reef tanks and iodine

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My google may suck, but finding some pure Iodine is...tricky. I see some that are Potassium Iodide AND Iodine, but just not pure Iodine. Any recommendations?

Potassium iodide is perfect. Many brands are available.

ESV Potassium Iodide (1% Solution)

Iodide is an important micro-nutrient for many marine plants. ESV Potassium Iodide Solution is a highly soluble form of inorganic iodide which makes it great for maintaining dissolved iodide levels in your saltwater tank. May play an important role in enhancing a coral’s ability to adapt to...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Siberwulf]

oh.... and that's why you do the chemistry thanks. I'll keep you posted on results!

 

[wattson]

Iodine Colorimeter - Checker® HC

The HI718 Checker®HC (Handheld Colorimeter) provides a simple, accurate and cost effective way to measure iodine.

www.hannainst.com

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Iodine Colorimeter - Checker® HC

The HI718 Checker®HC (Handheld Colorimeter) provides a simple, accurate and cost effective way to measure iodine.

www.hannainst.com

DO NOT buy that checker.

It has zero use in a reef tank since it checks for the wrong forms of iodine and only at concentrations far higher than are present in seawater.

 

[KevinC]

It would be an interesting experiment to dose and see. From a learning standpoint, it would be clearest if it was just an iodide supplement (not Lugols Iodine or a mix of different trace elements).

So is lugol iodine actually recommended?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So is lugol iodine actually recommended?

I do not recommend dosing it, but many do.

But the part of Lugols in the I2 form doesn't stay as I2 once dosed, and that checker has error of +/- 0.1 ppm when the full NSW value is 0.06 ppm.

 

[KevinC]

I do not recommend dosing it, but many do.

But the part of Lugols in the I2 form doesn't stay as I2 once dosed, and that checker has error of +/- 0.1 ppm when the full NSW value is 0.06 ppm.

Sorry, I mean is other product such as potassium iodide preferred over lugols iodine as a supplement?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sorry, I mean is other product such as potassium iodide preferred over lugols iodine as a supplement?

I think iodide is more appropriate as it is dosing the primary bioavailable form.

 

[BrianAnthony]

Dare I ask... Don't frequent water changes counter the iodide loss?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Dare I ask... Don't frequent water changes counter the iodide loss?

Frequent huge ones, yes. Frequent normal ones, no.

Iodine can completely deplete in less than a week in many tanks. In my system, without dosing and using ~1% daily water changes (30% monthly), the value as measured by ICP was 0.02 ppm.

 

[BrianAnthony]

I have the seachem iodide/iodine test kit and it's so hard to tell the results that I don't use it

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have the seachem iodide/iodine test kit and it's so hard to tell the results that I don't use it

That can be an issue. I used the Salifert kit, but not for many years since I stopped dosing iodide many years ago.

 

[Morpheosz]

I have the seachem iodide/iodine test kit and it's so hard to tell the results that I don't use it

I bought this test as well and tried 3-4 times and could never get a reading, even after dosing, and I wasn't going to keep adding and adding in hopes of getting a reading.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I bought this test as well and tried 3-4 times and could never get a reading, even after dosing, and I wasn't going to keep adding and adding in hopes of getting a reading.

Did you measure soon after dosing?

 

[Paul B]

I don't normally dose anything and I have a large bottle of Lugols for probably 30 years and it is still half full. ;Wideyed

Last week I started dosing Seachem reef iodine as a "test". My Zoa's are shrinking all over my tank and I have many. I also have unfortunately an enormous amount of encrusting, photosynthetic sponge that covers all available real estate in my tank and I can't eliminate it. I am assuming that is sucking out all my iodine and everything else so I figured I would dose it. I will never be able to eliminate that sponge and I fear the iodine will make it grow faster but as I said, this is a test. If I crash my tank, at least I will learn something.

I don't really care what happens but I would like something to happen that I can notice and learn from.
Scientific studies are fine but to me at least don't mean much in practice.

One thing we fail to realize in this hobby is that the animals we can see are only a part of the equation. The miniscule creatures are thousands or millions of times more plentiful and being we can't see them, we don't think they are important.

I doubt there are to many scientific studies of what is healthful for amphipods, copepods , worms and other microscopic life that really runs our tanks. Even parasites are a part of the equation and unlike most people on here think they also have a function and purpose. They also won't harm your fish if you know what you are doing and keep a natural tank.

But most of those creatures are crustaceans and "probably" need iodine. No one knows. If all the copepods, amphipods and parasites in your tank die along with the bacteria and viruses, your tank will also crash, 100%.

So I will test.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So I will test.

Looking forward to the results.

 

[Paul B]

Me to. I assume it will take a few months but it will be easy to see if my Zoa's perk up or croak.

 

[chicago]

Any updates ?

 

[Paul B]

Not on my tank, everything seems the same. No better, no worse.

 

[Koh23]

Needed or not, i dose few drops every day or two, when i remember......

Does it harm anything? Really cant tell. Does it improve anything? Also, cant tell....