What does Iodine do for zoos

[pondy]

Well like the title says I am wondering what Iodine really does. I have some palys and some zoos that dont appear to be doing very good atall and I am wondering if this could help them recover. THey were doing fine for some time but not now and look to be shrinking and melting. It sucks but its life. ANy help would be awesome.

[MYDRAAL]

Helps against infections.

[pondy]

awesome thanks which is the best to use?

[SIR PATRICK]

From the info I have read, iodine can act as a "sunscreen" for your corals, which means they can reep the benefits of lots of light, but not get burnt up, for those corals that use the iodine in this method.

If I recall right, Zoas are one of those corals that tend to use iodine in your system. If you have alot of zoas (or other corals that can depleat your water of iodine), suplimentation might be needed.

Iodine also is used in a dip recipe that zoas can handle.

Good info-

Dont go into iodine dosing blindly. Iodine should only be dosed to a tank that needs it. You will need a test kit to determine the need. Find out what your levels of iodine should be and dose from there. Alot of the time, iodine doesnt need to be dosed. It can be kept where it should be with regularly scheduled water changes, with a good salt mix. Additions of iodine, when not needed can overdose your tank, with negative affects, pretty easily. Before dosing iodine, get a test kit and make sure you need to dose, and do some research before dosing to find out what your system needs.

Answer to your question-

If you dont have the right balance of iodine already in your water, it is possible it could help, but there are many other (and more likely) factors that could be causing your zoas to not do so well. Adding iodine, when not needed, can cause you even more problems.

Let us know what is going on, along with info (water parameters, lighting, placment, ect) about your tank and the zoas that arent doing well, and I am pretty sure (fingers crossed) you will get down to the bottom of the problems with your zoas.

[ryemt]

its also good to do an iodine dip 2 days after you have fragged zoas

[dalston]

I agree with everything Sir Patrick says...this part especially

It can be kept where it should be with regularly scheduled water changes, with a good salt mix. Additions of iodine, when not needed can overdose your tank, with negative affects, pretty easily. Before dosing iodine, get a test kit and make sure you need to dose, and do some research before dosing to find out what your system needs.

[Wrench]

Iodine aids in ALL soft tissue growth and functions, not just zoos. I began dosing about 8 months ago and have seen an improvement in all of my corals. Color, growth, resistance to infection, fewer RTN/STN events etc. I use Kent's liquid iodine. Five capfuls every week.

[SIR PATRICK]

^sounds like you system is using iodine, and in your case, adition of iodine is needed.

[pondy]

awesome. Thank you all for your advice.

[Bn251]

yeah overdosing iodine even a little bit makes them melt -_- well that happened to me...

[650-IS350]

I only drop 1 drop of lugols Iodine every other week in my tank.

1 drop per 25 gal.