Iodide, Iodine and Coral health

Hello all. I've had some red mushrooms in my tank now for a year or so now and they aren't dying, but they aren't exactly flourishing either. I mentioned it to my LFS and they suggested that I needed to be adding Iodine to the water. When I went to purchase it, all they had was Iodide, which she said would work, but was a "time release" kinda thing, so wouldn't work as quickly. I read the bottle of the Iodide and noticed that it stated that Iodine is as toxic as ammonia. Then later on I saw a "reef safe" Iodine. Can someone (or many someones) help me understand what I need, what's right and suggestions for dosing perhaps as well. I've bought a yellow toad stool and some green polyps, and was contemplating a brain coral too, so I'm probably trying to get the horses out after the barn burnt down, but can anyone help?

 

First off before we get into it no one seem to agree on the use of Iodine in aquariums. Famous writers, scientists, and PHDs don't agree so wiether you need it or not is debatable.

I use it and think I benefit from it. By the way what brand did you get?

As far as the iodine-iodide thing. Iodide is a more stable form of iodine. When iodine is added is added to SW it quickily reacts acts and form mostily iodide and iodate

Some good reading.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php#20

I would suggest getting a Iodine test kit to work out your dosing schedule as any suggested rate would be pure guessing. As iodine usage rates vary wildly according to tank size, skimmer size, chemical media usage, coral density, yada yada yada.

Any dosing schedule with out a test kit is a guess.

 

Thanks Covey!!
I got the Seachem brand of iodide and have put it in a couple times according to the "beginners instructions" which are to add so much (a cap full) every other day (so 2 days of doing - four days of having the stuff). But yeah, I've decided I need to get a test kit as it sounds like too much can be a bad thing.
So, if I understand you, Iodine basically turns to Iodide by reaction to something in the tank... So why not put in Iodide to begin with?

 

Yes iodide/ and organic sources of iodine when mixed with saltwater, breakdown to form iodate due to a reaction with active oxygen and detoxifying it. This greatly enhances preventing the loss of zooxanthellae and pigment in corals. It also prevents coral bleaching and aids in the recovery of corals after bleaching.

 

Good info! I wanted to kno the same thing is hufa very useful if so why and how?

 

With all the tanks I have, I've never dosed iodine or any of it's forms in my over 17 years of reefing.
Many never dose it and tanks are fine.
It's possible that like a placebo, you sometimes see what you want to see when you dose, like people improving from an issue when given a sugar pill.
Anyway, it's good for the LFS to have people buying it I guess.

 

Iodine can be toxic, so I would not add without testing, especially since many salts are high in iodine already. I think sailfert and maybe a few others make test kits for this.

 

Welcome to 3Reef!!!

HUFAs or Highly Unsaturated Fatty Acids are VERY important. Fish and corals cannot produce them by themselves. It has to be obtained by eating it. (Note: zooxanthellae provide some to corals). Some people provide a enough of them because they are feeding a wide variety of foods. Other people provide them by soaking fish food in a HUFA supplement.

 

Wow did not know that:/ good looking out.I only been into this for about 8 months, but my tanks doing really well. I went to the fish store and spend like 250.00 on roti feast,Phyto feast, tiggerpods, trace ele, iodide,vitamin/hufa, nitro max marine, marine max, calcium supplements..oh and magnesium.(most brands warners) which are b.s.? Sorry I'm new to this forum and I don't know how to post my tank info like the other ppl?

It's an 90g uniaqurium, 2 250watt md, 2 96wAtt pc, refuisump, bare battom and about 80 lbs lR. Nitrates 0 phos 0 calicum about 600 ppm and mag about 1500. Dkh is always over 12.. About 13 to 14?

 

To put your equipment in your signature, click on "User CP" to the upper right of the forum page. There you'll see a place where you can put your equipment in. Also add your fish and corals. Doing this really helps when trying to answer your questions.

To answer your other questions, I need to know all of the corals in your system. The tigger pods will eat the phyto-feast as will amphipods, feather dusters, copepods that came in on your live rock. You're not going to need to dose Calcium, Magnesium, or alkalinity for a while. You want to shoot for 450, 1350, and 11 respectively.