Dosing iodine?

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Any test kit you would recommend. My understanding is that there aren't any affordable tests available with any accuracy. Therefore I dose at a low dose but don't test.

AN ACCURATE AND PRECISE METHOD FOR MEASURING IODINE

ABOUT THE ARTICLE: The article describes an accurate and precise method and it's development, for measuring the level of Iodine in a saltwater aquarium. It is a follow-up to an article written in 2021. The current article describes an improved method but using the same basic ideas as the 2021...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks a lot Randy for the detailed explanation.

You’re welcome

Happy Reefing!

 

[Sophie"s mom]

here's @rtparty useful comparison across many salt brands.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-ultimate-salt-test.949805/

IO and IO-RC have plenty of iodine - above target values of ~0.060ppm (IO/RC around 0.20 ppm in that test - and I also measure my IO to be between 0.10-0.20ppm) , however even people who use those salts find iodine depletes in their systems, so people may still supplement iodine, even if their salt is "above target value" for iodine.

So you could increase your water changes if they are very low and increase iodine input that way, but it still may not get you up to a typical target value.

my suspicion is that iodine levels may be more relevant to corals in how it affects the behavior of other elements - rather than Iodine being needed directly by corals.

Thank you for this! I am just learning all I can about keeping corals! I have had fish in the past but never corals until now.

 

[jimk60]

Thank you for this! I am just learning all I can about keeping corals! I have had fish in the past but never corals until now.

I also am using reef crystals. I dose Brightwell iodine in a mixed reef. Seems to make a difference to me but as others have said it's hard to tell how much

 

[North Borders]

I have an SPS dominated tank, and hand dose iodine daily. My acros start to show signs of stress after an about a week of no iodine dosing.

How big of a tank and what and how much do you dose?? I consistently get low iodine readings on my ICP tests and feel like I'm always playing catch up.

 

[braaap]

What's your dosing regimen like? I have 85 gal total volume and I do 3 drops of Lugol every week.

I dose ME Coral Iodine. 3 drops a day in a 55 gallon system. If I remember. I’m out of town for a week. I won’t be dosing and the tank will be fine. I will see a decline when I get back but a week of dosing and it will look good again.

 

[North Borders]

I dose ME Coral Iodine. 3 drops a day in a 55 gallon system. If I remember. I’m out of town for a week. I won’t be dosing and the tank will be fine. I will see a decline when I get back but a week of dosing and it will look good again.

Thanks for the reply! What do you notice in your coral when you go without dosing iodine for a bit?

 

[braaap]

Thanks for the reply! What do you notice in your coral when you go without dosing iodine for a bit?

Depends on the coral. Almost all my wife sees a noticeable color difference. I’ve tested it by not dosing and usually about 5-9 days she complains that something is wrong. But for sure extensions/expansion etc. Acans look fluffy. SPS extension is noticeable. Plate coral fluffy ness. It’s 100% a thing if your wife notices it when you don’t dose to test it haha

 

[North Borders]

Lol yeah --mine will be like "your tank looks like ****"

 

[vabben]

How big of a tank and what and how much do you dose?? I consistently get low iodine readings on my ICP tests and feel like I'm always playing catch up.

120 gallons, I dose 10 drops a day. I just got an ICP back and my iodine is slightly elevated to 102.4. I'll probably back my dosing down to 8 or 9 drops a day.

 

[steveschuerger]

I use SeaChem iodine in my tank. About ⅛ of a capful for a 90 1-2 times a week.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I use SeaChem iodine in my tank. About ⅛ of a capful for a 90 1-2 times a week.

Did you see any effect when starting dosing?