Im a guy, my name is Mark. This is taken from U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ocean service education.
"Zooxanthellae...Whats that? Most reef-building corals contain photosynthetic algae called zooxanthellae, that live in their tissues. The corals and algae have a mutualistic relationship. The coral provides the algae with a protected environment and compounds they need for photosynthesis. In return, the algae produce oxygen and help the coral to remove wastes. Most importantly, zooxanthellae supply the coral with glucose, glycerol, and amino acids, which are products of photosynthesis. The coral uses these products to make proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, and produce calcium carbonate." Anemones also contain zooxanthellae. Its the excess oxygen produced by the zooxanthellae that causes the problem in the anemone. Iodine helps the anemone detoxify the excess oxygen. I read somewhere to think of iodine as sunscreen for your reef.
