Zoo Dip

[Me No Nemo]

Hey Much, I just bought the Lugol's to do the dip as you suggested, since I seem to have a couple of colonies that get a brown (fungus?) coating over them that seems to cause them to close up them just die off. Most of my colonies are great, and I did save one a few weeks ago following the directions for your dip. But am just curious. The bottle suggests "40 drops per one gallon of aquarium water" for coral dips. Is that because they are suggesting saltwater? I am going with your suggestion, but would like to know, just for knowing's sake, why they would suggest eight times the strength you suggest. Also, what do you think is going on with mine? I have about 30 colonies at this time and only a few get this and then I move them immediately to the QT when I see it. Thanks for your time. Marcye

[thrlride]

This lugols stuff is strong! I put 3 gallons of RO/DI water in a bucket and added 4 drops of lugols. As soon as the rock hit the water a small starfish came off and pratically fell apart on the bottom of the bucket! The nudis came off too after swishing it in the water. Too bad they didn't suffer the same tragic death as the poor starfish...

[Eight]

I use tincture of iodine from a local Long's Drugs in place of the lugol's and it seems to work pretty much the same. Bristle worms and brittle stars came right off.

I also dipped mushrooms with no ill effects.

[AquAsylum]

2 questions, Mucho...

Please clarify your experience with, or what you have heard from others regarding, the various types of Iodine. My understanding is that you use the Lugol's from a pharmacy/drugstore (i.e., made for humans). There is also the Kent Marine Lugol's Iodine, and then the Kent Marine Iodine supplement.

Second, do you have a list of species that should NOT be dipped using this method? My impression is that it is safe for just about any soft/polyp coral, but it would be helpful to know if there are some species that are too sensitive to recover.

I know this has been discussed in some other threads, but it would be nice to have it definitively answered in your thread, as that is where most people go for this information.

Thanks very much for your threads on this- I am just starting out with corals and plan to use this dip whenever I introduce a new specimen.

[Smo]

Originally posted by brc0488
whats the percent of iodine in the lugols stuff?

From the MSDS for Lugol's Iodine:

PRODUCT: Lugol's Solution
SECTION II. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS % CAS No. DOT Classification
Potassium Iodide 10% 7681-11-0 Not Regulated
Iodine 5% 7553-56-2 Not Regulated

[MUCHO REEF]

AquAsylum, I have always and only used Lugol's Iodine. Of which I have never seen on the shelf at any Drug store, Market etc. I have only seen and purchased it from on line reef related sites and LFS. I have never used the Kent Iodine products so I can't honestly comment on them.

I don't have a list of corals that will or won't tolerate an iodine dip, and it isn't safe to say that all softies can handle a dip. I had a small list many years ago but I think I deleted the file when I purchased my new PC. I do recall a few softies that will perish quickly if exposed to excessive levels of Iodine, I simply can't remember what was on the list. Lugol's is indeed highly concentrated and at levels above 0.06 NSW, (NATURAL SEA WATER), it can be deadly in a reef tank to those species that are most sensitive to it.

I would suggest posting a thread asking that very question. The wealth of knowledge on this board is endless and I would seek out an answers from the expert reefers on this board whom I'm sure will have an answer for you. I would also shoot a PM to Nagel ( the Moderator ) with your question. He is also an endless source of information.

Mooch

[aqua5]

when you say 3 gallons of RO can you use just 2 or so since ro is limited and calculate how many drops since there is less water (ie: only 1 drop of lugols)

[jacksok]

Mucho - Just wanted to add my thanks for this treatment regime. Used it today and seemed to work a treat.

Couple of photos of the nudi and the eggs that others might find helpful for ID.




Regards,

Keith

[Cthulhu]

I have zoos on a big rock with some ricordea, would the dip kill the ricordea?

[Sullivmw]

Mucho,

Can not thank you enough for providing this info on the treatment. Several years ago I had colony after colony disappear. Since then I have only been keeping SPS's and about 2 months ago bought a few more zoa colonies. Right away I started to see them disappear. About 3 weeks ago I tried the dip and the following day, the zoa's came back in full force, and have been great ever since. Even some that had not opened for a few weeks are back.

[MUCHO REEF]

Sullivmw, that's great. No need to thank me, we are all learning, sharing and growing in this hobby. I just like to give back as often as I can when I can. That's just what reefers do.

Mucho

PS, if you run your actinics only on the first day that you place new arrivals in your tank, you will notice a major difference in the time it takes for them to expand.

[bkiba]

mucho when can we see some pics of your new setup?

[MUCHO REEF]

bkiba, I'd rather see your tank instead my friend. Got any pics you wanna share with us?

Mooch

I'm gonna post some once my new lens arrives.

[MUCHO REEF]

bkiba, I'd rather see your tank instead my friend. Got any pics you wanna share with us?

Mooch

I'm gonna post some once my new lens arrives.

[MUCHO REEF]

Just a quick note, somewhere in this thread I think I posted that I now use 4 to 5 drops of Lugols Iodine per gallon of RO water.

Mods, could you please remove one of the duplicate replies from me above. Thanks.

Mucho

[bkiba]

mucho

here you go, this is two photos put together that is why there is only 1/2 a gramma



I've used the FW/iodine dip religiously and my zoos are loving it.

[Snarkys]

how long is too long for a dip ?

[bkiba]

Probably a day or so, zoos are pretty resilient. They can take a lot when they are closed up, even not being in water. Once they close up they use their internal stored water/goo to live off for a few days if they are healthy. As long as they stay moist you can pretty much do whatever you want to them. I've gone as long as 20 mintues with troublesome zoos with no problems.

[zoazoa]

Zoo dip is very important and needed for sick zoos. In my opinion, should remove sick part with razor and dip for twnty mins are best way to cure zoos.

[killerwhale0217]

Sounds Like a very good theory

[TroyT]

http://www.clarksonlab.com/index.html

8oz bottle for $20.00 or 1g for $99.00 look under chemicals and solutions.

[Snakebyt]

would this stuff work the same?

[jabloomf1230]

I want to add one other thought to the mix on zoo dipping. People have mentioned nudis, snails and infections as things that cause zoos to retract. There is one other cause and dipping cures that also. If you get even a small amount of algae (even diatoms) growing on the stalks of the zoos, they will eventually close up, mainly because of the constant irritation caused by both the algae itself and grazers (mostly amphipods and hermits). Lugols Solution has a common ecological use and that is to preserve algae samples collected from both fresh and salt water systems:

http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/lmmb/m...ol.pdf#search='preservative%20phytoplankton%20samples%20lugol's%20solution'


Lugols immediately kills the algae, but it has the added benefit that it doesn't damage the cells, so the samples can be readily identified at a later date. Thus it follows that a freshwater/Lugols dip would reduced attached algae. The freshwater doesn't do the attached algae any good either, because just like the pods, the lower osmotic pressure does a number on the algae.

If you dip your zoos and a whole bunch of pods come out, it might mean that they have been nibbling at the algae on your zoos (or it may just mean they like hiding in that rock).

[MUCHO REEF]

Snakebyt, yes, that's exactly what we use.

jabloomf1230, great point and observation.

Like I said, the knowledge here is endless if we all contribute.

Mooch

[carolinareefs]

This may be a silly question, but is the RO water saltwater or freshwater?