11-24T04:23:38.471ZSin the conquerorhttp://fishtanktv.com/profile/xuyenha
<p>alright for all you guys out there that are throwing TONS of clay into a tank to increase iron...let me tell you that you are sort of wasting your money and ill explain why.</p>
<p>first off, dirt already has plenty of iron in it in the form of Fe(3+)...even with PLENTY of iron in the soil...it can still be considered depleted if there is no good bacteria and decaying matter like leaves, grass cuttings, or dead branches in it. why this is is that good bacteria in the soil eat this decaying…</p>
<p>alright for all you guys out there that are throwing TONS of clay into a tank to increase iron...let me tell you that you are sort of wasting your money and ill explain why.</p>
<p>first off, dirt already has plenty of iron in it in the form of Fe(3+)...even with PLENTY of iron in the soil...it can still be considered depleted if there is no good bacteria and decaying matter like leaves, grass cuttings, or dead branches in it. why this is is that good bacteria in the soil eat this decaying matter and turn Fe3+ into Fe2+ in almost anaerobic(without oxygen) conditions. here is the formula</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>H<sub>2</sub>O + Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>(this is Fe3+) → 2Fe(OH)<sub>2</sub>(this is Fe2+) + O<sub>2</sub></strong></p>
<p>this Fe2+ is the ONLY iron that is usable in plants because they can absorb it while Fe3+ cannot be taken in by plants.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>what does this mean to the aquarist?</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>put clay on the bottom of the tank before the dirt and gravel. this is usually where the least amount of oxygen is reaching...promoting anaerobic conditions.</p>
<p>mix in organic material such as peat, dead leaves, or fine mulch in with your clay to provide food for the bacteria.</p>
<p>mix peat in with your dirt also because dirt has TONS of iron in it that is just waiting to be released by bacteria.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>what else does clay do?</strong></p>
<p>as you all might know clay is negatively charged which means it likes to attract positive ions in the water. ions that could possibly feed nasties such as algae and unsightly bacteria. clay mixed in with dirt will draw these nutrients into the gravel/dirt where plants can use them via roots and where algae cant reach!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>another thing that clay does is that it has MASSIVE amounts of surface area in its tiny cracks and pores(fired clay). these tiny pores provide a home for good bacteria that breaks down organic material in your tank and provides food for your plants. and another thing...the breakdown of organic junk <strong>produces <span style="text-decoration: underline;">CO2</span></strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>i hope this helps you guys understand what clay does and could possibly do in your tanks! enjoy<br/><br/><br/><br/><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>ADDED ON 1 DEC, 2011</strong></span></p>
<p>so i was doing some reading and found out that rust is actually in the chemical form <span class="st">Fe2O3....the FE(3) form of iron!! so instead of adding expensive ferts to your substrate, iron enriched clay/gravel, nutrient enriched dirt, or w/e is on the market today.....this is my cheaper solution <br/><br/>organic potting soil - which already has all the decomposing organic nutrients and minerals that plants need<br/><br/>peat moss - provides extra organic material for bacteria to eat over A LONG period of time<br/><br/>iron - this can be obtained through such things as staples, nails, paper clips, or even old bolts and nuts that have been sitting in the shed. <br/><br/>the bacteria in your tanks will convert this rust into usable reduced iron that plants can take up. of course it'll be a very slow process for the iron to rust and be converted to soluble iron so add it early! <br/></span></p>