How to Use AFR/Dosing

[ScottF]

I don’t think mine varies much, though I’ve not carefully tracked it. It’s a mid day measurement, but I think I have as much or more photosynthesis at night in my lit refugia.

So you are taking at least one step to keep your pH up, but it's biological instead of chemical.

In addition to kalkwasser, I also run my fuge light at night and I'm pulling outside air through a CO2 scrubber into my skimmer. These are all steps to keep my pH up.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So you are taking at least one step to keep your pH up, but it's biological instead of chemical.

In addition to kalkwasser, I also run my fuge light at night and I'm pulling outside air through a CO2 scrubber into my skimmer. These are all steps to keep my pH up.

Ok, well, there are a number of things happening that may raise (or lower) pH, they just are not being done for that purpose. They include the refugia, skimming, and air being exhausted from the fish room. :)

 

[lawnerd]

I like the redsea 2 head doser. I dose AFR on one head and Elimi-NP diluted 1 part to 4 parts AFR on the other head.

 

[ScottF]

I use Neptune Dos pumps, but they are expensive, bulky and require an Apex controller. They are excellent if you are pulling water through 50 feet of tubing over your kitchen from the garage, but probably not the best choice if you don't have an Apex already and you are just looking to dose AFR.

 

[Saltwater_Reefing]

I like the redsea 2 head doser. I dose AFR on one head and Elimi-NP diluted 1 part to 4 parts AFR on the other head.

I was gonna buy the 4 head doser and do reef care by red sea but that would break the budget

 

[jerricolaboy]

I gotta be honest, I’ve been looking into A4R and dosing pumps with all the guessing of dosage per test. I’ve honestly got to say that dosing A4R is much harder than using a decent 2 part and an online calculator.

For example I use Seachem Fusion 1&2 just simply cause it’s readily available. I test ALK since that’s the number we’re all chasing. Plug that number into an online calculator and it spits out the dose I need. Then I dose that 1:1 between 1&2 and I’m good. I honestly don’t think it can get any easier than that.

I thought A4R was easier but it’s just too much number chasing and guessing for me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I thought A4R was easier but it’s just too much number chasing and guessing for me.

Maybe you are going about it wrong? It seems trivially easy to me.

Pick a dose that is close to what you think demand is, or just the TM recommended dose. Then every few days adjust that dose up or down as needed to keep alk moving in the direction of your target. Don’t even bother to measure calcium.

 

[BrianneG]

following as i just purchased afr

 

[Saltwater_Reefing]

Maybe you are going about it wrong? It seems trivially easy to me.

Pick a dose that is close to what you think demand is, or just the TM recommended dose. Then every few days adjust that dose up or down as needed to keep alk moving in the direction of your target. Don’t even bother to measure calcium.

I was watching this video and it makes it very easy to understand. He said that you should get your alk to were you want it and then don’t dose for a week and then do the math and you will know your answer to the daily amount. Should I not do a water change in the mean time and wait until next friday and test my alk again and do the math or should I still do my water change. Also if you dose and keep your alk from 8.3-8.5 and your salt is 8.3 in alk would it make your alk go up and go over 8.3 or would it stay the same?
Video link^

 

[areefer01]

I was watching this video and it makes it very easy to understand. He said that you should get your alk to were you want it and then don’t dose for a week and then do the math and you will know your answer to the daily amount. Should I not do a water change in the mean time and wait until next friday and test my alk again and do the math or should I still do my water change. Also if you dose and keep your alk from 8.3-8.5 and your salt is 8.3 in alk would it make your alk go up and go over 8.3 or would it stay the same?
Video link^

The instructions recommend getting the water chemistry to desired levels first. They also include a basic flow chart of what to do based on test results after dosing.

Pretty simple product to use. Then again I found using 2 part just as easy.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was watching this video and it makes it very easy to understand. He said that you should get your alk to were you want it and then don’t dose for a week and then do the math and you will know your answer to the daily amount. Should I not do a water change in the mean time and wait until next friday and test my alk again and do the math or should I still do my water change. Also if you dose and keep your alk from 8.3-8.5 and your salt is 8.3 in alk would it make your alk go up and go over 8.3 or would it stay the same?
Video link^

That can work, but I disagree that’s best and is not what I recommend.

One reason is that alk demand depends on the absolute alk value. As it declines during such a test, demand also declines.

Water changes won’t impact alk much unless the new salt water is very far from the tank value.

 

[Saltwater_Reefing]

That can work, but I disagree that’s best and is not what I recommend.

One reason is that alk demand depends on the absolute alk value. As it declines during such a test, demand also declines.

Water changes won’t impact alk much unless the new salt water is very far from the tank value.

So I dosed it this morning and I come back sunday. Should I test my alk again on monday and see what it’s at and do the math on seeing how much it consumes. My doser comes next week and my tank won’t get any afr Saturday and Sunday.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So I dosed it this morning and I come back sunday. Should I test my alk again on monday and see what it’s at and do the math on seeing how much it consumes. My doser comes next week and my tank won’t get any afr Saturday and Sunday.

That sounds like a fine plan.

 

[Hairyteeth]

I’m in the second boat of using afr to maintain cal and mag with a supplement of soda ash for all,
testing with trident/ verified with Hanna checkers
Using dos heads for dosing and awc daily….

Randy is the man and will steer you right!

 

[RajM]

I find AFR works well but it’s bad for tank PH management. I tried everything but I finally gave up on AFR and switched to BRS (Randy’s recipe #1) and while I still swing in PH my day time highs are better than AFR.

I think if I had a larger tank with sump and refugium and stronger protein skimmer I would use AFR but in nano tank with limited space and high alk consumption due to SPS, AFR is struggling to help with PH.

That’s just my experience.

 

[areefer01]

I find AFR works well but it’s bad for tank PH management. I tried everything but I finally gave up on AFR and switched to BRS (Randy’s recipe #1) and while I still swing in PH my day time highs are better than AFR.

I think if I had a larger tank with sump and refugium and stronger protein skimmer I would use AFR but in nano tank with limited space and high alk consumption due to SPS, AFR is struggling to help with PH.

That’s just my experience.

It isn't designed to help with ph. Wrong tool for the job.

 

[RajM]

It isn't designed to help with ph. Wrong tool for the job.

I know.. but it should maintain PH relevant to 8-9dKH but it adds carbon dosing component automatically due to formate and that puts pressure on PH. I was struggling to keep my PH even at 8.1 at peak most days.

 

[Hairyteeth]

I ran a nano before I moved for 4+ years on afr only, I had a bubbler to help with ph, my ph would fluctuate from 7.95-8.24 daily,
Way too much growth as is for a nano

 

[Saltwater_Reefing]

That sounds like a fine plan.

All these people keep talking about stable PH. What is a good PH level and how do you keep it stable?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

All these people keep talking about stable PH. What is a good PH level and how do you keep it stable?

pH is not typically stable, so I’m not sure I understand the question. It’s best to be between pH 7.8 and 8.6, and you may get faster hard coral growth at the higher end.