Iodine ?

[easyian]

I have been told that some shrimp and other inverts need iodine to help with molting. How are you supposed to add this to the tank? Is it just regular iodine you can buy from the store or is it an item i should be looking for at my LFS?

[beachbumin]

I use lugals solution a few times a week and it handles the iodine ness. for the tank.

[jackdp]

You can get iodine supplements at most good LFS. However, I wouldn't dose iodine without having a good iodine test kit. Iodine exists in saltwater in 3 ionic forms and is difficult to test for. I bought a supplement once and a Seachem iodine test kit. The kit requires some time to make standards and calibrate and you're still not sure if it is accurate. I've since decided that weekly 10% water changes are the key. A weekly water change puts enough iodine back into the system that my shrimp and crab have been fine without supplements. I'm sure others will have different views...variety is the spice of life.

I have personally never tested nor dosed Iodine.. my shrimp and crabs seem to be doing great and molting every week or so.. I figure with Iodine doing regular water changes will take care of what is used..

James

[reefrunner69]

I use lugals solution a few times a week and it handles the iodine ness. for the tank.

I hope you are not dosing more than 1 drop per 20g total per week. Iodine is a poison, any iodine that is needed by the tank inhabitants is easily taken care of by water changes and feedings.

Shrimp do not need iodine to molt, excess iodine causes them to molt, is you see the difference.

I hope you are not dosing more than 1 drop per 20g total per week. Iodine is a poison, any iodine that is needed by the tank inhabitants is easily taken care of by water changes and feedings.

I second that. I see that you only have a 25 gal tank... Tht means according to the package on Lugol's Solution. 1 drop per 25 gallons of water.. not tank size... So, on a 25, if you have any rock and sand in there, you prolly have 15 gallons of water. and a few times a week at 1 drop per dose.. it is fair to say that you are going to have a bad case of iodine poisoning... I have a problem putting 1 drop every 2 weeks in my 55.. That stuff is super concentrated... be careful..

[easyian]

So i'm safe. Thats good thanks for the info guys.

Ian

[Biggen]

Yeah, I occasionally put one drop of Lugol's into my tank when my Iodine test kits show I have low Iodine level, and it is a 40 gallon. I am not brave enough to use the regular dose so I cut it in half.

Normally regular water changes should take care of this, but for some reason, my every two week water changes aren't enough to keep my Iodine level up to where it should be.