Search Home
Marine Aquariums
Freshwater Aquariums
Planted Aquariums
Brackish Systems
Ponds, lakes & fountains
Turtles & Amphibians
Aquatic Business
Aquatic Science
Ask the WWM Crew a Question
Please visit our Sponsors
FAQs on Iodine Use, Supplements, Sources Foods, purposeful supplements... Can be purchased as a pet-fish or Related FAQs: Iodine 1, Iodine 2, & FAQs on Iodine: Rationale/Use, Iodine Testing/Test Kits, Dosing, Interactions, health store product Troubleshooting/Fixing, & General Supplements, Calcium, Related Articles: Iodine in Marine Aquarium Systems by Marco Lichtenberger, Marine System Additives,
Drunk Sharks?! 7/4/11 Good Morning Crew!
I am about to overhaul and upgrade my 180 gallon system to a 400 gallon system with a 180 gallon tank, a 100, a 90 refugium, and a 20-30 gallon wet/dry sump (the 400 does not include hang on filters or plumbing naturally). I would like to put a whitespotted bamboo shark in my 180 for about a year or so two at the absolute most. At which point I will be building a 700-900 gallon tank. My issue is that I do something rarely recommended by anyone, vodka dosing. Its been very successful and I'd very much like to continue the dosing but if there will be a problem with the small shark (approximately eight inches at the moment and still at the store) then I will have to decide. Idealistically I'd just like to alter the acclimation process accordingly. I have been reading for days here on sharks and have purchased the book which is on its way. I'm very excited at the potential to have such a beautiful shark that will hopefully have as much personality as the rest of my fish if not more. Please tell me if it can work out with the vodka dosing. Thank You re: Drunk Sharks?! 7/4.5/11 That is great to hear, or see. I am looking into purchasing the recommended Lugol's iodine solution but the problem is there are two dilutions! There is one with 4% potassium iodide and 2% iodine (not the one I want I am assuming). Then there is one with 7% iodine and 2.2% iodine. I saw the post with the recommended half ml. per week but for which dilution? Also since my book has yet to arrive I am unsure of whether the recommended vitamin supplements are in it. If they are there is no need to respond I'll find them shortly. But if the items are not listed then would you please point me in the right direction? As for my current system and menagerie, I would like to try Gamma Nutraplus Reef Feed but I cannot find a distributor. I found limited information at Tropical Marine Center and perhaps I overlooked a link to purchase it there. It isn't even available on eBay. Thank You once again for providing optimal brain-picking!! re: Drunk Sharks?!... Nutr., I2, F's 7/5/11 "Re: Shark Problems Follow-up 10/13/05 Thanks for the quick reply. I am using an artificial salt mix, Bio Sea's "Marine Mix", Vita-Zu "Sharks & Rays Vitamins" and Kent Marine's "Tech 1" Iodine Supplement and "Essential Elements" in the water. Do you think I should be injecting their food with Iodine? If so what kind or brand of Iodine, how much, and how often. Their food is cut up: 2 small anchovies, 2 shrimp, and 2 clams. I feed them once a day. " That is the post that set me on the search for it. The 7% and 2.2% are what is available on eBay. Each posting says 1fl. ounce with either 7% iodine or 2.2% iodine. Here is the link to the eBay search: http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313&_nkw=lugol&_sacat=See-All-Categories < I will buy the Mazuri tablets to supplement the shark's diet. Should they be added to the food, say stuffed in a piece of prawn, or dissolved in the water? And how often should this take place? If the iodine is once a week should the tablets be the same? Also how do I weigh the shark? Placement on an average digital scale seems very stressful... cleaner shrimp dying during molt - 10/09/10 Hi WWM crew: I have a question about my cleaner shrimp, and I don't want to get another one (or two) until I am sure about something: I had the shrimp for 6 months; he was about 2-1/2" (body size) when he died at night during molting. He had been molting about every 3 weeks. I keep reading about low iodine, but I do a 5% water change twice a week (suggestion I read on your website) so I thought iodine would be at a good level. I don't have a test kit, at present. Otherwise, my information is as follows: 90g FOWLR + turbo snails, a couple green star polyps, and previously, one cleaner shrimp. I have 1 tomato clown, 1 flame angel, 2 chromis, 1 fire fish, and 1 watchman goby. The shrimp died during the night when the goby was still in his den under the sand - he is the only fish who sometimes seemed to threaten the shrimp, with his mouth wide open, but no contact made. My water parameters are: ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates at 0, salinity 1.025, temp. 80-81, filtered by sump, protein skimmer in sump, two power heads in tank. I feed Emerald Entree, Marine Cuisine and Spirulina Brine Shrimp, alternating between the three. The shrimp has always eaten enthusiastically, and I usually target fed him, too. He rarely cleaned the angel, and the other fish weren't interested in cleaning services. Please let me know your opinion on why he died. Do you think he was just old? As I said, he had about doubled his size to 2-1/2", plus feelers, in nine months when I found him this morning still partly attached to his molt. Thanks again for your assistance. Edie Re: cleaner shrimp dying during molt, I2 use -- 10/9/10 Hi Bob, Thanks so much for your rapid reply, and for so much helpful information regarding my cleaner shrimp. I looked on the website of the salt product (Seachem ReefSalt) I have been using for twice weekly, 5% water changes. It lists iodide at 0.060. Is that sufficient? Does that differ from iodine? Or should I be adding an additional amount of iodine? Should I have a test kit of some kind (I have the basic test kit for a fish-only tank, so nothing for other elements.) Thanks again for taking the time to help me. Edie Iodine, shellfish, table salt... Hi Rob, I have a query... I know from reading the site that the presence of iodine ions in the water is important to shellfish during their moulting processes. Given that commonly available table salt contains iodine in much the same way that many municipal water supplies contain fluoride, would it be feasible to use iodized salt (sparingly) as a source of iodine for the marine tank? Do you happen to know whether this has been done (to save money), or of any hazards that doing so might present (other than the unknown concentration of the iodine in table salt, and the fact that adding salt to the system would obviously change the salinity)? Just curious because I'm crafty and cheap ;-) TJ Calcium (and iodide/iodine) hello guys, I have a quick question. am a bit confused about the difference between iodide and iodine as supplements for my shrimp. calcium, do ya need it or does the sand, shells, etc in tank supply it.. thanks a lot. I only have two clowns two snails and two cleaner shrimp......Jennifer Iodinating Foods (1/9/2004) Hi, thanks for taking my question. I was reading info regarding HLLE and how iodine additions to food may be one way to help. How would I do this? Should I just soak the food in a few drops of iodine before feeding? Should I use a Lugol's solution or go with a Kent type iodide product? Thanks, Angelo Lugol's Solution Hello, I was thinking of trying Lugol's Solution for my iodine supplement into my 55G tank. Is this a bad move? I see where you have to be very careful with it. I read where I could dose it to 1 drop per 25 gallons. Now I assume I have to account for LR and LS displacement so would probably dose 1 drop every day. I guess I'm asking if this is a good product to use or should I just use regular Iodine? < I have used Lugol's for the past 5 years and have had no problems .Just follow the directions. Good luck MikeH> Thanks, Mike Iodine vs. Iodide 3/22/04 Quick question for you. I have the Kent Iodine product as well as Sea Chem's Iodide. What is the difference between the two and should I use just one or both? I was told that iodine converts to iodide which is what the corals actually use and that using Iodide is just a quicker/safer method of dosing??? The type of invert/corals I have are as follows: Cleaner Shrimp Emerald Crab Bubble Coral Zoanthus Metallic Green Moon Brain Coral Rose Anemone Green Star Polyps Hawaiian feather duster Sand sifting stars Flame Scallops Hermit type crabs Thank You, Robert Iodine (7/1/04) Hi Crew, In one of the hundreds of postings I have read on WetWebMedia.com (and I think in Bob or Anthony's book), I remember reading a recommendation (from Bob or Anthony, I think) to just use standard iodine from a pharmacy in a reef aquarium. I have been unable to locate Lugol's solution in any of the local pharmacies. I can only locate Povidone iodine, which I understand to be Potassium Iodide plus 'inert ingredients'. My concern is that the 'inert ingredients' are either 'pareth 25-9' or nonoxynol-9 (depending upon brand). Both brands of Povidone iodine contain NaOH and one brand also contains ascorbic acid (neither of which concern me) but I am concerned about these other 'inert ingredients'. Would 'pareth 25-9' or nonoxynol-9 be harmful to anything in a reef aquarium? I did not realize nonoxynol-9 was used for anything other than a contraceptive, so I find it a little odd that this is even added to iodine solutions, unless it does kill simpler life forms (in which case I would be concerned about the effects to my filtration system and to my 'pod population). What recommendations do you have for using (or finding) standard pharmaceutical iodine? --Greg Iodine and Additives 01/18/06 Hi Bob, <> Wow I couldn't believe how fast you got back to me about my question re: compatibility of different types of cleaner shrimps - thank you very much!! I have a different question the aquarium stores [2 salt water ones in my area] have not been able to answer for me to my satisfaction. The question is about additives. I have a 40 gallon reef tank, with about 12 small corals, a couple of crabs, 2 shrimp, 2 star fish, snails, a sea urchin, a cucumber & 2 small fish. I clean my tank about every 2 1/2 to 3 weeks [about 10 to 12 gallons change], use Instant Ocean reef crystal salt & distilled water. I add a teaspoon of calcium as directed every day. Recently, I have been adding 8 mil. [as directed] per day of an additive called "Reef Solution" by EcoSystems that is supposed to have multiple minerals & minor trace elements found in natural sea water so that you don't have to add any other additives. In the past, BEFORE I used this product, I had been using the Kent products - calcium daily [I still do] + a teaspoon of Iodine weekly + a teaspoon of strontium/molybdenum 2x a week. The reason I switched products is because of the distilled water - I was concerned my tank lacked iron, etc. as found in normal water & I am afraid to use tap water as it caused my tank to crash with my very first water change. <> I am now concerned about Iodine for my shrimp & crabs. I read you have to be careful how much to add because it may cause premature molting, but yet there is no test I can find to test the iodine levels - not even at the aquarium stores! What would you recommend for additives? Do you know of any test kits I can buy & what are the optimal levels that will make everybody in the tank happy? <> Thank you for your time, Linda Campbell, beginner coral tank enthusiast <> FORM - 01/24/06 Hello, I am using the Mark Weiss product called FORM. Apparently this adds iodine, strontium and magnesium. <...> Is there no need to add these products singularly, or should I be doing both? I was using Kent iodine etc. but in South Africa, we are paying 4 x the price you pay in the US. As I have a big tank I am hoping the FORM does replace them. Also, I have just bought a big leather coral. When I took it out the bag it had a terrible smell. A day later it smells ok, like the sea. He has all his tentacles out and looks fine, but he does have a couple of yellow patches on him. Does he sound ok to you? Bob's booked just arrived in the post. woohoo! Kind Regards, James Barclay -Locked out- - 04/10/2006 Hello WWM, I've a porcupine fish that is showing signs of lockjaw, and I'd like to start treating with iodine. Is there any brand treatment you'd recommend? The LFS carries Lugol's Solution, but I wasn't sure if that would work. Thanks, Steve Iodine supplements vs.. B-ionic 11/22/06 Dear WWM crew, Learning more and more by reading and asking, so here goes with a dumb question. I'm skeptical about something I was told by a supposed 'expert' in reef maintenance, etc. He suggested the use of only a 2-part buffer, such as B-ionic, etc., and stated that the addition of iodine would not be necessary. I have been adding iodine in my system with automatic dosing pumps, and checking with a test kit. It is within the range! So, basically, if I were to discontinue the iodine, does a 2-part buffer system introduce enough iodine to sustain those iodine craving animals. I might add, and maybe I'm wrong, that I utilize my leather corals as a kind of barometer. If they have full polyp extension, then they must be happy. My concern is that over doing it with iodine could cause nuisance algae blooms? No? Again, thanks for your time. Keep up the good work. George Sea Vegetable'¦Nori -- 02/01/08 Having been involved with marine systems for many years, I have accumulated a large selection of books on the subject. <> Just want to say that Bob Fenner's book 'Conscientious Marine Aquarist' is positively outstanding and my constant reference when contemplating adding another critter to my collection. <> I recently added a dwarf lion because I learned from the book why my first one died (goldfish :< ) <> Just one question... The book mentions marine sea vegetables and so I went to my health store and purchased Nori. My fish love it! <> What worries me though is on the list of nutrition facts Iodine is 70%. <> Is this safe for my fish? <> I could not find any reference to it on the FAQS. <> Thanks for a terrific web site! Carol <>
Features:
Daily FAQs FW Daily FAQs SW Pix of the Day FW Pix of the Day New On WWM Helpful Links Hobbyist Forum
Featured Sponsors:
Calendars
Admin Index
Cover Images
