Dosed Iron and Tank Turned Cloudy

[Linkandnavi]

Morning all,

I noticed some signs of iron deficiency in some of the plants in my 200 gallon, so I ordered an iron supplement (Easy Life Ferro - I use their ferts without issue). It's phosphate and nitrate free.

I added just under the recommended amount and within a couple of minutes the water had gone completely cloudy to the point of almost not being able to see through to the back. Pictures attached.

Any ideas? I'll keep an eye on it obviously and hopefully it will disappear through the day but anything to be concerned over? All the fish are behaving normally.

Thanks.

 

[Colin_T]

The iron has reacted with something in the water. No ideas what, but some of the others that like chemistry might know.

 

[Naughts]

Beautiful tank

What other additives do you use?

 

[Linkandnavi]

The iron has reacted with something in the water. No ideas what, but some of the others that like chemistry might know.

Beautiful tank

What other additives do you use?

Thanks both.

Other than a weekly dose of Easy Life Profito ferts, no other additives. Seachem Safe as dechlorinator.

I've done some more digging around the Internet and it sounds like others have encountered similar things when dosing iron (mainly Seachem) in tanks with high phosphate. Apparently the iron can bind with the phosphate and turn cloudy. Not harmful and eventually it settles and releases slowly.

My ferts are phosphate free but my tap water has naturally high phosphate so I'm guessing it's that.

Thanks again.

 

[Matty24]

Bring this post back up I've just noticed my tank has done the same thing over night not as cloudy as yours but it has a cloudy tint ammonia nitrite nirates are all 0 over the past 2 weeks I started to follow a dosing schedule using seachum products I will attach a pic of the dosing if that's any help to anyone.

 

[Byron]

@Linkandnavi , I m assuming you have a low tech or natural planted tank (no diffused CO2, and not mega light). If so, a comprehensive liquid fertilizer is sufficient. Many make thee mistake of thinking iron needs to be high--it does not. It ius a micro-nutrient, and it is harmful to fish and invertebrates so it should not be overdosed. I don't know what is in the fertilizer you are using, but as an example Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement contains all nutrients and in proportion to each other, and there is sufficient iron in that for any natural planted tank.

I lived through the "iron" revolution back in the 1980's when laterite substrates and iron dosing were all the rage. No one advises these now, because they are more harm than good.

 

[Matty24]

Im just home from work and for whatever reason the water has gone gin clear again I added today's dose of iron expecting it to get worse and everything is normal again I have no idea

 

[DoubleDutch]

It is quite common that water gets cloudy when Iron is added. As Colin said it is somekind of chemical reaction.