All for reef and Kalkwasser

[drillbitfocker]

My parameters are always on the low end values and even I'm using kalkwasser, it's always depleting. My salt is af reef salt.

Now I'm transitioning on using all for reef.

I just want to ask if can I use both or the daily afr is already enough to maintain my parameters?

Thanks!


Alk - 6.85
Ca - 350
Mg - 1200

 

[painter1982]

Tropic Marin says to get your values set to where you want them and use afr to maintain. You’re not trying to raise anything with afr. I set my Alk to 9.0 and use 42ml per day in my 60g to maintain that. My other parameters fall in line with this dosage. I do weekly water changes and maintain around 430 to 440 calcium. Im sps dominant.

 

[rishma]

My parameters are always on the low end values and even I'm using kalkwasser, it's always depleting. My salt is af reef salt.

Now I'm transitioning on using all for reef.

I just want to ask if can I use both or the daily afr is already enough to maintain my parameters?

Thanks!


Alk - 6.85
Ca - 350
Mg - 1200

I have used both kalkwasser and AFR daily for years. You can use either one or both as you see fit.

I have raised my parameters when needed using AFR.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It’s fine to use both, as folks note, and it’s also a fine idea to use AFR to boost alk to where you want it (not calcium).

What is your salinity? The calcium, if accurate (and magnesium, which may be inaccurate) might benefit from higher salinity.

 

[drillbitfocker]

It’s fine to use both, as folks note, and it’s also a fine idea to use AFR to boost alk to where you want it (not calcium).

What is your salinity? The calcium, if accurate (and magnesium, which may be inaccurate) might benefit from higher salinity.

Doses 20ml afr yesterday

These are the values today:

Salinity - 1.026
Alk - 7.7
Ca - 370
Mg - 1245

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Doses 20ml afr yesterday

These are the values today:

Salinity - 1.026
Alk - 7.7
Ca - 370
Mg - 1245

Assuming those values are accurate, I’d boost the calcium with calcium chloride, and use the mag kit on your new salt water to give a rough gauge of accuracy. If it seems significantly higher in the new salt water, I’d boost the tank.

 

[drillbitfocker]

Assuming those values are accurate, I’d boost the calcium with calcium chloride, and use the mag kit on your new salt water to give a rough gauge of accuracy. If it seems significantly higher in the new salt water, I’d boost the tank.

Newly mixed saltwater using af reef salt at 1.026 salinity;

Mg = 1245
Ca = 400
Alk = 7.3

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Newly mixed saltwater using af reef salt at 1.026 salinity;

Mg = 1245
Ca = 400
Alk = 7.3

Both mag and calcium seem low for that salinity in that salt. Maybe the salinity is off or the tests are off, but correcting calcium is ok either way. I would not mess with magnesium right now.

 

[drillbitfocker]

Both mag and calcium seem low for that salinity in that salt. Maybe the salinity is off or the tests are off, but correcting calcium is ok either way. I would not mess with magnesium right now.

I experimented from these past few days. I already achieved mg 1400 ppm.

15ml AFR Daily:
6.7 dkh
390 ppm

Then I changed to 20ml for the last 2 days;
7.7 dkh
400 ppm

Should I still continue to dose 20ml or I will dose less now starting tomorrow morning?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d stay at 20 and see what that does after a few days. :)

 

[drillbitfocker]

I’d stay at 20 and see what that does after a few days. :)

So I did 20ml for 6 days, and tested today it was 8.3. My goal is 7.7.

What do you think? Thanks!

 

[hatfielj]

8.3 is fine to stay at. Now your goal should be to find the dose that keeps you stable. It seems that 20ml daily was raising your alk, which means that's too much to dose daily. Try backing it down to 15 or so daily and see if the alk stabilizes. The thing to watch out for with AFR is that it takes a day or two for the alk to show up on test kits. So if you dose 20 mls today you won't see the results of that dose until sunday for instance. So, be sure to test daily and wait at least a day or 2 before making corrections.

Personally, I started out with AFR on my current tank and I'm transitioning away from it for this reason. I'd rather stick to tried and true with kalk and 2-part.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I think the value is perfect and it’s unlikely you can detect a tank difference between 7.7 and 8.3 dKH, but certainly the way to lower it is to slightly drop the dose and keep monitoring. :)

 

[drillbitfocker]

8.3 is fine to stay at. Now your goal should be to find the dose that keeps you stable. It seems that 20ml daily was raising your alk, which means that's too much to dose daily. Try backing it down to 15 or so daily and see if the alk stabilizes. The thing to watch out for with AFR is that it takes a day or two for the alk to show up on test kits. So if you dose 20 mls today you won't see the results of that dose until sunday for instance. So, be sure to test daily and wait at least a day or 2 before making corrections.

Personally, I started out with AFR on my current tank and I'm transitioning away from it for this reason. I'd rather stick to tried and true with kalk and 2-part.

I'll try 17ml.

I think the value is perfect and it’s unlikely you can detect a tank difference between 7.7 and 8.3 dKH, but certainly the way to lower it is to slightly drop the dose and keep monitoring. :)

As much as possible I want to be aligned with my newly mixed saltwater. I guess it'll be unstable when I mixed 7.7 to a 8.3.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'll try 17ml.


As much as possible I want to be aligned with my newly mixed saltwater. I guess it'll be unstable when I mixed 7.7 to a 8.3.

If you are at 8.3 dKH and do a 10% water change with 7.7 dKH, the alk becomes 8.24 dKH. Most people could not even detect that change.

 

[drillbitfocker]

If you are at 8.3 dKH and do a 10% water change with 7.7 dKH, the alk becomes 8.24 dKH. Most people could not even detect that change.

Oh wow haha, thanks for clarifying this

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

do both

 

[FUNGI]

It’s fine to use both, as folks note, and it’s also a fine idea to use AFR to boost alk to where you want it (not calcium).

What is your salinity? The calcium, if accurate (and magnesium, which may be inaccurate) might benefit from higher salinity.

I also have conformation from TM/Balling it sok to use both once you have set your levels.....