Is iodine a must?

SalteeDogg

Reefing newb
Since I have had the tank I have not put any iodine in the tank. I have a skimmer and I heard that it can remove all iodine out of the tank. Is this something I need to purchase and start putting in the tank daily or something? Any help would greatly be appreciated :question::D
 
Iodine is essential for shrimp to molt their exoskeleton. It's also good for some inverts and corals. I test for it and try to keep my levels at about .04---.06ppm.
 
Unless you have shrimp and other inverts, no. Your salt mix should have iodine in it, if you do regular water changes it will replenish whatever is removed by the skimmer.
 
if you use a premium salt, there will never be a reason to dose iodine. it is one of those things that you can OD your tank with and kill everything in it fast

-Doc
 
If your going to dose iodine,get a test kit for it.
The only thing I use iodine for,is to dip soft corals in when I get a new one.
 
Ok thanks for all of the input. The guy told me tonight when I was getting another gsp that I need to start doing the iodine once a week and that it would be fine? He also said that I need to do Strontium once a week as well?
 
he lied !! with regular water changes all of these minerals will be replenished with the new water. sounds like he wants your hard earned money to me.
 
Usually iodine dosing is needed if your heavy on the soft coral(debatable),inverts and macro algae.I wouldn't dose it unless you test for it first.So far,I don't have a need too and I'm heavy on the things listed.25% water changes a month seems to be enough to replenish it.So unless your skimmer is super,super awesome,I don't think you need to.
 
I used to have a lot of softies and shrimp and I never dosed iodine. I never had a problem in the three years I was keeping them. If you do regular waterchanges like stated before I don't think you need to worry about it. Never does anything without testing first. I was told that I needed to dose calcium everyday when I first started. I tested my calcium after about six months and it was off the freaking charts. Now I test for it and waterchanges pretty much take care of it with alittle dosing and I have alot of sps frag now.
 
I agree with the masses. water changes should keep up with it. and never dose anything you can't or don't test for first.
 
I think that guy HAS and IS majorly ripping you off. If I were you, I'd switch to a different LFS if there are other options in your area. I don't trust him one bit.
 
yeah, it sounds fishy about your LFS. we have no interest in selling you anything. I would listen to us first

-Doc
 
Again I'm with the masses! Water changes and a new LFS. The only time my LFS tried to sell me iodine was for a coral dip if it had a bacterial infection.
 
You got good advice. If you do water changes you will not have to dose, because you will renew it with every change you do.
 
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