Iodine: A Great Investment for a Saltwater Aquarium

Gimmicks, fads, so-called wonder drugs and a downright waste of time and money can be associated with and labeled to many of the products for sale to us, as conscientious marine aquarists. With the money that many of us have invested over time setting up, maintaining and stocking our tank(s), why would we want to throw out money on numerous supplements and other forms of trace elements that are readily available to us? The salt mixes that we currently employ for our water changes and initial tank set up, provide everything that we, or should I say our livestock, needs to offer the right amount of salts and buffering agents to keep our livestock healthy for the most part. One supplement that is an exception to the rule and would not do without is IODINE!

Iodine is quickly consumed and depleted in a captive environment either through respiration, skimmer and other filtration equipment as well as by using granulated activated carbon(GAC). Because of this inability to remain in an aquarium for any length of time, it makes perfect sense to dose iodine. Iodine that is available to aquarists is normally a form of potassium iodide. Iodine is evident in natural seawater at a level of 0.006ppm and consists of both organic and inorganic forms.

Their are many valuable reasons for dosing iodine in a saltwater aquarium. For those of you that maintain a reef aquarium housing corals, gorgonians anemones and Tridacna clams, iodine is ideal in that it prevents damage provided by intense light that ultimately leads to bleaching. Acting similar to our sunscreen used when venturing out in the sun, iodine will reduce the harmful effects brought on by the strong lights used in many reef aquariums. Some corals as well as Tridacna clams are equipped with irridophores and light blocking pigments or mycosporine-like amino acids(MAA's) that are broad band filters and absorb damaging UV rays. Many Acropora species of coral contain these compounds since they hail from shallow water regions that often times are out of water during low tides.