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Re: Ferric Citrate
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To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
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Subject: Re: Ferric Citrate
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From: "Curtis Hoganson" <hoganson at pilot_msu.edu>
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Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 10:44:28 -0500 (EST)
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In-Reply-To: <199701290839.DAA30056 at looney_actwin.com> from "Aquatic-Plants-Owner at ActWin_com" at Jan 29, 97 03:39:02 am
> From: Adrian Hydon <aph at globalserve_net>
> Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 17:20:32 -0500
> Subject: Ferric Citrate (Iron III Citrate)
>
> Is Ferric Citrate an acceptable source of iron for a plant? The iron is
> in the III oxidation state. Does it need to be Fe II or Fe III??? What
> about the citrate? Will it affect the plants? fish? The amount present
> will be very small, and I know that Sodium Citrate is not toxic in small
> doses to humans (It's used as an anticoagulant by the red cross).
> Any feedback is welcome. I am really looking for an iron source that I
> could obtain from a chemists.
I have been using ferric citrate as a source of iron for my 29 gal planted
aquarium for about a year. It seems to be well utilized by Water sprite,
Cryptocorynes, Lysimachia and numerous algae. As far as I can tell, it has not
adversely affected the Platies, Rams, Otocinclus or zebra danio, except
possibly, if I overdose, some of the platies show a whitening around the
mouth, which I suspect might be a fungus.
The reddish-brown powder (borrowed from the lab) dissolves very slowly at room
temperature, but
more rapidly in hot water. I keep the stock solution in the refrigerator (the
compound remains in solution) and add a few drops every few days.
Citrate is a chemical compound found in most cells and is important for its
role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats.
-- Curtis Hoganson
Dept. of Chemistry, Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824 517-355-9715 ext 260