Low Iodine

[Maize & Blue]

Randy,
I have a 90 gal tank with 30 gal sump. My ICP test came back with Iodine critically low. (See photo) I have Brightwell Aquatics Lugol’s Solution and I don’t understand the dosing direction and I don’t understand the analysis from ICP. Can you help me?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not know if dosing iodine will be useful for you, and Lugols is not generally what I’d dose for iodine, but your level, if accurate, is about 1/6th of the seawater total iodine level.

The web site cites the bottle directions. What does your bottle say for dosing?

 

[oldreefer1968]

I do not know if dosing iodine will be useful for you, and Lugols is not generally what I’d dose for iodine, but your level, if accurate, is about 1/6th of the seawater total iodine level.

The web site cites the bottle directions. What does your bottle say for dosing?

In an attempt to learn? Could you clarify why it wouldn't be useful?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

In an attempt to learn? Could you clarify why it wouldn't be useful?

There’s no demonstrated need in the known scientific literature for iodine by most organisms we keep, with a few exceptions such as certain gorgonia. Many of us dosed it for years, then stopped and saw no difference. Most iodine we add is consumed by algae. They do not need it to grow, but they do take up a lot.

I know many folks claim they see a difference in their tanks when dosing it. That may be a real effect, or not. I am currently dosing iodine once a week in case my new tank creatures are different from my old ones in a way that they may now benefit.

Thus, there’s nothing wrong with dosing, I’m just not certain how often it is useful.

 

[oldreefer1968]

In an attempt to learn? Could you clarify why it wouldn't be useful?

There’s no demonstrated need in the known scientific literature for iodine by most organisms we keep, with a few exceptions such as certain gorgonia. Many of us dosed it for years, then stopped and saw no difference. Most iodine we add is consumed by algae. They do not need it to grow, but they do take up a lot.

I know many folks claim they see a difference in their tanks when dosing it. That may be a real effect, or not. I am currently dosing iodine once a week in case my new tank creatures are different from my old ones in a way that they may now benefit.

Thus, there’s nothing wrong with dosing, I’m just not certain how often it is useful.

Thank you! What kind do you dose? How much?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thank you! What kind do you dose? How much?

I dose 0.06 ppm iodide using potassium iodide once a week. Certainly some also comes with the foods I feed, including macroalgae, and the small amount of AFR that I am dosing.

 

[Maize & Blue]

I test using the Red Sea iodine test kit. Usually, it tests out about .04 per week so I dose to keep it at .06 based on the directions of the Red Sea trace colors A iodine plus. I just sent for an ICP test on Monday. The last time I tested ICP it said it was critically low a month ago. After this last water change I tested the next day and the iodine was stable at .06 according to my test kit, so we’ll see what ICP says.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

Half the rear panel of my tank is full of pulsing Xenia.

When Iodine is low they hardly pulse at all. A couple drops of Iodine and they pulse like mad so who knows.

 

[rishma]

Half the rear panel of my tank is full of pulsing Xenia.

When Iodine is low they hardly pulse at all. A couple drops of Iodine and they pulse like mad so who knows.

I saw the same effect when I kept Xenia and dosed iodine 25 years ago. I remember it distinctly.

 

[xradikalx]

This is coming from a medical perspective rather than a reef perspective, but in humans, iodine is closely tied to thyroid and therefore the overall metabolism of the organism. When I have dosed iodine, I have noticed my shrimp almost immediately molt and grow. I suspect it is perhaps similar to your pulsing xenia- increased iodine, increased metabolism, increased movement. But again, this is extrapolating from mammals!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

This is coming from a medical perspective rather than a reef perspective, but in humans, iodine is closely tied to thyroid and therefore the overall metabolism of the organism. When I have dosed iodine, I have noticed my shrimp almost immediately molt and grow. I suspect it is perhaps similar to your pulsing xenia- increased iodine, increased metabolism, increased movement. But again, this is extrapolating from mammals!

Ok, but you are using an organism with a known need for iodine to claim organisms with no need for iodine need it.

Shrimp do not need supplemental iodine. There is not a single mention sin all fi the literature of aquaculture shrimp they they need iodine in the water, not for molting or anything else. Thst is an age old hobby myth. Yes, adding iodine can sometimes spur molting, but that is like more of a way to get rid of iodine that is attached to the molt.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Half the rear panel of my tank is full of pulsing Xenia.

When Iodine is low they hardly pulse at all. A couple drops of Iodine and they pulse like mad so who knows.

I would suggest that perhaps the iodine is irritating the Xenia.

Realistically that is just as likely as iodine making it so happy it waves at you...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Half the rear panel of my tank is full of pulsing Xenia.

When Iodine is low they hardly pulse at all. A couple drops of Iodine and they pulse like mad so who knows.

I don’t doubt it. I’ve heard that as well. If you want them to pulse then dose iodine. That doesn’t necessarily mean they benefit from it, but it may be a reason to dose it. :)

 

[oldreefer1968]

I test using the Red Sea iodine test kit. Usually, it tests out about .04 per week so I dose to keep it at .06 based on the directions of the Red Sea trace colors A iodine plus. I just sent for an ICP test on Monday. The last time I tested ICP it said it was critically low a month ago. After this last water change I tested the next day and the iodine was stable at .06 according to my test kit, so we’ll see what ICP says.

Did your ICP results match your test results?

 

[Maize & Blue]

Almost exactly. Our phosphate numbers based on Hanna didn’t though.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Almost exactly. Our phosphate numbers based on Hanna didn’t though.

ICP always always reads lower than Hanna, as the phosphate is consumed while the sample is in transit to the lab.

 

[oldreefer1968]

I test using the Red Sea iodine test kit. Usually, it tests out about .04 per week so I dose to keep it at .06 based on the directions of the Red Sea trace colors A iodine plus. I just sent for an ICP test on Monday. The last time I tested ICP it said it was critically low a month ago. After this last water change I tested the next day and the iodine was stable at .06 according to my test kit, so we’ll see what ICP says.

Did you get your ICP test back?

 

[Maize & Blue]

Did your ICP results match your test results?

The results I got back from ICP match my iodine test, almost exactly. My phosphate test didn’t match at all so I am very confident in the testing on the iodine Red Sea test kit. My phosphate test didn’t match at all, so I am very confident in the testing on the iodine from Red C test kit. Also somebody made a comment on a later post about the phosphate part of it