Salifert iodine test question

[Sophie"s mom]

Good evening all, I know I have not been on here in awhile, but things have been hectic. Anyway, I am using a Salifert iodine test kit for the first time, I have never tested for that before. I did the iodate test. So my question is what SHOULD that number be? Mine appears to be near zero. I have never messed with testing or adding iodine. So just looking for some help.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Complex question to some extent, but natural iodide is about 0.02 ppm and iodate is about 0.04 ppm I.

What did you get?

 

[braaap]

I’m dosing coralme iodine and I’ve never gotten a result using the salifert test. I know it gets consumed very quickly but I see massive changes in my tank when I do and don’t dose.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Complex question to some extent, but natural iodide is about 0.02 ppm and iodate is about 0.04 ppm I.

What did you get?

The lowest number for the Salifert test is <0.03 so that is where I am. Thank you Randy for your help .

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m dosing coralme iodine and I’ve never gotten a result using the salifert test. I know it gets consumed very quickly but I see massive changes in my tank when I do and don’t dose.

What changes?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I’m dosing coralme iodine and I’ve never gotten a result using the salifert test. I know it gets consumed very quickly but I see massive changes in my tank when I do and don’t dose.

Like Randy said, what changes. I have never messed with before at all. But I have read where see quite the change in coloration

 

[braaap]

What changes?

Like Randy said, what changes. I have never messed with before at all. But I have read where see quite the change in coloration

Well for one SPS survival. Did an ICP. The only element out of range was iodine. I had virtually zero. I couldn’t keep sps. I would put them in and within 2 weeks they would be dead. I started dosing iodine and my sps flourished. My zoas looked better. My shrimp started molting regularly. And to top it off I didn’t tell my wife and within a week of me starting she noticed changes.

Everything from polyp extension to color and growth has dramatically increased. I couldn’t get sps to grow and in 2 weeks I had noticeable growth and zero deaths since dosing. I’ve been dosing it 6 months now.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Well for one SPS survival. Did an ICP. The only element out of range was iodine. I had virtually zero. I couldn’t keep sps. I would put them in and within 2 weeks they would be dead. I started dosing iodine and my sps flourished. My zoas looked better. My shrimp started molting regularly. And to top it off I didn’t tell my wife and within a week of me starting she noticed changes.

Everything from polyp extension to color and growth has dramatically increased. I couldn’t get sps to grow and in 2 weeks I had noticeable growth and zero deaths since dosing. I’ve been dosing it 6 months now.

What salt do you use? I ask because most decent salts have iodine as well as most trace elements. I use Instant Ocean reef crystals

 

[braaap]

What salt do you use? I ask because most decent salts have iodine as well as most trace elements. I use Instant Ocean reef crystals

Brightwell. You’d be surprised what salts actually have. And considering iodine depletes extremely fast salt mix isn’t going to support iodine levels.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Well for one SPS survival. Did an ICP. The only element out of range was iodine. I had virtually zero. I couldn’t keep sps. I would put them in and within 2 weeks they would be dead. I started dosing iodine and my sps flourished. My zoas looked better. My shrimp started molting regularly. And to top it off I didn’t tell my wife and within a week of me starting she noticed changes.

Everything from polyp extension to color and growth has dramatically increased. I couldn’t get sps to grow and in 2 weeks I had noticeable growth and zero deaths since dosing. I’ve been dosing it 6 months now.

What exactly did you dose?

 

[braaap]

What exactly did you dose?

I dose the ME Coral Iodine. 55 gallon system. 3 drops a day in the morning. I know you don't believe in Iodine dosing but I 110% have seen a dramatic change. I went from not being able to keep SPS at all to SPS absolutely flourishing in weeks. And I didn't change a single thing besides dosing Idodine.


The bottle info.

ME Iodine concentrate is a pharmaceutical grade concentrated additives for maintaining appropriate levels of Iodine in modern aquariums. Iodine levels are quickly depleted by many aquarium inhabitants including corals, and algae. Use ME Iodine to maintain natural seawater levels of .06 ppm Iodine in our Aquarium.

Ingredients: Reverse Osmosis/DI Water, Potassium Iodine

Concentration: 10,000 mg/L

Maintenance Dose: 3-4 drops in a 100 L (26 gl) system one or two times per week

Iodine is used by Fish, Soft and Hard Coral, and Algae to grow. Iodine depletes quickly in modern aquariums and needs to be replenished for optimal coral coloration. Iodine enhances Blue and Purple colors in SPS coral. Iodine also helps coral tissue from strong UV lighting, and other adverse affects due to Iodine antibiotic properties. Seawater levels are .06 ppm. Test appropriately.

 

[Pod_01]

I went from not being able to keep SPS at all to SPS absolutely flourishing in weeks.

The in weeks bit bugs me.

I have never seen my reef tank improve within weeks, months yes… I guess I have long way to go…

I dose Iodine and I believe corals like it but based on my observations it was not a game changer.

I observed better response from various carbon dosing (including Reef Actif). I am referring to carbon dosing as a way to feed corals etc… not for nutrients control.

 

[braaap]

The in weeks bit bugs me.

I have never seen my reef tank improve within weeks, months yes… I guess I have long way to go…

I dose Iodine and I believe corals like it but based on my observations it was not a game changer.

I observed better response from various carbon dosing (including Reef Actif). I am referring to carbon dosing as a way to feed corals etc… not for nutrients control.

Sorry it bugs you. But it’s facts. Zero other changes. Consulted with some of the best known SPS keepers in the hobby. Very well known names. All of them came to the conclusion based off what I had done and my ICP results that iodine was the one element missing. Changed it and saw almost immediate results.

 

[Pod_01]

Sorry it bugs you. But it’s facts. Zero other changes. Consulted with some of the best known SPS keepers in the hobby. Very well known names. All of them came to the conclusion based off what I had done and my ICP results that iodine was the one element missing. Changed it and saw almost immediate results.

No need to be sorry.

Can you elaborate on what changes you observed and approximate timeline?

For example I struggled a lot and I went from this:

To this:

But it took 6+ months.
Yes I been dosing Iodine as well, still am.

So when I read statements like this:

I went from not being able to keep SPS at all to SPS absolutely flourishing in weeks.

Changed it and saw almost immediate results.

I definitely like to learn how to go from struggle to flourishing in weeks.
Obviously what I am doing is overly complicated and takes too long especially with respect to SPS and acros.

Perhaps I used the wrong Iodine, wrong ICP test etc… :thinking-face:

Also would you have pictures that show the before adding iodine and after (weeks) of adding Iodine?
I am visual type of person and with Iodine there is lot of anecdotal statements but not much is documented with pictures and especially SPS corals.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I dose the ME Coral Iodine. 55 gallon system. 3 drops a day in the morning. I know you don't believe in Iodine dosing but I 110% have seen a dramatic change. I went from not being able to keep SPS at all to SPS absolutely flourishing in weeks. And I didn't change a single thing besides dosing Idodine.


The bottle info.

My reason for asking was to understand what chemical you were using as different ones can have other different other effects than simple iodine dosing. Lugols iodine can alter the chemical form of other trace elements in the tank.

I assume this fluid was clear and not purplish like Lugols? The bottle description uses a nonstandard chemical terminology (potassium iodine) that could be potassium iodide or Lugols).

 

[braaap]

No need to be sorry.

Can you elaborate on what changes you observed and approximate timeline?

For example I struggled a lot and I went from this:

To this:

But it took 6+ months.
Yes I been dosing Iodine as well, still am.

So when I read statements like this:


I definitely like to learn how to go from struggle to flourishing in weeks.
Obviously what I am doing is overly complicated and takes too long especially with respect to SPS and acros.

Perhaps I used the wrong Iodine, wrong ICP test etc… :thinking-face:

Also would you have pictures that show the before adding iodine and after (weeks) of adding Iodine?
I am visual type of person and with Iodine there is lot of anecdotal statements but not much is documented with pictures and especially SPS corals.

This is 2 weeks. I had more photos but I got a new phone and for some reason lost tons of pictures. But these are same phone and same settings etc.

 

[braaap]

My reason for asking was to understand what chemical you were using as different ones can have other different other effects than simple iodine dosing. Lugols iodine can alter the chemical form of other trace elements in the tank.

I assume this fluid was clear and not purplish like Lugols? The bottle description uses a nonstandard chemical terminology (potassium iodine) that could be potassium iodide or Lugols).

Yes this iodine is clear.

I do agree that the bottle information is unclear. Wish it had more details on the product formulation. But that’s pretty normal for this hobby.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes this iodine is clear.

I do agree that the bottle information is unclear. Wish it had more details on the product formulation. But that’s pretty normal for this hobby.

Ok, thanks. :)

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I dose the ME Coral Iodine. 55 gallon system. 3 drops a day in the morning. I know you don't believe in Iodine dosing but I 110% have seen a dramatic change. I went from not being able to keep SPS at all to SPS absolutely flourishing in weeks. And I didn't change a single thing besides dosing Idodine.


The bottle info.

I don't mean to sound dumb, but what is ME? I tried searching for ME coral iodine and found nothing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't mean to sound dumb, but what is ME? I tried searching for ME coral iodine and found nothing.

It’s a supplement company.