I wanted to see if you guys supplement your zoa tanks with Iodine.If so what is your zoa load and how often do you have to dose.Do you see any negative affect if you don't add it.
Do you supplement with Iodine
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I do and always have, I does half of what it recommends on the bottle and half a fee hours later. I have never tested for it and I have never had any ill effects after doseing it. It is one of the fastest used suppliments in an aquarium. Randall James-Farley had an article about it and other suppliments quite awhile back....
I have I don't know how many soft corals mostly zoa/palys and mushrooms ect....I would say heavyload...
I have I don't know how many soft corals mostly zoa/palys and mushrooms ect....I would say heavyload...
The reason I ask is about 3 weeks ago in my small frag tank my zoas closed up. They looked ok other than they would not open much. I tested for almost everything I could and found nothing out of line other than my salt was somewhat low but not enough to cause this. I started water changes the next day 10% for 3 days. (I don’t do water changes like I should. The last one was about a month ago.)Still nothing zoas would not open up all the way. I did 3 more 10% water changes the next week. Nothing again I have no clue what is going on no bugs no critters are jacking with them. I remember reading something at RC in the tank of the month. I think it was Copps but not sure talking about having to use Iodine weekly to maintain the load of zoas. (Please don’t quote me on this it was a long time ago)So I added some and the next day things started to look up. I had over half of them peek out and say hi.So I dosed them once more and the next day wow more came open.
Do you think the Iodine had anything to do with this or was it the water changes?
Do you think the Iodine had anything to do with this or was it the water changes?
It wasprobably a combination of water changes and supplimentation of Iodine. Please make sure you have a good test kit for Iodine. Can lead to some issues.
Is there a good test kit out there for Iodine? I don't mind experimenting in my small zoa tank but before I start using it in my larger system I would like to be able to test for it. I am a firm believer in not using what I can't test for. I just took a chance this time and was lucky.
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I dont think you can "over dose" on iodine. There's enough reef organisms that use it up. All i do is add 33 drops in my 33g every single week, once a week. I use natureef porducts....
I had a chat with a rep from Seachem concerning iodine. He said to use iodide rather than iodine and that softies in particular benefit from its use. I skeptically bought the smallest bottle and dosed it. Within a week everything looked bigger and better. I have been using iodide twice a week for about six months and like the results.
Jim
Jim
Shrimp and crabs need it to molt. I add very sparingly. Once a month maybe a little more. Just 6 drops of lugols. The next day i see the remans of all my shrimp moltings.
I am with CN, don't dose what can't be accurately tested.
This would be another great canidate for my kids to work on if there were some way to determine the levels of each Iodine variant then the rest of the testing would be simple
to cloud the issue water sources and salt brands will not have the same levels between them.
IMO everyone here is correct in what they say but likely not completely extendable to another's tank. (adding or not adding)
It is hard to beat a simple water change for most problems in a tank. But like sps demand for calcium some softies and others may need more Iodine than water changes aload can keep up with.
If you do opt to dose, I would suggest going very slow and using only a fraction of what is on the bottle to start with and exercise great patiences in looking for results.
All I can say for sure is that my zoanthids are doing very nicely and I add nothing, not food, not iodine, zip o
is that my water, my salt, or a lower demand of the combined and confusing issues related to I in a captive tank I can not say.
again this is not a cut on what someone else does or suggests, their tank very well may need the supplimenting for one or more of the above reasons.
my two cents
Briney
This would be another great canidate for my kids to work on if there were some way to determine the levels of each Iodine variant then the rest of the testing would be simple
to cloud the issue water sources and salt brands will not have the same levels between them.
IMO everyone here is correct in what they say but likely not completely extendable to another's tank. (adding or not adding)
It is hard to beat a simple water change for most problems in a tank. But like sps demand for calcium some softies and others may need more Iodine than water changes aload can keep up with.
If you do opt to dose, I would suggest going very slow and using only a fraction of what is on the bottle to start with and exercise great patiences in looking for results.
All I can say for sure is that my zoanthids are doing very nicely and I add nothing, not food, not iodine, zip o
is that my water, my salt, or a lower demand of the combined and confusing issues related to I in a captive tank I can not say.
again this is not a cut on what someone else does or suggests, their tank very well may need the supplimenting for one or more of the above reasons.
my two cents
Briney
Here is what I think happened my lack of water changes through the years has caught up to me. This tank is heavy loaded with rics, zoas, and xenia and is heavy skimmed .I don’t add anything to the tank for supplements other than when I do my water changes. I think I just used up all the Iodine and other elements that they needed,
My only question is why did the rics and xenia open up every day?
I agree on the fact of not using something you can’t test. One day we will have a good test kit for this I’m sure.
My only question is why did the rics and xenia open up every day?
I agree on the fact of not using something you can’t test. One day we will have a good test kit for this I’m sure.
Ike, and CN those are great points, food sources are yet another variable to consider. CN I was thinking the same about how to measure Iodine (all forms) How to account for the total amount in the system broken down by form and where it is (in water, substrate? and of course in bio).
nice discussion
Briney
nice discussion
Briney
I can tell you this much the amount Iodine in my system was something I never really checked on throughout my years of reef keeping and in the past few days I have learned alot about it. Here are some of the High points I have found. I am sure there is more.
Iodide can play a part in false coral coloration in coral tissues. Certain genetically-engineered variants of yellow fluorescent proteins are affected by halides at lower pH levels.
How fast iodide used up in our tanks and with different test methods detecting different forms differently it is impossible for you to get good test results.
That some foods we feed our tanks can bring our Iodine level from 0 to 0.06 ppm in one feeding.
Iodide can play a part in false coral coloration in coral tissues. Certain genetically-engineered variants of yellow fluorescent proteins are affected by halides at lower pH levels.
How fast iodide used up in our tanks and with different test methods detecting different forms differently it is impossible for you to get good test results.
That some foods we feed our tanks can bring our Iodine level from 0 to 0.06 ppm in one feeding.
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