Iodine???

[Brian5000]

I just bought a couple mushroom polyps as my first step down the long road of reef aquaria. I also hope to get a cleaner shrimp in the next few days. I've heard that these creatures require (or at least benefit from) supplemental iodine added to the water. I asked one LFS who told me it helps, and another LFS guy just gave me a blank look when I asked. For shrimp I've read some things that say it's essential for molting and another that said shrimp only obtain iodine though their diet and adding it to the water is useless. Can anyone straighten me out here?
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How I Met Your Mother Forum

 

[Anonymous]

For shrooms and shrimp, you don't need any iodine if you do regular water change.

If you do want to monitor the iodine level, and feel confidence that you can interpret the result, then you may want to get some iodine additive once you found that you need it.

Otherwise, stay away from as many additive as possible. Calcium will be essential when you have hard coral, otherwise, everything else is pretty much waste of money and time, IMVHO.

 

[Anonymous]

For shrooms and shrimp, you don't need any iodine if you do regular water change.

True dat!

 

[krullulon]

most folks i know don't dose iodine... as others have said, do regular water changes and you'll be fine.

my cleaner shrimp happily molt about once every 2-3 weeks with no issues, and i don't use any supplements.

 

[Brian5000]

Thanks guys
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Disabilities Forum

 

[ChrisRD]

Yep, I agree - I've never dosed iodine and never had any trouble keeping shrooms and shrimp happy.

 

[tazdevil]

I tried dosing Iodine and the only affect I observed was an increase in GHA. Not the effect I was desiring! :lol: :evil:

 

[Anonymous]

Taz, GHA ain't even in the glossary, and you are saying it in a newbies forum ?

http://www.reefs.org/library/glossary.html#G

What the heck is GHA? :?

 

[tazdevil]

Green Hair Algae

:lol:

 

[Anonymous]

:lol: Geeze

At first I was trying to remember all the terms we use in MRI/NMR to see if any of the fits GHA...

I usually will disagree with you on such A->B logic, but this time, I let you get away with it without flaming you.

 

[tazdevil]

Quit talking about Algebra! I never liked that and have been glad to not use it in any way, shape, or form for the last 23 years! :lol:


But about the iodine causing the green hair algae, I can't say 100% that it did, all I can say is that I noticed an increase in the GHA growth about 4 days after satrting Iodine dosing on the tank, and after I stopped dosing the Iodine, it dramatically decreased. True, there could be other factors involved, this was just what I observed, this tank was 2years old when this happened.

 

[Anonymous]

Some marine algae incorporate relatively large amount of iodine in the cell, so it can be a direction to go if you want an explaination. However, for most observations like what you saw, it is best to say that they are just coincidences.

 

[fireman26m]

Also, overdosing Iodine can have adverse effects on your shrimp/crabs. If there is too much of it in the tank your shrimp/crabs will absorb it into their exoskeleton. When they have too much they will molt just to get rid of this excess iodine. This can be very stressful for them if they have to molt too often without corresponding growth.