All For Reef - dosing without testing?

[Red_Beard]

Am I crazy or anyone else adding A4R without testing? I am just going for consistency versus chasing numbers...at least in theory...

And I guess im lazy, but not at the same time because I am definitely monitoring and reef-keeping daily. I just dont like the idea of chasing numbers. Feel like I read more posts about people messing up their tank trying to hit numbers than my own experience just monitoring the tank and being consistent.

I only have softie and a few LPS. not trying to grow hardcore SPS.

so maybe I dont even worry about a4r and just keep to minimal water changes...

I would start by testing for alk just as others have stated. Weekly is good to get a baseline. With low alk demanding corals, once you get a feel for what your tank is doing, like how much alk it uses and what you are dosing is doing to it, you can test less if you are comfortable doing so but getting that initial feel for what is going on is crucial.

If you just want to dose trace elements, them use something like Tropic Marin A and K. That is not going to require home testing.

Absolutely. If you find during your weekly monitoring alk tests, that your tank isn't being depleted to the point you need to dose alk, this is a great approach.

That's exactly what I do. My IM 20 only gets 1.5 ml a day and doesn't really change much. I just squirt it in every morning using a pipette. I have several tanks running amd have just gotten into the habbit of weekly testing of N P and alk because I have a lot of acros in one. If I didn't have my SPS tank I would test less. Once you get in tune with the tank you kind of figure out what you can and can't get away with. On a 20g tank with no stoney coral or clams I would be comfortable just doing a 2g WC every week and watching things and maybe test once a month or at least once now so you have a reference point. Many folks run tanks without dosing

Exactly. I do have a heavy acro tank. I get it. Life is busy. I AM a lazy reefer, and only test every other week or so. BUT, I have a pretty good feel for what is going on in my tank. Without getting in-tune dosing anything can really bite you. My dosing is automated and i use my testing to keep track of trends over time. Just like @Randy Holmes-Farley and @rtparty said, you aren't chasing numbers. The goal is to make sure that your environment remains stabile, in an optimal/healthy range. I pick a range for my parameters, Like alk, for instance would be between 6.5 and 8.5 dKH. I aim for about 7.5, but as long as things are in that range, i don't react much, just bump up or down dosing to steer it back to the target (and add a bit of soda ash if it is below 7).

 

[MikeReefs]

Once your dialed in to your numbers and know how much to dose daily you can test every week or so. Also should test after a water change. I use reef crystals, I don’t dose for 2 days after a waterchange. But to answer your question yes, you still will need to test. As your coral grow or you add more prices you eventually will need to bump up your dose.

 

[rishma]

I won’t start my own pet peeve thread but the whole “don’t chase numbers” mantra would be pet peeve #1.

 

[Double monti 61]

I use 10ml Monday,Wednesday and Friday each week in a15 gallon reef tank I had upped the does from 5ml to 10ml because I never have seen any adverse effects to my coral which are doing very well and I never test my parameters.

 

[MadreeferNJ]

When I first started this hobby 20 something years ago big mistake was adding chemicals to ATO. If you decide to dose do directly to tank or sump.

 

[BryanM]

Am I crazy or anyone else adding A4R without testing? I am just going for consistency versus chasing numbers...at least in theory...

And I guess im lazy, but not at the same time because I am definitely monitoring and reef-keeping daily. I just dont like the idea of chasing numbers. Feel like I read more posts about people messing up their tank trying to hit numbers than my own experience just monitoring the tank and being consistent.

I only have softie and a few LPS. not trying to grow hardcore SPS.

so maybe I dont even worry about a4r and just keep to minimal water changes...

Your water change regimen is probably good enough to keep things in check.

Chasing numbers isn't testing. Testing is verifying things are good. Keeping alk at 8, nitrates between 5-50, phosphate between .1-.3.

You can do those tests once a month or even less after a tank is established (IMO).

I automate alk testing and dosing. I test salinity every couple weeks. I haven't tested nitrates in a month, but I have spiked phosphates so I'm testing that weekly at the moment.

Chasing numbers to me is deciding that you want to maintain nitrates at 5 and phos at .03, and if they test at 6 and .04 you take action. None of us sane people will want you to do that.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I won’t start my own pet peeve thread but the whole “don’t chase numbers” mantra would be pet peeve #1.

Yes, I should have done that one. Aside from cost and time, there is never anything wrong with chasing numbers, it’s all in what the number is and how you chase it.

 

[Freenow54]

ok, so my goal with a pretty new IM Fusion 20 tank has been to be mostly lazy reefer - so I will start with that.

Have a 20g AIO tank, soft corals (mushrooms, toadstool, zoas, GSP) and LPS (hammers, alveopora). Adding a gorgonian...

I am culturing pods and phyto - so am adding photo daily and pods weekly. so im not 100% lazy...but im not really doing water changes - maybe 1/2g per week at most. A couple months in the tank is doing really well, corals happy and growing, fish happy. ATO setup for water.

I have never tested any parameters besides salinity. I told you im lazy. but I am wondering if I should start some minimum level dosing of All For Reef? like literally just measuring against my RODI top off and adding it to my reservoir at a minimal level.

Should I even bother? will it help? am I risking creating problems since I don't really know what my tanks parameters are? or would dosing the bare minimum consistently via ATO at least boost minerals etc?

Read the instructions . Mine were all too high

 

[rishma]

Yes, I should have done that one. Aside from cost and time, there is never anything wrong with chasing numbers, it’s all in what the number is and how you chase it.

Cost, time…almost the complete definition of a hobby

 

[Ziggy17]

In this case, you use can absolutely be lazy, with a little upfront work.

The non lazy stuff is fairly front loaded, but you can slip back into lazy mode quite quickly. For the first few weeks, you’re testing daily trying to figure out
A) your Alk consumption
B) the amount of AFR to keep your alk stable

Once you get those two dialed, you can literally be as lazy as you are now, and be completely fine, and presumably healthier coral. It also extends WC intervals, so again, a win for the lazy camp. :)

 

[BryanM]

Note that with my experience basing AFR dosing on alk consumption, over time, got my calcium numbers over 600. Took about a year and a half.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Note that with my experience basing AFR dosing on alk consumption, over time, got my calcium numbers over 600. Took about a year and a half.

Do you do water changes?

 

[BryanM]

Do you do water changes?

I do not. I also don't use AFR anymore, I switched to reef moonshiners.

 

[Clowning_Around72]

With all for reef and water changes, I support early comments to check alk.

Maybe check calcium and magnesium every month or every other month. I would consider an ICP test at some point after a while to see if any trace elements are lacking.

 

[exnisstech]

Note that with my experience basing AFR dosing on alk consumption, over time, got my calcium numbers over 600. Took about a year and a half.

I keep reading this and it must only take small water changes to keep calcium in check. My tank is 65g Total and after using AFR for two years my calcium isn't much higher than when I started. It stays at 425 - 450 tested with salifert. Water changes are small and sporadic. Just checked and I've only changed 12g of water since November. I"m currently dosing 50ml a day down from 65ml.

 

[BryanM]

I keep reading this and it must only take small water changes to keep calcium in check. My tank is 65g Total and after using AFR for two years my calcium isn't much higher than when I started. It stays at 425 - 450 tested with salifert. Water changes are small and sporadic. Just checked and I've only changed 12g of water since November. I"m currently dosing 50ml a day down from 65ml.

With switching to moonshiners its a moot point for me now.

That program is insane, I may be back to AFR... but I'm in this thing deep right now. First elements purchase:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I do not. I also don't use AFR anymore, I switched to reef moonshiners.

Ok, that makes sense. :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I keep reading this and it must only take small water changes to keep calcium in check. My tank is 65g Total and after using AFR for two years my calcium isn't much higher than when I started. It stays at 425 - 450 tested with salifert. Water changes are small and sporadic. Just checked and I've only changed 12g of water since November. I"m currently dosing 50ml a day down from 65ml.

The effect with AFR is identical to that with kalkwasser. I dosed kalk only for 20 years, and calcium stabilized at about 450 ppm by doing 1% daily water changes with normal IO.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

With switching to moonshiners its a moot point for me now.

That program is insane, I may be back to AFR... but I'm in this thing deep right now. First elements purchase:

A good start to a mad scientist lab! :)

 

[BryanM]

A good start to a mad scientist lab! :)

Aint that the truth. I am questioning my own sanity.