How do I mix and do an iodine dip?

[Just John]

I hear a lot about doing iodine dips and that drugstore iodine can be used, but how much do I mix and how long should I dip for? (I am particularly interested in dipping sickly zoas.)

 

[Eagle_Steve]

@footgal or @vetteguy53081 should be able to tell ya how to do it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I use lugols iodine mixed with a little tank water. Lugols is the most common used for Lugol’s solution is as a coral dip. Lugol’s solution is an excellent disinfectant which makes it a great choice for treating bacterial infections on corals. Manufacturer's recommendations vary, but a typical Lugol’s dip involves 40 drops of Lugol’s solution per gallon of tank water. Once the solution has been mixed and prepared, the infected coral should be placed in the solution for approximately 10 minutes. While dipping the coral it helps to use a small pump or turkey baster to gently blow water over the infected area. After the time is up the coral can be removed and returned to the tank. It is also wise to use a Lugol’s dip on corals and anemones that have been recently fragged. When a coral is fragged it has an open wound on its body and there is a risk that the wound can get infected. Lugol’s solution can help sterilize the wound to prevent infection. Many believe a Lugol’s dip can help a newly fragged coral encrust and start growing faster.

 

[PicassoClown04]

I use lugols iodine mixed with a little tank water. Lugols is the most common used for Lugol’s solution is as a coral dip. Lugol’s solution is an excellent disinfectant which makes it a great choice for treating bacterial infections on corals. Manufacturer's recommendations vary, but a typical Lugol’s dip involves 40 drops of Lugol’s solution per gallon of tank water. Once the solution has been mixed and prepared, the infected coral should be placed in the solution for approximately 10 minutes. While dipping the coral it helps to use a small pump or turkey baster to gently blow water over the infected area. After the time is up the coral can be removed and returned to the tank. It is also wise to use a Lugol’s dip on corals and anemones that have been recently fragged. When a coral is fragged it has an open wound on its body and there is a risk that the wound can get infected. Lugol’s solution can help sterilize the wound to prevent infection. Many believe a Lugol’s dip can help a newly fragged coral encrust and start growing faster.

He said it before I could, spot on info!

 

[o2manyfish]

Rather than counting all the drops. Make your dip water look like urine when you haven't had enough water to drink. Any shade of yellow is fine. To Be toxic you would have to have enough water to make the water almost brown.

Dave B

 

[Just John]

He said it before I could, spot on info!

( Edit: I posted this before I saw o2manyfish's post) So I just got back from the store with some Lugols about 5 min ago and filled a container according to the directions. It's only 40 drops/Gal. for a dip. It doesn't say if this strength is for hitchhikers or therapeutic purposes or both .The color is barely changed. On a couple of youtube videos I have seen, people use drugstore iodine (which I now see is the same % as Lugols) for zoas and just pour it in the container until it is very dark. Some even black. Literally hundreds of times stronger. So is this really weak if done by the instructions? Is it like the advil container that says to use 1 advil, but a prescription is equal to 5? Because I definitely need the prescription strength. Unfortunately. This is for the zoas I spoke with you about yesterday. Some are really bad. The bright pink zoas are black on top and their stomach has been on the outside since last night. I don't know how they are alive.

 

[Just John]

Rather than counting all the drops. Make your dip water look like urine when you haven't had enough water to drink. Any shade of yellow is fine. To Be toxic you would have to have enough water to make the water almost brown.

Dave B

Only just saw this after posting my previous post. Do you think I could dip them again at this type of strength even though I just did it at the low strength?

 

[PicassoClown04]

If it’s drugstore, I pour until it’s a light tea color. I haven’t used lugols in a long time but when I did, I followed the written instructions. I just made the same discovery as you (% in lugols is the same as drug store) and it came up in conversation with my LFS (Galactic corals if y’all know them). They showed me the tea dip and I’ve used that ever since. I’ve always heard Lugols is better somehow, but I’ve only used iodine dips for after fragging recently. Nothing like what you need. Try the written instructions and if there’s no improvement in 24 hours do the tea method and hope for the best

 

[ssunthar]

If it’s drugstore, I pour until it’s a light tea color. I haven’t used lugols in a long time but when I did, I followed the written instructions. I just made the same discovery as you (% in lugols is the same as drug store) and it came up in conversation with my LFS (Galactic corals if y’all know them). They showed me the tea dip and I’ve used that ever since. I’ve always heard Lugols is better somehow, but I’ve only used iodine dips for after fragging recently. Nothing like what you need. Try the written instructions and if there’s no improvement in 24 hours do the tea method and hope for the best

I got this iodine solution from the drug store (but it contains alcohol)

Can I use it for dipping?

 

[OldRed1]

I use lugols iodine mixed with a little tank water. Lugols is the most common used for Lugol’s solution is as a coral dip. Lugol’s solution is an excellent disinfectant which makes it a great choice for treating bacterial infections on corals. Manufacturer's recommendations vary, but a typical Lugol’s dip involves 40 drops of Lugol’s solution per gallon of tank water. Once the solution has been mixed and prepared, the infected coral should be placed in the solution for approximately 10 minutes. While dipping the coral it helps to use a small pump or turkey baster to gently blow water over the infected area. After the time is up the coral can be removed and returned to the tank. It is also wise to use a Lugol’s dip on corals and anemones that have been recently fragged. When a coral is fragged it has an open wound on its body and there is a risk that the wound can get infected. Lugol’s solution can help sterilize the wound to prevent infection. Many believe a Lugol’s dip can help a newly fragged coral encrust and start growing faster.

Silly question incoming: Different sources recommend dipping an LPS frag in CoralRX (or Revive) as well as dipping in iodine. So, do you mix these dips into one bowl? Or do you have one bowl with CoralRX (Revive) and a second, separate bowl with Iodine?

If the latter, is the process something like CoralRx dip -> rinse with saltwater -> Iodine dip -> rinse with saltwater -> tank?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Silly question incoming: Different sources recommend dipping an LPS frag in CoralRX (or Revive) as well as dipping in iodine. So, do you mix these dips into one bowl? Or do you have one bowl with CoralRX (Revive) and a second, separate bowl with Iodine?

If the latter, is the process something like CoralRx dip -> rinse with saltwater -> Iodine dip -> rinse with saltwater -> tank?

CoralRX is more than sufficient. I would not do Iodine on top of CoralRX or REvive. Good way to really stress out a coral