# Does iron come in dry form as well?



## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Does iron come in dry form?
I am suing seachem iron now...is there any other alternative, please?
Thanks.


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## Mykiss (Apr 22, 2010)

Yes it does. You can get iron chelate for those who want to does extra iron for their plants.


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Hi Pat,
Thanks for the reply. 
Do you sell that as well?


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

Ive read that dry Iron is way better than liquid Iron because liquid Iron can disapear from your tank a short while after adding it. Where dry Iron will stay in the tank until you remove it ex water change. I think it has something to do with dry Iron being Chelated. If I remember correctly. Maybe Pat can explain it better.


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

all Iron, regardless of form is chelated. Chelation stabilizes (usually) reactive metal atoms to prevent them from reacting with other ions in solution. 

think of a carbon chain that chelates as a bag that covers up metals completely so they cannot bond with anything else. this is required for liquid and dry versions as otherwise the iron would oxidize (rust) by reacting with oxygen in the water in seconds. additionally plants will more readily absorb chelated metals in a watery environment. metal ions are adsorbed via the roots in a terrestrial setting. but in the aquarium, the complexing of iron with a carbon chain allows it to be absorbed more readily directly through plant tissues.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

I will try to find the articles I have read that say dry iron is better than buying it in liquid form. I might of read about it in an aquarium magazine or online. I have read it in a few different articles so I assumed it was correct.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Iron is iron. The only way it can "disappear" is by uptake or oxidation, which binds it in oxide so it's stable but not useable by anything. There is a minor difference on using EDTA versus DPTA, but the different is debatable and only matter if you have higher pH such as an African cichlid tank or a brackish tank. Here's one discussion on trace using, with some discussion on EDTA vs. DPTA.

Dry iron get "wet" once you put it in the water.


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