What is the importance in iodine? I see Kent makes an iodine supplement. Does anyone dose iodine and why...
What does iodine affect/do?
What does iodine affect/do?
Iodine Question...
- Thread starter mikelush78
- Start date
I haven't dosed it in the 13 years I've been in the hobby.
Randy Holmes-Farley states that there is no proof that dosing iodine, or any of it's forms, will be of any benefit to your tank.
In any case, test before you dose and be sure it's needed as too much can kill.
Unfortunately tests kits are not all that dependable when it comes to testing for iodine.
Randy Holmes-Farley states that there is no proof that dosing iodine, or any of it's forms, will be of any benefit to your tank.
In any case, test before you dose and be sure it's needed as too much can kill.
Unfortunately tests kits are not all that dependable when it comes to testing for iodine.
Iodine is there to help inverts to shed / molt their skin and aid in coral growth...Amongst other reasons..
It is an trace element that gets removed from the water column by skimming.
However, the big debate whether it should be added as an additive to the tank will never come to a conclusion...It is my opinion that it does not need to be added as trace elements get replenished when we do a water change, which is one of the reasons why we do them..I have never used iodine in my tank and my inverts have never had a problem with molting. I have yet to see any conclusive evidence that dosing iodine to the tank makes any difference besides making youy wallet lighter....That is my side of the debate...The other side of the debate is that people "state" that their corals show better colour, have better growth because they are dosing iodine.
Like i say, a debate that has gone on for years, and will continue to go on for many more years...
This is all just my opinion of course...
Niko
It is an trace element that gets removed from the water column by skimming.
However, the big debate whether it should be added as an additive to the tank will never come to a conclusion...It is my opinion that it does not need to be added as trace elements get replenished when we do a water change, which is one of the reasons why we do them..I have never used iodine in my tank and my inverts have never had a problem with molting. I have yet to see any conclusive evidence that dosing iodine to the tank makes any difference besides making youy wallet lighter....That is my side of the debate...The other side of the debate is that people "state" that their corals show better colour, have better growth because they are dosing iodine.
Like i say, a debate that has gone on for years, and will continue to go on for many more years...
This is all just my opinion of course...
Niko
yet again, its the same old thing...Is it well accepted because that is what you were told, or is it scientifically documented somewhere that dosing iodine is "necessary" for the Xenia's happiness?
I love debates like this.....think am gonna get some coffee ready as this thread is gonna be a long one....
Niko
I love debates like this.....think am gonna get some coffee ready as this thread is gonna be a long one....
Niko
I have in the past dosed a tiny amount of Kent Iodide in my freshwater tanks with shrimp. I had previously never seen any molting from them, but substantial after that.
However, as atnixon states, idodie is replenished when water changes are done. I suspect that massive dosing regiemes (of all additives) are needed if you do smaller changes or top off only.
However, as atnixon states, idodie is replenished when water changes are done. I suspect that massive dosing regiemes (of all additives) are needed if you do smaller changes or top off only.
I dosed iodine regularly for the first 6 months we had our reef tank. Our shrimp and crabs molted regularly like clock work and there was excellent growth on many of our soft corals (especially Xenia and our Sacrophyton leather). I decided to stop dosing iodine for 6 months to see if there's a noticable difference. So far, there's no noticable effect on the growth or coloration of our corals, however, the coloration of our 4 shrimp is not as good as it was previously (could be some other factor besides iodine) and our shrimp / crabs don't appear to molt quite as often (although it is hard to tell for sure in a reef tank containing plenty of LR). I'm still performing water changes on the same schedule with the same salt mix (Reef Crystals). I'm not certain how iodine effects coloration of aquatic critters, but the intensity of the pink on a flamingo is suppose to be heavily related to the iodine content of their diet (i.e. how much iodine-rich shrimp they consume). Based on that, I can see that it's possible for appropriate iodine concentrations to be important for overall reef coloration, but certainly have no scientific evidence to point to as to what that concentration should be.
Otherwise, I dose calcium and alkalinity buffer as needed. I don't always test before making those additions, as regular testing for several months gave me good estimates of the rates at which both of those levels are depleted in our tank.
The only other addition that is not strictly food is Selcon, which I soak frozen foods in before feeding them to our tank.
Otherwise, I dose calcium and alkalinity buffer as needed. I don't always test before making those additions, as regular testing for several months gave me good estimates of the rates at which both of those levels are depleted in our tank.
The only other addition that is not strictly food is Selcon, which I soak frozen foods in before feeding them to our tank.
Iodine does help inverts molt but its primary function is a disinfectant for bacterial growths on corals.