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Q: Is Reef Iodide potassium iodide? Is this the same as lugols solution. I have heard very bad things about Lugols and great things about potassium iodide.
A: Reef Iodide uses potassium iodide. It is not Lugols or a lugols like solution.
Most iodine supplements on the market are simply potassium iodide or
a medicinal disinfectant commonly known as Lugol’s Solution. Lugol’s
is a highly concentrated iodine/iodide solution that is highly toxic and
intended for disinfection. Although such products are sold for use in
reef aquaria, we believe the risks vastly outweigh the potential minor
benefits.
Potassium iodide only products are a safer alternative but not
very effective alone owing to the unstable nature of iodide in the aquarium
environment. When added to an aquarium environment, iodide becomes unstable
converting to elemental iodine (which is biocidal), iodate (which is useless
to corals, toxic at elevated levels, and can't be tested for), and iodide
which is the only form of iodine available to corals for uptake. These
products' inherent instability makes them potentially dangerous to coral
health.
Unlike competing products, Reef Iodide™ is complexed to a stabilizing compound in order to keep it in the iodide form when added to the aquarium. All of the product remains usable and fully bio-available.