GH Booster

Singtoh

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Sep 12, 2009
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Hello all,

I've got a question about the GH Booster. Why does it have Iron in it since we dose Iron with CSM+B or whatever? Or is there another reason for it? Thanks in advance for any replies.

Cheers,

Singtoh
 

Tug

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Jan 5, 2009
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Singtoh,
Barr's GH Booster does not contain Iron, just 3 parts K2SO4, 3 parts CaSO4 and 1 part MgSO4. I am not sure about the others.
 
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Left C

Lifetime Members
Sep 26, 2005
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Burlington, NC
Hi

Some GH Boosters contain Fe and some don't. Seachem's Equilibrium, Grumpy's GH Booster and The Ultimate GH Booster contain Fe while Barr's GH Booster and Kent Marine's R/O Right do not contain Fe according to the info that I found.

Guaranteed Analysis - Equilibrium: http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Equilibrium.html
Soluble Potassium (K20) 23.0%
Calcium (Ca) 8.06%
Magnesium (Mg) 2.41%
Soluble Iron (Fe) 0.11%
Soluble Manganese (Mn) 0.06%
Derived from: potassium sulfate, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, ferric sulfate, manganese sulfate. Elemental potassium is present at a concentration of 195,000 ppm (19.5%). Archaic fertilizer laws force us to list potassium in terms of equivalence to a material that is not present (K2O) rather than the more scientifically sound method of simple elemental equivalence.

Grumpy's GH Booster: http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/dosing.html
* 5 grams will add the following to 10 gallons of water:
* 25 ppm K+
* 39 ppm CaCO3 hardness equivalent (just over 2 dGH) (breaks out as 26.6 ppm Ca as CaCO3 and 12 pppm Mg as CaCO3)
* 12 ppm Mg
* 0.15 ppm Fe
* 0.07 ppm Mn
* And will raise the GH just over 2 dGH.

The Ultimate GH Booster: http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/gh-booster.html
Description - Contains:
* Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4)
* Calcium Sulfate (CaSO4)
* Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4)
* Iron Sulfate (FeSO4)
* Manganese Sulfate (MnSO4)

Barr's GH Booster: http://aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=inven&EditU=2&Regit=7
This is Tom Barr's Poor Man's GH Builder/Booster. Barr's GH Booster contains: Potassium Sulfate, Calcium Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate.

KENT MARINE R/O RIGHT: http://www.kentmarine.com/products/kent-ro-right.htm
Kent Marine Powdered R/O Right is a specially formulated mixture of dissoluble solids (also called general hardness or GH) which includes major salts of sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium together with all necessary minor and trace minerals, together with a small amount of carbonate alkalinity (KH) to reproduce artificial river water (most aquarium fish are river fish). Provides natural water chemistry for the conversion of reverse osmosis, distilled or deionized water for fresh water fish and plants. Provides a balanced electrolyte system. Useful for all fresh water fish, including Discus. This is the premium dry formula used by the world over to raise discus and other freshwater species. Contains no phosphates, nitrates, silicates or organic chemicals to pollute the system! R/O right is unmatched for quality and value! From: http://www.marinedepot.com/Kent_Mar...ents-Kent_Marine-KM5333-FWADRO-KM5333-vi.html

Left C
 
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Singtoh

Prolific Poster
Sep 12, 2009
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Bangkok,Thailand
Hello Tug and Left C,

Thanks for the replies. I was just wondering about that because a few forums and mixtures I have found on line have Iron it as well. I just made up a batch of GH booster with about the same Ratios as Tug suggested, and left out the Iron and was just wondering if it needed to be in there for some reason or another. Thanks again.

Cheers,

Singtoh
 

Left C

Lifetime Members
Sep 26, 2005
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Burlington, NC
Singtoh;45753 said:
Hello Tug and Left C,

Thanks for the replies. I was just wondering about that because a few forums and mixtures I have found on line have Iron it as well. I just made up a batch of GH booster with about the same Ratios as Tug suggested, and left out the Iron and was just wondering if it needed to be in there for some reason or another. Thanks again.

Cheers,

Singtoh

Would you want to ask Seachem why Equilibrium has iron in it?
http://plantgeek.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=33
 

Tom Barr

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Jan 23, 2005
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It's not much Fe and Mn, and it's not chelated..........so it'll end up in the sediments.
FeSO4's and MnSO4's are pretty cheap.


Regards,
Tom Barr
 

Singtoh

Prolific Poster
Sep 12, 2009
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Bangkok,Thailand
Ok, thanks Tom. Maybe I'll run down to the chemist and get some, just for grins then. The mix I found, is as follows and is what I made up. K2SO4=200gr., CaSO4=170gr., MgSO4=120gr., and I put 1/2tsp per week at water change per 20gallon of water. Does this sound pretty close? The mix called for 10gr. of Chelated Iron, but I will just get the FeSO4 and add 10gr of that instead. Any advice on how much MnSO4 I should add to the mix? Thanks a bunch for all replies in advance. I appreciate it much.

Cheers,

Singtoh
 
B

Brian20

Guest
Grumpy's GH Booster says in one page:

*GH Booster for raising GH. Contains Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Iron and Manganese and in other page says:

Grumpy's GH Booster
5 grams will add the following to 10 gallons of water:
25 ppm K+
39 ppm CaCO3 hardness equivalent (just over 2 dGH) (breaks out as 26.6 ppm Ca as CaCO3 and 12 pppm Mg as CaCO3)
12 ppm Mg
0.15 ppm Fe
0.07 ppm Mn
And will raise the GH just over 2 dGH.

So, it brings CaCO3 right? so, why it never says how much CO3 brings to water?
 

Biollante

Lifetime Charter Member
Lifetime Member
Jun 21, 2009
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Surprise, AZ
Zero CO3

Hi Brian,

In the world of water hardness, hardness is stated in terms of Calcium Carbonate, CaCO3. :)

Unless the ingredient list says there is Calcium Carbonate, CaCO3 in the mix, then it means that the combination of ingredients that make up, in this case Grumpy’s GH booster have a hardness equivalent to, in this case 39-ppm Calcium Carbonate, CaCO3.

It is only the hardness which is equivalent not the chemical make-up, therefore no carbonate, CO3 component.

Biollante
 
B

Brian20

Guest
In other words, it only up the GH not the kh. Grumpy's GH booster works for reconstitute RO water, what other uses it have? Is better than equilibrium?
 

Tom Barr

Founder
Staff member
Administrator
Jan 23, 2005
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I do not think any are better than the others.
They all serve the same purpose.

I see little need to add Fe and Mn, since most folks add trace mix anyway, the main component is still K2SO4 in all of those products.
GH booster is nice since it rules out all the K+, Ca, Mg issues anyone might typically ever have.

Adding more does no harm beyond the minimum value, much like all nutrients.
These cations are even wider in their ranges than most any others and often produce nicer coloration in both fish and plants.

The little bit of Fe/Mn contribute little, particularly if you add trace elements anyhow.
Adding to this, they are not even chelated

So why bother?

I do not.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
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Brian20

Guest
Thank you Tom Barr I understand you. I think the other nutrients added are only for selling tricks, any newbie that see a lot of nutrients in one bottle think that it is the best. All comercial products have this characteristics, also a very nice label with a high quality picture that sells more that the product itself.I know of this because I are buyer, seller, have friends that are owner of petshops, study from a hobbyist view of point the products like all here and I sells my homemade products when I produce them.
 

mastin

Junior Poster
Jul 5, 2009
21
0
1
Green Leaf Aquariums appears to now show The Ultimate GH Booster as...
"The Ultimate GH Booster Contains:potassium Sulfate (K2SO4) Calcium Sulfate (CaSO4) Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4)"
I am assuming the previous post from a few years ago was based on information provided by the website and this has been updated to a new formula?
I will write GLA to confirm.

Hi

Some GH Boosters contain Fe and some don't. Seachem's Equilibrium, Grumpy's GH Booster and The Ultimate GH Booster contain Fe while Barr's GH Booster and Kent Marine's R/O Right do not contain Fe according to the info that I found.

Guaranteed Analysis - Equilibrium: http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Equilibrium.html
Soluble Potassium (K20) 23.0%
Calcium (Ca) 8.06%
Magnesium (Mg) 2.41%
Soluble Iron (Fe) 0.11%
Soluble Manganese (Mn) 0.06%
Derived from: potassium sulfate, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, ferric sulfate, manganese sulfate. Elemental potassium is present at a concentration of 195,000 ppm (19.5%). Archaic fertilizer laws force us to list potassium in terms of equivalence to a material that is not present (K2O) rather than the more scientifically sound method of simple elemental equivalence.

Grumpy's GH Booster: http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/dosing.html
* 5 grams will add the following to 10 gallons of water:
* 25 ppm K+
* 39 ppm CaCO3 hardness equivalent (just over 2 dGH) (breaks out as 26.6 ppm Ca as CaCO3 and 12 pppm Mg as CaCO3)
* 12 ppm Mg
* 0.15 ppm Fe
* 0.07 ppm Mn
* And will raise the GH just over 2 dGH.

The Ultimate GH Booster: http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/gh-booster.html
Description - Contains:
* Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4)
* Calcium Sulfate (CaSO4)
* Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4)
* Iron Sulfate (FeSO4)
* Manganese Sulfate (MnSO4)

Barr's GH Booster: http://aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=inven&EditU=2&Regit=7
This is Tom Barr's Poor Man's GH Builder/Booster. Barr's GH Booster contains: Potassium Sulfate, Calcium Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate.

KENT MARINE R/O RIGHT: http://www.kentmarine.com/products/kent-ro-right.htm
Kent Marine Powdered R/O Right is a specially formulated mixture of dissoluble solids (also called general hardness or GH) which includes major salts of sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium together with all necessary minor and trace minerals, together with a small amount of carbonate alkalinity (KH) to reproduce artificial river water (most aquarium fish are river fish). Provides natural water chemistry for the conversion of reverse osmosis, distilled or deionized water for fresh water fish and plants. Provides a balanced electrolyte system. Useful for all fresh water fish, including Discus. This is the premium dry formula used by the world over to raise discus and other freshwater species. Contains no phosphates, nitrates, silicates or organic chemicals to pollute the system! R/O right is unmatched for quality and value! From: http://www.marinedepot.com/Kent_Mar...ents-Kent_Marine-KM5333-FWADRO-KM5333-vi.html

Left C
 

mastin

Junior Poster
Jul 5, 2009
21
0
1
Confirmed, GLA's Ultimate GH Booster no longer contains Fe.

Hi David,

Thanks for the inquiry. Thats an older mixture that is not the same as what we send out from our site now. Here is the revised version for the last few years.
Ca 3.3739 %
Mg 4.0921 %
K 19.7483 %
S 16.1958 %

______________

Many Thanks,
Marco

Green Leaf Aquariums appears to now show The Ultimate GH Booster as...
"The Ultimate GH Booster Contains:potassium Sulfate (K2SO4) Calcium Sulfate (CaSO4) Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4)"
I am assuming the previous post from a few years ago was based on information provided by the website and this has been updated to a new formula?
I will write GLA to confirm.