Iodine vs Iodide additives?

[shark_bait]

I have added small doses of Iodine for the first 1 1/2 of my reefs existance but when I went to the store I purchases Iodide without realizing it.

What is the difference? Can I use this instead?

[zhenya]

I have added small doses of Iodine for the first 1 1/2 of my reefs existance but when I went to the store I purchases Iodide without realizing it.

What is the difference? Can I use this instead?

How do you measure amount of iodine in your tank that you are sure that you need to add it?

Anyway, here;s some information about the iodine in aquaria.
Chemistry and the Aquarium
Chemistry and the Aquarium

[shark_bait]

I don't measure it

I know. I shouldn't be adding anything that I'm not measuring. My local store told me to simply add one cap of the iodine, stront & magnes, and coralvite weekly and I'll be fine. He said that he has added these regularly for 17 years and has never tested.

I also don't measure the strontium or magnesium. I need to get test kits.

The unfortunate part is that his tank only houses the coral long enough until someone buys it. He doesn;t have a long standing display. This could explain why most of my softies, etc have simply melted away over time.

It's my fault. I need to stop listening to him and spending more time on this site, reading informative articles that have non biased opinions, and testing!!

[zhenya]

Yes, following advise from some of these LFS owners can be down right deadly for your livestock.

I would definitely recommend ceasing any additions of potentially toxic chemicals and get some essential test kits, like Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and perhaps Ammonia and Nitrate. And of course you need to have a way to measure salinity and perhaps monitor PH. You can buy good refractometer and PH monitor with all the money you'll save if you stop buying Iodine and Strontium additives, and the other snake oil fixes this guy will try to sell you.
If you follow your regular water changes routine, and use good salt, there sholdn't be any need to add much if all you keep is soft corals.

[shark_bait]

Yes, following advise from some of these LFS owners can be down right deadly for your livestock.

I would definitely recommend ceasing any additions of potentially toxic chemicals and get some essential test kits, like Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and perhaps Ammonia and Nitrate. And of course you need to have a way to measure salinity and perhaps monitor PH. You can buy good refractometer and PH monitor with all the money you'll save if you stop buying Iodine and Strontium additives, and the other snake oil fixes this guy will try to sell you.
If you follow your regular water changes routine, and use good salt, there sholdn't be any need to add much if all you keep is soft corals.

I already have test kits for the basics - ph, salinity, nitrate, phosphate, calcium, alkilinity (just recently). It's just the extras that I don't. This is what makes me question these additives becuase besides my poor PC lighting, the only other thing that could be causing me problems is some chemical being WAY OFF!!

I just upgraded my lighting (should have it this week - T5 6 54 W bulbs suggested by Ninong!!) so I want to eventually house everything!!

What is a refractometer?

[charlie]

What is a refractometer?

Here ya go;
Sybon HD Refractometer - FG100sa: Premium Aquatics

[shark_bait]

Oh, a Hydrometer!

While I rarely use mine, my system of 2 cups of salt using a measuring cup and 5 gallons of water in a 5 gallon water jug has kept my salinity stable for quite some time now.

[charlie]

The only reason we mention refractometer, is because they seem to be a little more accurate than the swing arm or other hydrometers.JMHO

[zhenya]

Oh, a Hydrometer!

While I rarely use mine, my system of 2 cups of salt using a measuring cup and 5 gallons of water in a 5 gallon water jug has kept my salinity stable for quite some time now.

Although it may had worked fine for you with mixing the salt water but how do you monitor your salinity in the aquarium between the water changes? I found that those swing arm type hydrometers can be way off. The cost is really minimal if you compare it to the "big picture" (cost) of the system as a whole. For the piece of mind I went ahead and got one years ago. ;)
Anyway, good luck with your new lighting system.

[shark_bait]

I've never really noticed any major swings in slainity between water changes. How would it swing? It's not like nutients that get used up. Wouldn't the salinity only drop if there are accumulated salt deposits.

While I figured a plastic/glass hydrometer couldn;t be 100% accurate, I never knew that there was something else available that can be used which is so much more accurate. Thanks.

[charlie]

Every time water evaporates, it is only the water that evaporates, not the salt. That is why you top off with fresh RO/DI. It will swing more in a smaller system as opposed to say something like my 300.

[shark_bait]

Ok. But in a case like my 55 gallon (+30 gallon sump) I usually top off with probably 1 gallons per day. If the salinity doesn't leave, then the only swing would be the salt content in 60 gallons of water (taking into account the live rock) vs 59 gallons of water. Can that really make much of a difference? Can a max of a 2% change in water volume cause that much? I guess I can never tell using my hydrometer.

[shark_bait]

How do you measure amount of iodine in your tank that you are sure that you need to add it?

Anyway, here;s some information about the iodine in aquaria.
Chemistry and the Aquarium
Chemistry and the Aquarium

Well, I quickly skimmed over them. While iodine gets used up quickly, there is no mention of it's value or necessity as an additive to an aquarium.

Am I missing something?

[charlie]

I don't think you have anything to worry about as far as your salinity is concerned. I think all we are saying is in the long run, a refractometer is just a more accurate way of measuring that particular item.
Regular water changes replace most anything that would add to your tank. Your local LFS is making alot off you for absolutely no reason.

[shark_bait]

Thanks for the heads up. In the year and a half that my tank is up, I have bought 2 of each 12oz bottle. Really not much in the whole scheme of things especially since I have spent hours upon hours picking his brain about his tank set ups and filtration, etc.

Sometimes it's nice to speak to someone face to face.

Thanks for you input.