Zero iodine

[flomich]

I had an ICP test showing 0 iodine, so I bought AF Iodum, which I started dosing at 2 drops for 160 litres volume.

I could only find a Salifert Iodine/Iodide test kit, but it showed 0 on both, so I’m not sure the test is working. Will this test kit work for Iodum? It says it doesn’t work on all iodine supplements, but wasn’t specific, so I stopped dosing until I can be sure.

If it is realty 0, then I should dose 1 drop for every 0.01 per 100 litres daily (as per instructions). That’s 9 drops to get to 0.06 - which feels like a lot.

I use AF Reef salt and do weekly 20% water changes. Everything is happy, so maybe I shouldn’t change anything.

What’s the recommendation?

 

[gbroadbridge]

I had an ICP test showing 0 iodine, so I bought AF Iodum, which I started dosing at 2 drops for 160 litres volume.

I could only find a Salifert Iodine/Iodide test kit, but it showed 0 on both, so I’m not sure the test is working. Will this test kit work for Iodum? It says it doesn’t work on all iodine supplements, but wasn’t specific, so I stopped dosing until I can be sure.

If it is realty 0, then I should dose 1 drop for every 0.01 per 100 litres daily (as per instructions). That’s 9 drops to get to 0.06 - which feels like a lot.

I use AF Reef salt and do weekly 20% water changes. Everything is happy, so maybe I shouldn’t change anything.

What’s the recommendation?

That looks like the correct dose for that product.

Iodine depletes very quickly in an aquarium, so after a week it would likely test zero again.

I haven't found any test kits to be particularly accurate In measuring usable Iodine, and I'm not sure it's worth dosing if you are doing regular water changes.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What color was the dosing liquid? AF doesn’t indicate what it is that I could see.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Let us know if it appears to do anything useful. I never noticed an effect when dosing iodide came no dosing.

 

[anthonygf]

I use Red Sea Iodine Pro and I get a reading of 0.06 which is ideal, ICP shows nothing. I don't know which is correct. Anyway, I have been dosing Fluval Sea Iodine for several years at one full dropper of Iodine per day, instructions calls for 5ml per 400L or 100 gallons per week. I have a 75 gallon tank or 289L. You would think my Iodine would be through the roof. So I am confused. My corals have been growing slow lately with great color, my Duncan is just starting to show himself after a year of being tucked away in it's shell. I can't believe my duncan is still alive.

So what I am going to do is slowly stop dosing Iodine and see what happens. After 1 week I am still at 0.06.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I use Red Sea Iodine Pro and I get a reading of 0.06 which is ideal, ICP shows nothing. I don't know which is correct. Anyway, I have been dosing Fluval Sea Iodine for several years at one full dropper of Iodine per day, instructions calls for 5ml per 400L or 100 gallons per week. I have a 75 gallon tank or 289L. You would think my Iodine would be through the roof. So I am confused. My corals have been growing slow lately with great color, my Duncan is just starting to show himself after a year of being tucked away in it's shell. I can't believe my duncan is still alive.

So what I am going to do is slowly stop dosing Iodine and see what happens. After 1 week I am still at 0.06.

My Red Sea iodine pro always measured 0.06 even after a month of not dosing Iodine and no water changes. A recent triton I ICP measured 0.01 on the same water sample.

 

[anthonygf]

My Red Sea iodine pro always measured 0.06 even after a month of not dosing Iodine and no water changes. A recent triton I ICP measured 0.01 on the same water sample.

Why is that? So not reliable?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Why is that? So not reliable?

I really don't know. Maybe the tests are measuring different forms of the Iodine element.

The only thing I noticed is that after dosing to bring the level up using the Seachem calculator the Peppermint Shrimp and Banded Coral shrimp in my tank all molted in the next 2 days.

I don't know whether that means that they like the Iodine or that it irritated them.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Different forms cannot be the difference as icp will read all forms and so should be as high or higher than kits.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Different forms cannot be the difference as icp will read all forms and so should be as high or higher than kits.

Thanks.

As the Red Sea Iodine test uses DI water to make a standard for comparison, I did a couple of tests Using their kit.

Test 1
In the first vial, I created a standard 0.06ppm solution using one level scoop of their Standard powder dissolved in 5ml RODI water.
The second vial contained 5ml of RODI water.

The test was performed following their instructions with the following result.

Test 2
In the first vial, I created a standard 0.06ppm solution using one level scoop of their Standard powder dissolved in 5ml RODI water.
The second vial contained 5ml of RODI water to which was added two level scoops of their Standard power, which should result in a concentration of 0.12ppm

The test was performed following their instructions with the following result.

Some I guess that proves that the test works using a solution prepared with their 'standard'

It doesn't help with understanding why the Red Sea test shows 0.06 on tank water, where the Triton ICP result was 0.01.

 

[Chrisv.]

I had an ICP test showing 0 iodine, so I bought AF Iodum, which I started dosing at 2 drops for 160 litres volume.

I could only find a Salifert Iodine/Iodide test kit, but it showed 0 on both, so I’m not sure the test is working. Will this test kit work for Iodum? It says it doesn’t work on all iodine supplements, but wasn’t specific, so I stopped dosing until I can be sure.

If it is realty 0, then I should dose 1 drop for every 0.01 per 100 litres daily (as per instructions). That’s 9 drops to get to 0.06 - which feels like a lot.

I use AF Reef salt and do weekly 20% water changes. Everything is happy, so maybe I shouldn’t change anything.

What’s the recommendation?

The seachem test is one of the only aquarium tests I've used that includes a positive control, so the you KNOW that the test is working. Did you do the control? I use that test kit and really hate it, but I'm glad that they have a control.

I also show zero just about every time I test. If I test after dosing, I see an increase. I also see my corals look more inflated in about 24h.

Edit, to answer your actual question, the test kit should work with the AF supplement. I suggest ramping up the dose. No need to raise it all in one go. Why not go half way and see how long it takes for that to disappear. Test just after you add it and again in 24h.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I also show zero just about every time I test. If I test after dosing, I see an increase. I also see my corals look more inflated in about 24h.

What exactly do you dose for iodine? I never saw any change when dosing.

 

[Chrisv.]

What exactly do you dose for iodine? I never saw any change when dosing.

I dose the iodine component from the red sea colors product line.

 

[Chrisv.]

Could also of course be placebo effect, but across two tanks (a mixed reef and a zoa tank) I feel that my corals look plumper the day after I dose. I don't have a quantitative measure of plumpness though.

 

[flomich]

What color was the dosing liquid? AF doesn’t indicate what it is that I could see.

The liquid is clear, no colour at all

 

[flomich]

The seachem test is one of the only aquarium tests I've used that includes a positive control, so the you KNOW that the test is working. Did you do the control? I use that test kit and really hate it, but I'm glad that they have a control.

I also show zero just about every time I test. If I test after dosing, I see an increase. I also see my corals look more inflated in about 24h.

Edit, to answer your actual question, the test kit should work with the AF supplement. I suggest ramping up the dose. No need to raise it all in one go. Why not go half way and see how long it takes for that to disappear. Test just after you add it and again in 24h.

That’s useful, thanks, I will ramp up the dose and test twice.

 

[Chrisv.]

That’s useful, thanks, I will ramp up the dose and test twice.

If you want to convince yourself that the test kit does work, you can also take a sample of tank water and deliberately over dose that sample and test from there. I think I did that early on just to convince myself that it wasn't completely BS.

Another data point to add: because every time I test for iodine I get a reading of zero (unless I just dosed), I now test for iodine/iodide very infrequently. I typically add iodine once a week. I'm quite sure I'm not keeping it at ideal levels all the time. Maybe it would be better for me to just skip it, but I believe I see a benefit after dosing (even if I have only convinced myself!).

 

[flomich]

If you want to convince yourself that the test kit does work, you can also take a sample of tank water and deliberately over dose that sample and test from there. I think I did that early on just to convince myself that it wasn't completely BS.

Another data point to add: because every time I test for iodine I get a reading of zero (unless I just dosed), I now test for iodine/iodide very infrequently. I typically add iodine once a week. I'm quite sure I'm not keeping it at ideal levels all the time. Maybe it would be better for me to just skip it, but I believe I see a benefit after dosing (even if I have only convinced myself!).

Great idea! I will do this on the weekend and post the results!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The liquid is clear, no colour at all

Then it should be detectable by kit.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I dose the iodine component from the red sea colors product line.

Coral colors A? Just bear in mind it is adding more than iodide so cause and effect can be tricky to attribute to any individual component.