Question about All For Reef...

[Calmwaters]

I dose Calcium 50ml 2x a week and Magnesium 37ml 3x a week to keep those up and dose 25ml All for Reef once a week. My Alk has been going up and I'm wondering if I should skip dosing All for Reef or maybe just dose half a dose? Here are my test results for the past month:
3/4
Ph 8
Calcium 430
Magnesium 990
Kh 10.2
Phosphate .03

3/15
Ph 8
Calcium 440
Magnesium 1230
Kh 10.9
Phosphate .03

3/22
Ph 7.7
Calcium 490
Magnesium 1110
Kh 11.5
Phosphate .03

4/5
Ph 8
Calcium 410
Magnesium 1140
Kh 12.8
Phosphate .03

 

[Oldreefer44]

yes i would reduce or even temporarily stop dosing it ASAP. As long as you are sure your results are correct. Always a good idea to trust but verify all of your test results especially ALK and especially if the are showing an unacceptable trend.

 

[Calmwaters]

yes i would reduce or even temporarily stop dosing it ASAP. As long as you are sure your results are correct. Always a good idea to trust but verify all of your test results especially ALK and especially if the are showing an unacceptable trend.

Thank you! I did the test twice just to be sure.

 

[exnisstech]

All I dose in this tank is AFR to keep alk 8-9 dkH and calcium when tested is always 425 -450 . I have no idea about magnesium because I never test it but corals seem to be happy with things the way they are. I'm currently dosing 55ml daily.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There is never a scenario where a tank using AFR for all alkalinity needs requires extra calcium. It may or may not need some small amount of extra magnesium.

 

[Calmwaters]

There is never a scenario where a tank using AFR for all alkalinity needs requires extra calcium. It may or may not need some small amount of extra magnesium.

Maybe its because I only dose the AFR once a week?

 

[rtparty]

Your magnesium changes are not possible BTW

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/just-say-no-to-magnesium-testing-rmm-is-born.1017528/

 

[Calmwaters]

Your magnesium changes are not possible BTW

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/just-say-no-to-magnesium-testing-rmm-is-born.1017528/

Why do you say that?

 

[rtparty]

Why do you say that?

Nothing in your tank can consume 120ppm of magnesium in a week

 

[56longroof]

Are you testing at the same time to get base results?

 

[Calmwaters]

Are you testing at the same time to get base results?

Yes I am

 

[Red_Beard]

I would stop dosing anything for a week or 2 and see how things react. Your alk is definitely not being used as fast as you are dosing it and i would be surprised if the others are either.

 

[Calmwaters]

I would stop dosing anything for a week or 2 and see how things react. Your alk is definitely not being used as fast as you are dosing it and i would be surprised if the others are either.

Thank you!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Maybe its because I only dose the AFR once a week?

Doesn’t matter when you dose it, AFR always adds a bit more calcium than is balanced by the alkalinity it adds. So if it alone maintains alk, then it will always maintain calcium.

 

[Seansea]

Doesn’t matter when you dose it, AFR always adds a bit more calcium than is balanced by the alkalinity it adds. So if it alone maintains alk, then it will always maintain calcium.

This is actually in reverse. It actually doses alk higher than calcium

 

[rtparty]

This is actually in reverse. It actually doses alk higher than calcium

No. It acts the exact same as kalkwasser and adds slightly more calcium than alkalinity

 

[Seansea]

Incorrect

 

[rtparty]

Incorrect

lol ok

Randy has literally spelled out the chemical formulation and breakdown of how it works but if you have actual evidence showing that to be incorrect, please provide it

 

[Calmwaters]

Doesn’t matter when you dose it, AFR always adds a bit more calcium than is balanced by the alkalinity it adds. So if it alone maintains alk, then it will always maintain calcium.

Good morning. I started dosing the Calcium and Magnesium because I didn't feel like my corals where growing much at all and with my original testing results it was recommended that I raise those two. Then I heard about AFR and how great it was so I added it to my dosing as well. I manually dose everything and my corals seem to be happier. This is my schedule would you take a look at it and tell me what you would do differently? I will also include testing results from as far back as I have them. For lighting I have two Redsea Reef LED 90s, a Redsea Reef LED 50 and a Orphek OR4 Reef Day Plus.

Sunday: All for Reef in the morning and phyto then coral snow at night.
Monday: AB+ and powdered coral food, Feed flakes.
Tuesday: Dose Calcium, dose phyto and feed frozen food
Wednesday: Dose Magnesium, AB+ and coral food and feed pellets.
Thursday: Dose Phyto and feed frozen food
Friday: Dose Calcium, AB+ and coral food, feed flakes.
Saturday: Do testing, dose phyto, dose Magnesium, feed frozen.

All for Reef: 25ml
Magnesium: 37ml 3x a week
Calcium: 50ml 2x a week

2/15/26
Ph 7.7
Calcium 470
Magnesium 1170
Kh 11.5
Phosphate .03

2/27
Ph 8
Calcium 350
Magnesium 960
Kh 11.2
Phosphate .03

3/4
Ph 8
Calcium 430
Magnesium 990
Kh 10.2
Phosphate .03

3/15
Ph 8
Calcium 440
Magnesium 1230
Kh 10.9
Phosphate .03

3/22
Ph 7.7
Calcium 490
Magnesium 1110
Kh 11.5
Phosphate .03

4/5
Ph 8
Calcium 410
Magnesium 1140
Kh 12.8
Phosphate .03

 

[twentyleagues]

It sounds like a tank that is newer and little to no coralline algae growth and few hard corals. Can you provide a picture of the tank? Also what size is the tank? I dont remember the math but I use AFR and that little amount you are dosing is not being used. I dose about 40mls of AFR daily to keep a water volume of just about 120g from dipping below 8.5dkh. As Randy said there is little to no need to dose anything else with AFR maybe a little bit of magnesium. Mag and calc tests a pretty hit or miss. Honestly if it were me and I did do just this when I started adding corals to this tank, dont dose anything and do daily alk tests to see what the consumption is for about a week. Once you have daily consumption of alk you can start dosing AFR daily to combat the decline in alk and the other two parameters should stay *pretty much in line as well.

* water changes with water that has higher parameters will affect your test results and the water parameters of your tank. Also AFR is a little calcium heavy so after prolonged use you may see an upward trend if nothing else changes.