Iodine ?

I was wondering if adding Iodine to the tank is necessary? I read on the forums if normal water changes are done, then it is not necessary. I was just wondering because the LFS said I should be adding some Iodine because they said I was at the lower end of the acceptable level. But I do not own a test kit for Iodine and just have them test, its like $50 bucks for the Salifert kit . Any suggestions?

 

if you want to test for iodine go ahead, but then when it comes time to dose BE CAREFUL!!!!!!!!!!!! a little goes a long way! You can crash your tank adding if you don't know you need it and iodine is one of those that you might not need anyway. what all corals/invert do you have in your tank?

 

Lets see, I have several mushrooms, LPS, some Zoas, hermits, snails, sand sifting stars, and oh yea some Xenia.

 

Listen to gras dude. She knows Iodine and has worked with it. I have iodine just in case but will most likely never dose my tank with it. I do have a test kit (and yes, they are expensive) and use it from time to time. I am consistently within low acceptable levels so I figure that is good enough. You can kill a tank easily with this stuff. So beware.

 

I agree with everyone above, if you have no experience with it and do not test, do not dose.... kind of funny coming from me when I do dose it but do not test for it, go figure .

 

I have never dosed nor tested for iodine and everything that supposedly requires it has been fine.

 

Well, I use it and dose weekly, I also test for it. This artical may help you undestand Iodine better; A dab of iodine... | Practical Fishkeeping magazine

 

Leathers, crabs and shrimp need iodine to molt. It helps their outer shell to release easier. Helps Leathers slough off dead skin. It also is used as a dip to prevent infection when fragging and/or injury to a coral or even a fish. Other than that, I wouldn't use it on a daily/weekly basis. If nothing is using it in your tank, it will build up and become toxic or if you're lucky, be sucked out by filtration. Your call to whether or not you use it, but if you do, Please test for it! Like I said a little goes a long way.

also, I have used iodine on a dogs paw, that wouldn't heal because of constant chewing and it scabs up almost overnight, so that'll tell you how potent it is.

 

I have found no qualified justification for dosing iodine.
In fact, Randy Holmes-Farley states that it is not necessary. He used to dose and then stopped many years ago and has seen no difference since.
I have been in the hobby for 15 yrs, never dosed and never found a need. My shrimp molt just fine, as do others in other tanks not dosing iodine. My leathers have never needed dosing either and I have probably about 40 of them, leather hands and leather fingers.

 

That's what I'm saying, you don't need to dose. Salt mixes contain enough iodine to cover pretty much everything when you do water changes. I don't do water changes and notice, occassionaly, I need to dose, since I don't replenish it with water changes. Unless your tank is loaded heavy with leathers(mostly toadstools) and you don't do water changes, you won't need to either. But with anything you might put in your tank(chemically) TEST first!

I need to add....Xenia is said to pulse due to the high concentration of iodine in it's make up. I have had mine stop pulsing and added 2 drops to my 135 and within 24 hours, it stated pulsing again. Call it what you will. Nothing else changed except for the small addition of iodine. I'm not recommending this for anyone, just an observation I made. Though I'm not qualified as an "Expert"(which by definition, is practicing regularly for 10 years in any given subject), I know what works in my tank and what doesn't.