anybody tried to make their own iodide supplement?

after looking at all the ingredients listed on Kents iodide bottle i started wondering if i could make it myself the ingredients are listed as (in order from what its made of most to least) DI water, potassium iodide, sodium hydrogen carbonate (aka baking soda/sodium bicarbonate), sodium carbonate (aka soda ash), and sodium tetraborate (aka borax). I have found all these products online at the following websites but does anybody have a recipe or suggestions for this kind of iodide supplement?

DI water- this one is obvious where to get

Potassium Iodide
Potassium Iodide 99%

Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate aka baking soda
also obvious

Sodium Carbonate aka soda ash
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/1-gallon-bulk-soda-ash-sodium-carbonate-for-aquariums.html

Sodium Tetraborate aka Borax
Borax for sale in wholesale bulk sizes purchase online

 

Do you dose iodine? If so, do you also test iodine levels in your tank?

 

yes i dose iodine it is what makes your coralline purple and your corals to maintain their colors. I do not test for iodine do to many people saying if you do the recommended doses there is really no point, however if i ended up making my own iodine supplement i would most definitely test it because i would have to know how much of what i am dosing is affecting my tank

 

Rule number 1- don't dose if you don't test

 

There's no real reason to dose iodine to begin with.

 

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/chem.htm

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

If you are dosing iodine for the purpose of coralline growth and color as well as corals, you do not need to. You will get both without dosing iodine.

While I do believe that some tanks may do ok or benefit from iodine supplementation, such as zoanthid and mushroom dominated tanks, the risk of over dosing out weighs the benefits and if you are not testing before dosing you are taking a huge risk IMO.

 

The Iodine/Iodide debate is akin to the Bioball debate....passionate! I employ both the Bioballs and dose Iodine/Iodide. I use Lugols' which is a very concentrated form. For the money and the amount I use (2 drops for a 55 gal. weekly) it isn't expensive at all. I find it keeps my Iodine level at .06 (I test).

 

well IMO after much research dosing with Iodine is not a good thing very easy to over dose the tank and kill everything off second rule is always TEST levels before adding anything to your tank you are better off letting your corals be than risk killing everything with an overdose this could and will be a costly mistake. but like i said this is IMO