DIY All-For-Reef Recipe from Tropic Marin! Thanks Zack!

[Salt_Creep]

Sorry if I missed this in another post, but does anyone know of a shelf life on the DIY? I mix 1000ml at a time, but my mixing containers are 800ml. That 800ml takes me about 2 months to go through. So I have another container that I put the extra 200ml into. after 4 batches, I have an extra full bottle, but some if it is several months old. Is this a bad idea?

 

[Bulk Reef Supply]

Sorry if I missed this in another post, but does anyone know of a shelf life on the DIY? I mix 1000ml at a time, but my mixing containers are 800ml. That 800ml takes me about 2 months to go through. So I have another container that I put the extra 200ml into. after 4 batches, I have an extra full bottle, but some if it is several months old. Is this a bad idea?

As long as it's stored in a sealed container to avoid issues with evaporation, we're not aware of a specific expiration date. Maybe @Lou Ekus can confirm.

 

[Lou Ekus]

Sorry if I missed this in another post, but does anyone know of a shelf life on the DIY? I mix 1000ml at a time, but my mixing containers are 800ml. That 800ml takes me about 2 months to go through. So I have another container that I put the extra 200ml into. after 4 batches, I have an extra full bottle, but some if it is several months old. Is this a bad idea?

As @Bulk Reef Supply mentioned, as long as you don't get lots of evaporation, there is no problem to store the AFR for quite some time. Certainly a few months is no problem. Be sure to try to keep it in a dark place when storing. If it is exposed to enough light, you will see some bacterial growth in the storage container. If that happens, don't worry. It is not bad or dangerous in any way. In fact, it doesn't even effect the solution. It just doesn't look very nice!

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

@Bulk Reef Supply @Lou Ekus
Any info on when the all for reef powder will be available in the US?

 

[Salt_Creep]

Thank you @Lou Ekus and @Bulk Reef Supply for the answers!

 

[Lou Ekus]

@Bulk Reef Supply @Lou Ekus
Any info on when the all for reef powder will be available in the US?

You will see the AFR Powder being released in the USA around the beginning of July.

 

[va_ill]

Ok so I tried to make my own since it’s nowhere to be found. But the 200ml bottle of A and K elements both was gunky with some slime stuff. Their the older bottles and was all I could manage to find. Any help please?

 

[Lou Ekus]

Ok so I tried to make my own since it’s nowhere to be found. But the 200ml bottle of A and K elements both was gunky with some slime stuff. Their the older bottles and was all I could manage to find. Any help please?

It's hard to say without actually seeing the product. But you could most probably be able to just "strain" the liquid and still use the remaining solution without any issue at all.

 

[ReefingwithO]

Sorry for the really bad pictures - I'm struggling with my orange filter right now.

I've been doing the DIY all for Reef for about a month now, I'm up to 48ml a day in a newish 75 gallon mixed-ish reef. I move from Triton because I couldn't get enough Versa pumps. I'm also using Kalk in a stirrer.

 

[Nurse.Reef.Reapeat]

Been wanting to get my hands on this DIY kit, unfortunately it’s still sold out @Bulk Reef Supply. any specific reason why this would be better? I’m trying to do it for my 27 gallon SPS tank

 

[Waynerock]

STILL rocking AFR and since going DIY it’s been awesome. Not having to stress about stock is great. It’s fun to make too if you get a stirrer. Up to 35 ml a day to keep alk exactly and I mean exactly at 9 and cal at 460. Talk about secret sauce! Here is an up to date picture, like 10 min ago complete with sun in the living room glare up to date. The proof is in the picture that AFR is the key. The only other thing I put in my tank is a little bit of LRS daily. Haven’t dosed aminos In a while

 

[Keenan]

DIY All-for-Reef for over 2 years now. Only other supplements are kalk in ATO and Acropower. And +1 to it being fun to make and allows you to add a bit more mg or trace elements as needed to the mixture.

 

[Superlightman]

STILL rocking AFR and since going DIY it’s been awesome. Not having to stress about stock is great. It’s fun to make too if you get a stirrer. Up to 35 ml a day to keep alk exactly and I mean exactly at 9 and cal at 460. Talk about secret sauce! Here is an up to date picture, like 10 min ago complete with sun in the living room glare up to date. The proof is in the picture that AFR is the key. The only other thing I put in my tank is a little bit of LRS daily. Haven’t dosed aminos In a while

It works well for me too what is lrs?

 

[Waynerock]

It works well for me too what is lrs?

Only the best food ever!

 

[dlegare]

I was always under the impression the Trace A- and Trace K+ are two separate products to prevent the cation and anion elements from binding to one another in solution? What is preventing this from happening in this solution? I’m guessing there is some solution as All-for-reef accomplishes the same thing.

They don’t recombine when diluted but in concentrated form some of the ions would recombine.

 

[Lou Ekus]

I was always under the impression the Trace A- and Trace K+ are two separate products to prevent the cation and anion elements from binding to one another in solution? What is preventing this from happening in this solution? I’m guessing there is some solution as All-for-reef accomplishes the same thing.

As @dlegare is explaining correctly.....I will just add a little to it for clarification......The Trace A and K are very dilute in the AFR formula, and the very concentrated calcium formate in the AFR keep the cations and anions from precipitating, as they would if you just mixed them straight together.

 

[Shooter6]

I'll add something to this as well. Keep the container of diy afr covered. I had an issue occur twice that I believe I figured out.
2 times I had the diy mix crystalize in the dosing container. I mixed 10ltr at a time. The container lid wasn't tight, ind I believe it came down to evaporation concentrating the mix. To the point it triggered a crystallization event.

To combat this I started making the mix with 1000ml instead of the 750ml, and keeping the container more sealed.

Since moving over to the afr powder I've not had this occur and I mix 30ltr at a time.
The powder mix directions say 6 scoops to 1000ml by the way.
In these pics you can see the crystals, the discolored afr that crystalized and fresh diy afr.

 

[dlegare]

Th

As @dlegare is explaining correctly.....I will just add a little to it for clarification......The Trace A and K are very dilute in the AFR formula, and the very concentrated calcium formate in the AFR keep the cations and anions from precipitating, as they would if you just mixed them straight together.

Thanks Lou

 

[Nurse.Reef.Reapeat]

Started doing this on all-for-reef powder on my Reefer Nano with few corals in it. So far so good, but I’ve noticed that my magnesium level is low, at 1194, and my CA reading slightly higher. How would you address this @Lou Ekus ? Would appreciate your feedback. But the way, I’m using Tropic Marin Bio-Actif.

 

[Shooter6]

Started doing this on all-for-reef powder on my Reefer Nano with few corals in it. So far so good, but I’ve noticed that my magnesium level is low, at 1194, and my CA reading slightly higher. How would you address this @Lou Ekus ? Would appreciate your feedback. But the way, I’m using Tropic Marin Bio-Actif.

Dose additional mag on a seperate doser, or just add it weekly to monthly. That's what I do. For elevated calcium, a water change with a lower cal salt will solve that issue