Iodine addition... bad?

[Electrobes]

Well I believe I was reading in the Advanced Aquarist Magazine and read the author's opinion on iodine addition. He believes it is not only unnecessary, but harmful to the reef as well. But in "The Reef Aquarium", volume one they pretty much say otherwise, even linking iodine as a very helpful medication for light bleachness. The majority of my tank are soft and LPS corals... hence why I started using it, why do you guys think?

 

[BoomerD]

It's never a good idea to add an element like iodine, unless you are testing for it. Otherwise, how do you know how much you need?

 

[MikeinToronto]

Well, TRA is a very old set of books (1994?). Even when they were written I had a lot of doubts about some of the content. Things have come a long way since then. Generally, nothing is concrete in this hobby (or science in general) so do what you think is right for you. Articles and magazines are always more up to date than books. Online magazines are more up to date than paper copies. Forums, such as this and the other biggies are even more up to date.

I used to dose with iodine and what it did for me was something I don't want to experience again. It is like fertilizer for mushrooms and I had so many mushrooms and they were SO big I am still, to this day, throwing them away. Iodine also makes anemones expand to great sizes. Some of this may sound good but good things can be weeds if there is too much of it.

Anyway, you shouldn't need to dose with iodine but if you choose to do it, do it in small amounts. You can build up to a concentration that gives you the best growth.

If you are experiencing coral bleaching, it is a good idea to find out the source of that instead of finding a cure

TRA? Blah!

 

[addict]

The one bad thing that I've heard about iodine, is that there's no truly accurate test for it... so you're adding something to the tank that you really don't know if it needs.
Also, like some chemicals, iodine in small doses has beneficial uses, but add too much and it becomes toxic... a pretty fine line to tread.
I used to dose iodine since I heard it helps a lot with Xenia, but even when dosing I only did a half-dose at twice the interval it recommended (like half a capful per 50g every 2 weeks instead of a capful every week).

 

[Electrobes]

heh I only add one drop per week... was even thinking of cutting it off for a while once I get my corals back... and even then it would mostly be about a drop per week

 

[SoliSteve]

You need to test for all 3 types of Iodine - Iodine, Iodide and Iodite and there is no good test out on the market for it. Iodine is composed of mutliple forms and the only test that comes close is Salifert's but I still don't trust it. If you perform regular water changes, the addition of Iodine should not be necessary - if you do not perform water changes and are completely a "Berliner", less is more, especially with Lugol's in a concentrated form. Uncontrolled, it will has the potential to throw off the entire ionic balance of your tank. Do a little more investigation - generally Xenia's are the only tough ones for Iodine.

 

[billyr98]

I do add iodine, since my tanks setup.. only half of what lugol says... but Steve, what would you consider a regular water change? How often? I do one every 6 six-seven weeks right now... with my levels sticking pretty good till then..

 

[cheeks69]

RHF:

Finally, for those interested in dosing iodine, I suggest that iodide is the most appropriate form for dosing. Iodide is more readily used by some organisms than is iodate, and it is detected by both currently available iodine test kits (Seachem and Salifert).

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

 

[gussy]

I use water change instead of addition as it's easier on the brain. But asking if Iodine is good or bad is like asking if Coffee is good or bad.

 

[Witfull]

in my 210 i add a few drops of kent lugols between waterchanges, i know my Xenia love it, if i dosed more,,,id be fragging away,,,,hmmm lets add another drop~~

 

[KeyserSoze]

I add Kent Iodine (also Strontium and Calcium). One capful every other week. It's a 65g tank so it's a little low on the dosage and less often than recommended but it works well for me. I do an 8g water change every other week as well. The pattern is opposite of each other. I've been doing this for a yr and half. I've also read not to add anything that you don't test for. IMO it's personal preferrence. I trust the products and results I've had.