ICP testing - bacterial bloom

[Mark Bradley]

I recently completed an ICP test - generally a good result but recommendations to add fluoride and Molybdenum (over a short period of time) and Iodine. Since starting this I’ve developed a bacterial bloom - is this to be expected? I assume will clear up in the next week or so? Been adding the above just over a week - only a few more days advised apart from the Iodine which is recommended twice a week. Any thoughts please - thought I would do this to try and move my reef keeping up a notch.

 

[Quietman]

I think dosing iodine is one of those 'some people do and have good results' and 'some do and don't' and finally, 'some don't bother'. I'm in the last camp even though my ICP reported lower than normal. I keep it in the back of my mind in case I have some general coral health issue but as long as my tank looks good I'm not adding just to make ICP happy even though my levels are 0 by ICP.

Algae does consume iodine (as you obviously know now). If it was me, and I didn't have any underlying issues I was trying to address with coral health (rather than just trying to hit a recommended level), I'd stop dosing. Iodine depletes quickly and your algae issue should go away.

If you do have an underlying issue with coral health then you probably want to wait for someone in the first camp above to respond.

Good luck!

 

[brandon429]

If you directly ignore the test results, and don't dose those, and never use icp again your reef will be just fine. Helpful option too. None of those measures are critical to know or track in a well- fed reef tank with standard common water changes.

 

[Mark Bradley]

I think dosing iodine is one of those 'some people do and have good results' and 'some do and don't' and finally, 'some don't bother'. I'm in the last camp even though my ICP reported lower than normal. I keep it in the back of my mind in case I have some general coral health issue but as long as my tank looks good I'm not adding just to make ICP happy even though my levels are 0 by ICP.

Algae does consume iodine (as you obviously know now). If it was me, and I didn't have any underlying issues I was trying to address with coral health (rather than just trying to hit a recommended level), I'd stop dosing. Iodine depletes quickly and your algae issue should go away.

If you do have an underlying issue with coral health then you probably want to wait for someone in the first camp above to respond.

Good luck!

The iodine is 0.5ml twice a week - is that a lot? Doesn’t sound much but I’ve no experience of it