Iodine test kits

[sareef]

I had an iodine test kit (I think it's Seachem) that was difficult to calibrate. I messed with it a few times and never felt like it was reading correctly so I tossed it. Better to do regular water changes than to use additives.

WH

[GaryP]

As I recall, an iodine test kit will not give results for all iodine ionic species: iodine, iodide, & iodate. These are oxidizers and rapidly shift from the strongest (iodine) to weakest (iodate) ionic species.

I believe iodine changes to iodic acid when dissolved in water. I have heard different things about which species are bio-available and which aren't. Maybe some online research would be worthwhile here.

Here we go:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/chem.htm

Gary