Dosing Iodine?

[MichaelReefer]

So my GSP wont extend their polyps and my Xenia has died over the last week. All of my numbers are right on point, my Duncans, Torches, Zoas, Goniopra, and half a dozen of Anemones are doing AMAZING. I did some reading and found that low Iodine can cause this to happen, at least for the Xenia? Can anyone confirm or deny this, or does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this? It just is crazy how amazing everything is doing BUT the two easiest corals I have.

Thanks!

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Back when I had GSP, I would know I needed to add iodine because they would turn from bright green to brown. So, as far as my personal experience is concerned, there seems to be a connection between sufficient iodine and the health of some soft corals.

If you're dosing trace elements, those products most likely already contain sufficient iodine.

Have you ever tested for iodine? I stopped testing because my levels are always around 0.06 ppm.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Back when I had GSP, I would know I needed to add iodine because they would turn from bright green to brown. So, as far as my personal experience is concerned, there seems to be a connection between sufficient iodine and the health of some soft corals.

If you're dosing trace elements, those products most likely already contain sufficient iodine.

Have you ever tested for iodine? I stopped testing because my levels are always around 0.06 ppm.

I have not, because to be honest I never really even thought it was super important. However I do have mostly LPS coral. But i've been told that LPS tends to suck up Iodine. Do you think it's worth dosing?

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Are you dosing anything else right now? If so, what are you dosing?

I ask because trace element formulation like Red Sea Coral Colors or Kent Essential Elements already have iodine incorporated into the formula.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

When I had GSP, I would add a few drops of Lugol's to the overflow each weekend. The GSP really seems to appreciate it, and it takes like no time to do it.

 

[Uncle99]

I maintain my iodide/iodate at 0.03-0.06.
Great for softies, gorgonians, and shrimp.
Doesn’t last long, in my 65g, it needs 5ml of Seachem Iodide, every day to keep in range.

What is your version of “right on point”. This usually varies widely.
whats your N and P level and how long have you kept nutrients at this level.

 

[MichaelReefer]

I maintain my iodide/iodate at 0.03-0.06.
Great for softies, gorgonians, and shrimp.
Doesn’t last long, in my 65g, it needs 5ml of Seachem Iodide, every day to keep in range.

What is your version of “right on point”. This usually varies widely.
whats your N and P level and how long have you kept nutrients at this level.

The weird thing is whatever happened seems to ONLY be effecting my GSP and Xenia. My GSP havent extended in over a month now and over the last few weeks all of my Xenia died. They just wilted away, slowly through the little bush. The fact that my most sensitive things (Anenomes, Goniopora, hammers and etc) are doing so good just confuses me. My tank has never been better.

I can get you more accurate numbers tonight. I tested a few nights ago and cant remember off the top of my head where I was at. But nothing was high.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

The weird thing is whatever happened seems to ONLY be effecting my GSP and Xenia. My GSP havent extended in over a month now and over the last few weeks all of my Xenia died. They just wilted away, slowly through the little bush.

I can get you more accurate numbers tonight. I tested a few nights ago and cant remember off the top of my head where I was at. But nothing was high.

This was my experience when I had low iodine. Everything else looked great, but xenia and GSP seem to be particularly sensitive to low iodine concentrations.

 

[MichaelReefer]

This was my experience when I had low iodine. Everything else looked great, but xenia and GSP seem to be particularly sensitive to low iodine concentrations.

Hmm ok. So maybe try a few drops and see what happens?

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Hmm ok. So maybe try a few drops and see what happens?

Are you currently dosing anything?

You probably won't see a change unless you do this for several weeks, at least according to my experience.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Are you currently dosing anything?

You probably won't see a change unless you do this for several weeks, at least according to my experience.

Generally no. Just some Phyto.

 

[Uncle99]

I would not dose unless I can test.
To little is a waste of money, too much can kill.
I would recommend using iodide and not iodine. It’s safer.

Check your nitrate and phosphate before trying iodide, I bet you they are both very low.

 

[NS Mike D]

+1 on what @Uncle99 said

rule out stray electric and coral warfare. The softies are the first to get unhappy with those two. Activated carbon would take care of the latter.

 

[MichaelReefer]

+1 on what @Uncle99 said

rule out stray electric and coral warfare. The softies are the first to get unhappy with those two. Activated carbon would take care of the latter.

Well, I run carbon 24/7, so I dont think it's that.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I dosed iodine for years before there were commercial tests available. If you're uncomfortable using Lugol's, there are commercial products available that provide halogens and you can dose based off of calcium usage. If you run activated carbon, I believe that will also strip halogens from the water.

What salt do you use and do you perform routine water changes?

 

[Bfragale]

I agree: don’t add unless you can test for it.
$17 on ebay for seachem iodine rest.
But I also agree: my tank has been better since I’ve been testing and dosing iodine. GSP took off and is like a weed. My softies all seem to be doing better. Even the leather looks bigger and fuller. So I believe there is some truth that iodine is essential but I know many people that don’t dose iodine and are fine. I use Red Sea blue bucket salt and still need to dose, but other salts or additives may also have iodine so testing is key. Too much and you kill things.
Good luck!

 

[MichaelReefer]

I agree: don’t add unless you can test for it.
$17 on ebay for seachem iodine rest.
But I also agree: my tank has been better since I’ve been testing and dosing iodine. GSP took off and is like a weed. My softies all seem to be doing better. Even the leather looks bigger and fuller. So I believe there is some truth that iodine is essential but I know many people that don’t dose iodine and are fine. I use Red Sea blue bucket salt and still need to dose, but other salts or additives may also have iodine so testing is key. Too much and you kill things.
Good luck!

I also use blue bucket.

 

[Bfragale]

I also use blue bucket.

I like that salt personally. But I still needed to add idione. I’m really curious if you start dosing to see your results. For me it was a slow improvement but still interested to see what happens with you. Good luck and happy reefing!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So my GSP wont extend their polyps and my Xenia has died over the last week. All of my numbers are right on point, my Duncans, Torches, Zoas, Goniopra, and half a dozen of Anemones are doing AMAZING. I did some reading and found that low Iodine can cause this to happen, at least for the Xenia? Can anyone confirm or deny this, or does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this? It just is crazy how amazing everything is doing BUT the two easiest corals I have.

Thanks!

It's a fine experiment to try dosing iodine in your tank, but it is certainly not a slam dunk "fact" that dosing iodine is needed with these organisms. I kept them and saw no difference when i maintained iodine by dosing, or let it fall to low levels.

I do think it is likely xenia have some sort of substantial trace element or nutrient need that can cause them to die back after thriving for a while, but it is not iodine (or at least not only iodine).

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

It's a fine experiment to try dosing iodine in your tank, but it is certainly not a slam dunk "fact" that dosing iodine is needed with these organisms. I kept them and saw no difference when i maintained iodine by dosing, or let it fall to low levels.

I do think it is likely xenia have some sort of substantial trace element or nutrient need that can cause them to die back after thriving for a while, but it is not iodine (or at least not only iodine).

When I had issues with my GSP, it was more that the color was dull but the polyps were still extending. I found that the iodine seemed to significantly improve the color of the polyps from a dull brown to a fluorescent green.

I think you're right, though. Keeping trace elements available, including iodine, would help with the situation. I was also dosing trace elements at that time.