Low Iodine

[mbg75]

I noticed lately that the Xenia and Anthelia in my tank have been closing up and melting. All other corals are doing extremly well.
Been searching about it and read that xenia and anthelia absorb iodine and when it gets low they close up.
I picked up a iodine test kit tonight. my iodine tested 0. Looks like i'll have to dose to replace it.

Is this something that shuld be replenished with water changes? Could it be the phos reactor pulling out iodine?

 

[tentacles]

tagging along, I've been losing xenia rather quickly, but everything else is flourishing.

 

[Boomer]

Sorry guys for being so late but have been busy and missed this.

Been searching about it and read that xenia and anthelia absorb iodine and when it gets low they close up.

I do not buy into this at all as most tanks are not low in Iodine. When people add Iodine to the tank and the xenia start to pulsate they think, " see it was Iodine they needed as they are pulsating now". Well, it is more of an issue the iodine is irritating the xenia and that is why they are pulsating. Most xenia pulsate when in low water current, as they need to to increase water circulation around them. They rarely pulsate in proper currents. I have no issue with dosing for Iodine if you test for it and it reads zero and them bring it up to seawater levels. However, most have found no need to dose Iodine at all. In my town reefers grow xenia like weeds to the point where there are problems and do not dose iodine at all. You should try to increase the current flow around the xenia.

 

[The_Robert_Loo]

I always thought no one truely knows why Xenia's pulse in the first place.

 

[strgazr27]

Well, it is more of an issue the iodine is irritating the xenia and that is why they are pulsating. Most xenia pulsate when in low water current, as they need to to increase water circulation around them. They rarely pulsate in proper currents.

I have 2 small groups of pulsing Xenia. 1 is directly in the flow of a powerhead (To the point they lean at a 45 degree angle) and another in a low flow area. Both pulsate nicely. I have noticed a difference since I started dosing an Iodide/Strontium/Molybdenum supplement in their size and color. Thicker trunks and a more solid vs pale coloring. JM2Cents....

 

[shiladitya1991]

I don't agree with Boomer on this fact. Xenia and Anthelia need iodine for their survival...and some aquarists even target feed their xeniaS with iodine..

 

[Boomer]

Then why is it many never dose I and when tested for it get about nothing and they still grow like weeds ???

 

[spacenyc]

i am having same problem

my xenia was doing great until i started using gfo, evrything is doing better but xenia is dissolving, are they connected?

 

[mbg75]

My anthelia doing great now that I git the iodine back up. 100% improvement

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[shiladitya1991]

Then why is it many never dose I and when tested for it get about nothing and they still grow like weeds ???

Maybe because they dose other traces that hav some iodine component in it...or maybe iodine is replenished through water changes... It is reported by Julian Sprung as i read frm his book that Iodine is essential for Xenias and Anthelias ...
Btw can Kalk contain iodine traces ??if yes..then that can b a plausible explanation too

 

[Boomer]

It is not that Iodine is not needed, it is, is there a need to add it. Many lab tests done in labs on reef tank waters show most tanks have more Iodine than NSW. Nobody knows if Iodine "is essential for Xenias and Anthelias", there are no studies on it.

Just because an organism has or contains an element does not me it needs it, it is just in the water column. An example is Uranium, so should we start to dose it, as it is also found in soft tissue and hard skeletons of corals ? It is fine to dose Iodine if one has a test kit and keeps it near NSW. Often when elements are added and often in excessive amounts to water, many animals respond to it, that does not mean they need it. People are often misled by this. Maybe dosing Iodine is just a synergistic effect. When Dr. Ron Shimek had AM TEST LABORATORIES, INC. do tests on about ~ 20 reef tanks the Iodine was 2x - 75 x NSW. None of them were below NSW.

No, Kalk does not have any Iodine it it. There are many sources of Iodine in a reef tank, i.e., such as foods added or the break down of algae's that accumulate and or use it.

As far as Julian goes I know him very well and is a old and good friend. I have worked with him on some things.

 

[shiladitya1991]

Thanks Boomer...i didnt knw all of these...btw i prefer dosing a bit of iodine,my mushrooms look better..........:wink1:

 

[Boomer]

No problem just be careful, as excessive Iodine dosing can cause shrimp and other Crustaceans to go in excessive molt cycles which ends up killing them.