AFR daily dosing necessities

[Bfgjose]

I am 3 months into my 32g mixed reef biocube. I was thinking about getting a doser but currently I am dosing in the mornings AFR manually. I anticipate a time where i might need to do more just not sure when that would be but I do see alot of reefers speaking to their dosing regimen albeit I do have a smaller tank compared to most I feel.

I do add nutrients a couple of times a week with Phytofeast and Redsea AB+ and reef roids. Someone told me it's overkill with dosing AFR and I should just stick with weekly water changes since my tank is on the smaller side. Any merit to this? I test weekly and my numbers are good. I do not test phosphate.

Including recent Pic. I just moved some frags and hammers to the floor after getting a RBTA and concerned it was moving towards them but it's actually stayed put the last 4 days.

Any advice is welcome and if i can say I have been really thankful to this community for your fuidnace and expertise.

TIA.- Jose

 

[rdirtytwo]

I'm about 9 months into my 26g (around 4 months with SPS) and I only dose AFR manually at the moment.

I was doing weekly water changes, but Nitrate and Phosphate would be too low for my preference and I'd have to dose it as well. I actually dealt with dinos twice before I changed my schedule to once every two weeks and I'm happy with where my nutrients stabilize at (N:10, P:0.1).

I considered getting a doser, but I don't think I need one yet.

 

[Bfgjose]

What kind of Salt do you use?

 

[Bfgjose]

I'm about 9 months into my 26g (around 4 months with SPS) and I only dose AFR manually at the moment.

I was doing weekly water changes, but Nitrate and Phosphate would be too low for my preference and I'd have to dose it as well. I actually dealt with dinos twice before I changed my schedule to once every two weeks and I'm happy with where my nutrients stabilize at (N:10, P:0.1).

I considered getting a doser, but I don't think I need one yet.

What type of Salt do you use?

 

[JTP424]

What salt are YOU using for your tank? If it's a salt that meets your calcium and alk and you're not seeing a drop in those based on consumption, I would wait until your parameters are saying you need to dose.
You're more than welcome to dose these in a small tank with success, I've got a 15 gallon I'm auto dosing All-For-Reef and AB+, my 30 gallon I'm dosing Nitrates, Phosphate, AFR (fishless frag) so there is plenty of reason to when your tank needs.

 

[Bfgjose]

What salt are YOU using for your tank? If it's a salt that meets your calcium and alk and you're not seeing a drop in those based on consumption, I would wait until your parameters are saying you need to dose.
You're more than welcome to dose these in a small tank with success, I've got a 15 gallon I'm auto dosing All-For-Reef and AB+, my 30 gallon I'm dosing Nitrates, Phosphate, AFR (fishless frag) so there is plenty of reason to when your tank needs.

I am using Catalina at the moment but want to start mixing my own. I'm guessing I would want a salt that supports coral growth. I've read pros and cons to IO and Red Sea which has made me hesitant to start the conversion.

 

[JTP424]

I am using Catalina at the moment but want to start mixing my own. I'm guessing I would want a salt that supports coral growth. I've read pros and cons to IO and Red Sea which has made me hesitant to start the conversion.

Ah yes, I see your other thread mentioning this...
here is an older thread referencing this saltwater...
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/catalina-seawater-vs-synthetic-saltwater.328904/based on the few responses I would attempt a salt switch before dosing.

 

[exnisstech]

I like simple. This is an AFR tank. I don't know if AFR, tank maturity or a little of both made the difference but it really turned a corner at the 12 month mark which is about the time I started AFR. I run a roller and shut it off several times a week and let it overflow. No skimmer and I do 2g WCs every week or two so I can vacuum detritus that collects in one corner. I use regular IO salt on all my tanks, it works for me.

EDIT: I dosed AFR manually for several month but switched to a doser. It worked fine but I was forgetting to dose sometimes and had a pump here so I put it to use.

 

[JTP424]

I like simple. This is an AFR tank. I don't know if AFR, tank maturity or a little of both made the difference but it really turned a corner at the 12 month mark which is about the time I started AFR. I run a roller and shut it of several times a week a let it overflow. No skimmer and I do 2g WCs every week or two so I can vacuum detritus that collects in one corner. I use regular IO salt on all my tanks, it works for me.

EDIT: I dosed AFR manually for several month but switched to a doser. It worked fine but I was forgetting to dose sometimes and had a pump here so I put it to use.

Gorgeous tank. It's funny as of late I think most of what we have been posting/responding to boils down to keeping things stable.

 

[jimfish98]

Before dosing, I recommend daily testing from one water change to the next. You need a week or two time frame to see how much your tank pulling you Alk, Ca, and MG from the tank. I would hold off on dosing AFR during that time. I recommend you dose for what you need, and it may not be all three. I dose AFR and my Alk was still losing up to .1 per day while my Ca and Mg were running high. Started dosing a seperate Alk to suppliment levels this last week and if I can maintain with that dosing, I may turn off the AFR, adjust the other suppliment up a little, and see where my Ca and Mg level out at. My aim goal is stable levels of nutrients at the lowest cost possible.

 

[rdirtytwo]

What kind of Salt do you use?

I've been using regular Instant Ocean for the last 3 months. I was on Reef Crystals before that.

 

[IceNein]

I sorta do what @exnisstech does. Everything seems to be going fine, but I started testing Alk weekly and I started dosing my 15 gallon with 1ml daily, and I have moved up to 2ml. I do weekly water changes. The AFR might be doing nothing at all. I don't think there would be any problems if I stopped using it. Testing my nutrient levels, I do believe that the carbon dosing aspect of it is pushing down my nitrates and phosphates a little.

I would not dose it if you aren't monitoring Alk, but if you are, you can always start with half recommended starting dosage like I did, and see where it goes from there.

 

[tuscani]

AFR here as well.. I dose 12.5ml daily in my 110. Keeps everything stable. I am debating on starting some trace element dosing as my Iodine, etc are low.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My recommendation is to dose the AFR amount to stabilize alk where you want it.

Thus, measure alk, and if it is high, reduce the dose. if it is low, up the dose.