Diy Fert Csmb + Fe Gluconate + Fe Dtpa 11%

Hi @nanomania,

I use a DIY mix of those three sources of iron. I use CSM+B, Ferrous Gluconate 12.46%, and DTPA Fe Chelate 11%

My mix is:

4 parts CSM+B
1 part Ferrous Gluconate 12.46%
1 part DTPA Fe Chelate 11%

1/16 teaspoon per 8 gallons provides:
0.636 ppm of Fe
0.11 ppm of Mn
0.05 ppm of B

These are all dry ingredients, adding Excel does not make sense.

Hope this helps!
-Roy

 

Although Excel is used by some to do this, it is not as stable under certain conditions. I prefer to add ascorbic acid (antioxidant): 1 mg / 1 ml and potassium sorbate (mold inhibitor): 2 mg / 5 ml.

 

No, it won't negatively affect those things and can be refrigerated, although I'm not sure why you would want to refrigerate it. In fact, potassium sorbate is often used as a food preservative.

 

Hi nanomania,

I put together a dry mix in the proportions stated above and dose dry; I see no reason for me to go through the extra work of dilution and storage.
-Roy

 

Hi @nanomania

I mix up enough to last about 4 months at a time. Put it in an empty medication bottle with screw-on cap. No desiccant but no reason one couldn't be added. Never have an issue with moisture, no clumping or anything and I live in Seattle where apparently we are known for our moisture.
-Roy

 

They don't add preservatives on the assumption that it will be used before problems develop.

 

Roy,

Do you have any concerns about consistency? Coming from the chemical industry, whenever powders were involved, we had to go through all sorts of various ways to mix to ensure consistency due to minute differences in particle size and density. Then, after mixing, there was always the concern of handling (and shipping) causing striations. We always preferred the homogenization supplied by liquids, when possible. I never liked the idea of using mixes, such as CSM-B, for this reason.

 

Before I started making my own mixes, I used Tropica's line.

 

Not exactly, mine is in solution form. CSM+B is just a powdered mix of the same things you'd find in commercial solution forms such as Tropica, Seachem, NilocG and the list goes on and on.

 

I use this mix:

Fe gluc: 0.1ppm
MnSO4.H2O: 0.05ppm
H3BO3: 0.005ppm
CuSO4.5H2O: 0.00375ppm
Na2MoO4*2H2O: 0.0025ppm
ZnSO4.H2O: 0.005ppm
NiSO4.6H2O: 0.0003ppm

This mixture is similar to the Tropica approach. However, these are not chelated, so I dose daily. There is nothing wrong with using the CSM+B mix. You can make a solution with the CSM+B and add the Flourish Iron to it. This calculator will do all the work for you: https://rotalabutterfly.com/nutrient-calculator.php

I'm not sure which other thread you are indicating.