Dosing All for Reef

[bensoo00]

I have an LPS dominated tank but I also have 10 Tridacna clams as well as some acros and other sps. I haven’t really done any deep look into my parameters but I try to measure my calcium every time before my weekly 25% water change (10 gal / 40 gal) and my calc is always pretty high. Should I just reduce my water changes to every two weeks? I don’t know if all for reef is helping or if I should use something like acropower, so my question is really just if my water changes are too much or if I need to dose less. I dose about 5 ml of AFR daily. I would also like to mention all the corals and clams are doing better, but I just want to make my supplement or salt last a bit longer lol. I also use reef crystals as my salt mix.

 

[bensoo00]

Pretty high for my calc is 500+ according to salifert’s test where using all of the liquid drops in the syringe still didn’t give me the final blue color for the liquid.

 

[Troylee]

Pretty high for my calc is 500+ according to salifert’s test where using all of the liquid drops in the syringe still didn’t give me the final blue color for the liquid.

Reef crystals is high in cal and alk, I use it and love it.. all for reef is just good for keeping those numbers stable as the corals use it up.. acro power is just amino acids more of a food for corals than anything.

 

[Troylee]

Also you need to keep an eye on your alk not your calcium while using all for reef! Test, test and test till your alk is where you want it and it stays stable! That determines your all for reef dosage. What’s your mag sitting at? If you raise that your calcium will drop down some.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’d use alk as the gauge for dosing AFR.

 

[bensoo00]

I’d use alk as the gauge for dosing AFR.

I just tested my alk to be 8.3, and I have been using the AFR for about 2 weeks daily at 5ml. Should I cut back on the water change % or frequency? I usually change my water on Thursdays (tomorrow), maybe I should try and see the consumption rate for two weeks w/o a change?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I just tested my alk to be 8.3, and I have been using the AFR for about 2 weeks daily at 5ml. Should I cut back on the water change % or frequency? I usually change my water on Thursdays (tomorrow), maybe I should try and see the consumption rate for two weeks w/o a change?

If you want to change water for other reasons, I’d keep doing so. If you were doing it for calcium and alk, then I’d skip it.

 

[twentyleagues]

I just tested my alk to be 8.3, and I have been using the AFR for about 2 weeks daily at 5ml. Should I cut back on the water change % or frequency? I usually change my water on Thursdays (tomorrow), maybe I should try and see the consumption rate for two weeks w/o a change?

You need to figure out what your consumption is. What is your water change alk? What is tank lvl after water change? What is your alk before water change? Where do you want to keep your alk level?

I have about 120g total and dose 23ml afr daily. Its a newer tank 2 months old, LPS dominant. at 23ml my alk stays stable at 8.6 at least for the last two weeks. I have been testing every two days at first there was a slight rise in alk from 8.3 to 8.5 to 8.6 now the last two tests sat and tue have it at 8.6 steady. My wc I use rc also tests about 9.1 on a new batch but I haven't done a water change in 3 weeks. Last box of rc was off in numbers I just got a new box.

 

[Troylee]

I just tested my alk to be 8.3, and I have been using the AFR for about 2 weeks daily at 5ml. Should I cut back on the water change % or frequency? I usually change my water on Thursdays (tomorrow), maybe I should try and see the consumption rate for two weeks w/o a change?

If you’re changing water to lower nitrates or phosphates that’s one thing… besides that you really have no consumption and don’t need to dose anything at the moment..

 

[crabgrass]

The tricking this with AFR is timing. Unlike dosing traditional 2 part, dosing AFR may take a couple days (or more) to kick in. So whatever your current values are are likely not due to the last day or 2 from dosing, but before. And any changes you make (eg a big water change, frequency of changes), etc.), could then throw off numbers slightly.

I have been using it for the last 6-8 weeks and like it. But I will say it’s been tough to dial in.

 

[crabgrass]

You need to figure out what your consumption is. What is your water change alk? What is tank lvl after water change? What is your alk before water change? Where do you want to keep your alk level?

I have about 120g total and dose 23ml afr daily. Its a newer tank 2 months old, LPS dominant. at 23ml my alk stays stable at 8.6 at least for the last two weeks. I have been testing every two days at first there was a slight rise in alk from 8.3 to 8.5 to 8.6 now the last two tests sat and tue have it at 8.6 steady. My wc I use rc also tests about 9.1 on a new batch but I haven't done a water change in 3 weeks. Last box of rc was off in numbers I just got a new box.

How stocked is your tank? I have 86 total water volume, all LPS and a few softies / sps. Tank is also 2 months old and I am maintaining 8.4 - 8.5. But I am dosing like 7ml a day

 

[twentyleagues]

How stocked is your tank? I have 86 total water volume, all LPS and a few softies / sps. Tank is also 2 months old and I am maintaining 8.4 - 8.5. But I am dosing like 7ml a day

For major consumers I have 4 hammers smallest has 2 heads largest over 10, 5 torches multi heads on most, 2 duncans, elegance, 2 heads of blasto. I have zoas and palys too. 1 sps frag I got for a freebie when I got some frags from a local that refuses to die...lol. I didnt have it in the best spot in my smaller tank lost some color and didnt grow much. Has gone from the brown it turned into back to orange and looks to have based out some more, still missing the green tips. Most of my stuff was purchased as 1 head and has grown well in the year Ive had it in the little tank. I just maintained the 30g with weekly water changes. I am not sure how to link my new tank to the my tank thread button, I havent tried yet tbh.

 

[crabgrass]

For major consumers I have 4 hammers smallest has 2 heads largest over 10, 5 torches multi heads on most, 2 duncans, elegance, 2 heads of blasto. I have zoas and palys too. 1 sps frag I got for a freebie when I got some frags from a local that refuses to die...lol. I didnt have it in the best spot in my smaller tank lost some color and didnt grow much. Has gone from the brown it turned into back to orange and looks to have based out some more, still missing the green tips. Most of my stuff was purchased as 1 head and has grown well in the year Ive had it in the little tank. I just maintained the 30g with weekly water changes. I am not sure how to link my new tank to the my tank thread button, I havent tried yet tbh.

Interesting. I have a similar coral count, but yours is way more developed (hammers have 1-2).

 

[twentyleagues]

Turn your volume down. My fish room is kinda loud.

 

[crabgrass]

Turn your volume down. My fish room is kinda loud.

Looking good. I have a octospawn and 2 headed hammer that are maybe 9 months (7 months in my old tank), that didn’t grow nearly as much as yours. It had a lot of stability challenges and the last 2 months in the old tank were rough

They gave all bounced back incredibly well in the 100g. Now hoping they can really take off with better stability.

 

[twentyleagues]

Looking good. I have a octospawn and 2 headed hammer that are maybe 9 months (7 months in my old tank), that didn’t grow nearly as much as yours. It had a lot of stability challenges and the last 2 months in the old tank were rough

They gave all bounced back incredibly well in the 100g. Now hoping they can really take off with better stability.

Yeah I was really surprised as this 30g was my return to reefing after 12 or so years. I did have a box of salt issue right when I was setting up this tank my alk level crashed to around 6. I also did a few water changes on the 30 happy I didnt kill anything. I was also using a couple really old hannah testers that the alk tester must have been way off on or in the process of giving up. I checked my new salt batch and the new tank and it tested in the 9-10 range then I did a water change on the 30 about 8 gallons and tested the next day it read 5dkh! I tested the new tank which had only been running a day or two and it tested at 7. I tested the rest of the 40g of premixed it tested at 10. I did another wc on the 30 tested somewhere in the 8s. Then I got a bunch of random tests on the new tank and the salt mix in holding. I went and got an api master kit(I know) and it tested low on all three tanks. I dumped around 40g of saltwater and made a new batch from the same box bad tests again. I was in a nightmare. I ordered a new hannah tester im still using a 15+ year old phos tester hope thats working ok....
Oh I was using new reagents of course.

 

[numin8r]

what dosing pump are you guys using? I use the kamoer F1 pump but it let's a lot of air in the line not sure why

 

[twentyleagues]

what dosing pump are you guys using? I use the kamoer F1 pump but it let's a lot of air in the line not sure why

I dose by hand.

 

[spielco]

I’m working at getting mine stable as well. Have been testing alk for my measurements. I’m currently dosing the 5ml but am now back to the beginning. I changed my reservoir and doing so I cut my tubing and lost my suction. Did not realize I wasn’t dosing for about 4 days and my alk dropped out.

I’m using the brs 1.1ml pump.

 

[Skard]

I am using all for reef on my 11 month old 300G, using an old BRS dosing pump at 1.1 mL per minute. It took me a while to dial in my dosing and dosed by hand for a few months. I have lots of young corals and some small colonies and am dosing 90mL per day. I only do water changes about every month or two as everything is stable and my SPS color is vibrant. Will eventually have to dust off my old Calcium Reactor when all for reef can't keep up.