Iodine test kits what do you recommend

[Mudbeaver]

I'm looking to test and looking for the best test kit for iodine. Iodine is not only for corals or fish. Its essential for macroalgaes, specially the red ones, to keep their colors, one in particular; actually disolves in front of your eyes in a few hours if you don't have iodine in sufficient quantity, Dragon's Breath. I had $300 worth of Macroalgae species in my 75 G starfire display refugium

And i lost some macro's because of iodine and iodide defficiency . So i'm very interested in knowing which is the best testing kit. I've dosed Kent Lugol's , the first time knowing that was the problem , but now i want to know the score before doing it. i could do it every 2 weeks half the dosage like some do all the time but i rather play by the rules. I've also notice my zooz litteraly exploding in the last 2 weeks. I of course feed as well but i can't see stopping the iodine because its difficult to detect thats a cop out!

It did save my algae collection.

And without supplements refugiums wont exist, it takes more that nitrates, and phosphates, i've turned off my GFO the fuge is taking all the nitrates and phosphates away now. The skimmer take the amonia and the iodine with it.

High levels of calciums , magnesium and Alk will stop the growth of algae actually at the benefit of Macroalgaes who preffer those high levels.

So any recommendation on the test kits would be appreciated. thanks for your time.

 

[radiata]

Sorry, but I can't point you in the direction of an Iodine test kit...

I was just wondering if you were dosing any iron for all of your macros...

 

[Mudbeaver]

Sorry, but I can't point you in the direction of an Iodine test kit...

I was just wondering if you were dosing any iron for all of your macros...

Yes Kent iron and manganese is very important to them.

And thats the iodine i've used

This is very good if your not using a dosing pump system

High levels of calcium and magnesium and alk favors macroalgaes and retards the formation of microalgaes(hair and cyanos)
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[Sugar Magnolia]

I'd suggest the Salifert brand. Very accurate test kits.

 

[Mudbeaver]

I'd suggest the Salifert brand. Very accurate test kits.

Ok thanks.

 

[noy]

I have the Saifert test kits.

I am a big fan of Saifert but find the color charts difficult to use for the iodine test kit.

You actually have to test for iodide and iodate separately. However, if you use the time released supplements the kit instructions warn that you will get false results.

Iodide is ionic iodine (I-) and Iodate is IO3 (ionic iodine combined with oxygen). (you probably know this already).

The kit has a few limitations one significant one is that some supplements add iodine in the form of a compound (i.e. I- bonded with other molecules) which the test won't pick up.

 

[Mudbeaver]

I have the Saifert test kits.

I am a big fan of Saifert but find the color charts difficult to use for the iodine test kit.

You actually have to test for iodide and iodate separately. However, if you use the time released supplements the kit instructions warn that you will get false results.

Iodide is ionic iodine (I-) and Iodate is IO3 (ionic iodine combined with oxygen). (you probably know this already).

The kit has a few limitations one significant one is that some supplements add iodine in the form of a compound (i.e. I- bonded with other molecules) which the test won't pick up.

What about the Hanna or the redsea ones?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

IME, if you want to dose iodine to most tanks you need not measure anything. It will drop from NSW levels to almost none in a few days, so dose the NSW equivalent once or possibly twice a week and you'll be fine.

That said, I've not seen evidence that dosing it helps macroalgae. It didn't with the species I carefully tested, but obviously the two I tested hardly represent all available species.

 

[Mudbeaver]

After buying $ 310 of macroalgaes from a site i've asked them how they grow and take care of them; This is what they use to keep the red algae from loosing most of its red pigmentation and cohesion in the longterm


Keeping a huge refugium like mine a 75 Gallon starfire display refugium its not only for cheap cheato but 25 different kinds of macroalgaes.

You need to test for this

The tes kit is Redsea their's two kinds the single for Iodine

Or combine with iron and potassium both usefull for macroalgaes because you'll have to supplement your macro algaes with Iron and Manganese in the longrun.

I found that out the hard way by loosing about $60 worth of macro algaes but with the help of the growers of the site they gave me all kinds of advice and the test i had to do . Now my algaes are growing great.

Your GFO has to be turned down to a minimum if your interested in growing your alges fast or completely off, but that can only be done for short periods. turned down is better.​

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You need to test for this

Have you tried everything else and not the iodine to know that with certainty?

Have you ever tried dosing iodine the way I suggested, or not at all?

 

[Mudbeaver]

You need to test for this

Have you tried everything else and not the iodine to know that with certainty?

Have you ever tried dosing iodine the way I suggested, or not at all?

Well i basically trust the businees who grows them and mass produce them? They wouldn't be in business for long if they didn't know their stuff no? They aren't the ones selling me that stuff i bought it locally so i don't see why they would lie to me about keeping my algae alive. Since i did what they told me my algaes have quadrupled and i've sold some to recupe some of the cost of my purchase.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Well i basically trust the businees who grows them and mass produce them? They wouldn't be in business for long if they didn't know their stuff no?

In this case, what they do is presumably successful, but that says nothing about whether everything they do is useful or needed.

I'd also add that even if iodine is needed for one or more of the species they keep (and it could be, although the last time I looked there was no published evidence that iodine was required for macroalgae growth), that doesn't mean that testing is necessary since as I pointed out, one can dose iodine reasonably without testing since it is depleted so rapidly.

All kinds of companies with complicated recipes for successful products have no idea if every ingredient is needed. My first job out of graduate school was to figure out what each ingredient in a successful adhesive actually did and determine if it was needed. There were more than a dozen different chemicals in it. Turns out some were not needed, but no one ever wanted to take the risk of removing anything for fear something bad would happen.

In this case, what they do to grow macroalgae is successful, but that says nothing about whether everything they do is useful or needed.

Overall, my beef is with the statement

"You need to test for this "

rather than the actually supportable comment

"I have a list of things I do that works for me and my supplier"

 

[Mudbeaver]

In this case, what they do is presumably successful, but that says nothing about whether everything they do is useful or needed.

I'd also add that even if iodine is needed for one or more of the species they keep (and it could be, although the last time I looked there was no published evidence that iodine was required for macroalgae growth), that doesn't mean that testing is necessary since as I pointed out, one can dose iodine reasonably without testing since it is depleted so rapidly.

All kinds of companies with complicated recipes for successful products have no idea if every ingredient is needed. My first job out of graduate school was to figure out what each ingredient in a successful adhesive actually did and determine if it was needed. There were more than a dozen different chemicals in it. Turns out some were not needed, but no one ever wanted to take the risk of removing anything for fear something bad would happen.

In this case, what they do to grow macroalgae is successful, but that says nothing about whether everything they do is useful or needed.

Overall, my beef is with the statement

"You need to test for this "

rather than the actually supportable comment

"I have a list of things I do that works for me and my supplier"

Look i don't know what you want from me, i did what they told me and my fuge is great. Thats all i can say.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Look i don't know what you want from me, i did what they told me and my fuge is great. Thats all i can say.

That's exactly what I wanted.

 

[Mudbeaver]

I've always tested before dosing. Thats common sense. Iodine is the first thing to go because of the skimming for me. I dose half because when i do the recomended dose my shrimp molt prematurely and thats not good.
I've turned down my GFO to very slow to get a bit of phosphate. Now how ever i'll have to Dose because its a new tank to keep my parameters stable. A bit of nitrates for a softie tank don't scare me and i dose for my sponges and gorgonians. WC every 10 days. Supplements Ultramins products for my clams, zooz, seafans and gorgonians as well. Phytoplanctons for my filter feeders , worms and all. Keeping a journal that has a clock and reminds me every day whats to be done around the tank. The supplier was helping me because i'm a good client and his suggestions worked and saved my macro algaes. i did have some prior knowledge but not the method and frequency . He gave me that. I dont buy his growing product i buy them from a LFS here.
Thank you sorry for the abrup remark but i really don't know what else i can say other then i was helped by this very competent supplier.



Ph 7.0 to 8.1
Grav 1.025
temp 75 oF
Cal 560 too high right now
Alk 6 too low starting to dose this week got my doser
Phosphates 0.03 ppm perfect for my fuge
nitrates 2,5ppm
Amonia >0,25ppm
Iodine 06ppm+ Low
Iron ,05ppm Low
the rest 0.0



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