Switching from All for Reef to BRS Pharma Hybrid... How much Trace A-/K+ to add?

[Hooz]

I've been rolling for 18 months plus with All for Reef in my nano tanks. When Hans posted the recipe for the "more iodine" All for Reef, I started mixing mine that way. I've done several ICP tests over the last year, and I've been super happy with my numbers. That being said, I am in the process of setting up a much larger mixed reef tank, and I think I'd like to give the BRS Pharma Hybrid Balling components a try.

My issue is that the recommended range of A-/K+ elements to add is pretty wide at 80-330mL.

Since I've been using the AFR with boosted A- elements already with great results, is there some sort of ballpark that I could start in for the Pharma Hybrid that will get me close to where I am now? I'll be transfering all the LPS and softies from one of my current AFR maintained tanks into the new tank, as well as adding quite a few SPS from a different (but still AFR maintained) tank. I'd prefer to make it as seamless a transition as possible.

 

[Lou Ekus]

I've been rolling for 18 months plus with All for Reef in my nano tanks. When Hans posted the recipe for the "more iodine" All for Reef, I started mixing mine that way. I've done several ICP tests over the last year, and I've been super happy with my numbers. That being said, I am in the process of setting up a much larger mixed reef tank, and I think I'd like to give the BRS Pharma Hybrid Balling components a try.

My issue is that the recommended range of A-/K+ elements to add is pretty wide at 80-330mL.

Since I've been using the AFR with boosted A- elements already with great results, is there some sort of ballpark that I could start in for the Pharma Hybrid that will get me close to where I am now? I'll be transfering all the LPS and softies from one of my current AFR maintained tanks into the new tank, as well as adding quite a few SPS from a different (but still AFR maintained) tank. I'd prefer to make it as seamless a transition as possible.

When you are starting up a new system, even with transfering a bunch of stuff from the older system, it is still just like starting a new tank. My suggestion would be to starft with mixing toward the very low end of that range. As you build the population, and the corals start to grow more aggressively, you can move that up in steps toward the upper part of that range.

 

[Hooz]

When you are starting up a new system, even with transfering a bunch of stuff from the older system, it is still just like starting a new tank. My suggestion would be to starft with mixing toward the very low end of that range. As you build the population, and the corals start to grow more aggressively, you can move that up in steps toward the upper part of that range.

That makes sense. Can you tell me what the ratio of A- to K+ elements is in the latest All for Reef recipe? Not looking for precise amounts, but rather "there is 2x more A- than K+" or something like that.

When Hans posted the new recipe for All for Reef with more iodine (which I have been running ever since), it called for adding 50mL per 1L of AFR... ON TOP OF whatever was already in it. So the suggested starting amount of 80mL per GALLON (3.8L) of BRS Pharma just doesn't sound like much, even for a new tank.

EDIT: I reread and see now that the A- elements go in the alkalinity solution. I misread the first time and thought they went in the calcium solution, of which I will be dosing a lot less (most likely). Reading is fundamental!

 

[Lou Ekus]

That makes sense. Can you tell me what the ratio of A- to K+ elements is in the latest All for Reef recipe? Not looking for precise amounts, but rather "there is 2x more A- than K+" or something like that.

When Hans posted the new recipe for All for Reef with more iodine (which I have been running ever since), it called for adding 50mL per 1L of AFR... ON TOP OF whatever was already in it. So the suggested starting amount of 80mL per GALLON (3.8L) of BRS Pharma just doesn't sound like much, even for a new tank.

EDIT: I reread and see now that the A- elements go in the alkalinity solution. I misread the first time and thought they went in the calcium solution, of which I will be dosing a lot less (most likely). Reading is fundamental!

I'm not fully understanding what you are asking by " Can you tell me what the ratio of A- to K+ elements is in the latest All for Reef recipe? Not looking for precise amounts, but rather "there is 2x more A- than K+" or something like that." Trace A and Trace K have totally different trace elements in them.

 

[Hooz]

I just meant that, in All for Reef, there is not the same amount of A- and K+ per liter of solution. I was just wondering what the ratio of the two was, especially with the new recipe with boosted iodine. Is there twice as much A- than K+? Three times as much?

When I originally read the instructions, I thought A- was mixed with the Calcium. Since I typically dose less calcium than I do alkalinity, I was worried that I wouldn't be dosing enough A-, and too much K+ (with the alkalinity). With the All for Reef dosing, I'm assuming the inverse of that is true.

I've since reread the instructions and realized that I had it backwards. The A- goes in the alkalinity mixture, so by default I'll be dosing more of it than I will K+.

Does that make sense now?

 

[Lou Ekus]

I just meant that, in All for Reef, there is not the same amount of A- and K+ per liter of solution. I was just wondering what the ratio of the two was, especially with the new recipe with boosted iodine. Is there twice as much A- than K+? Three times as much?

When I originally read the instructions, I thought A- was mixed with the Calcium. Since I typically dose less calcium than I do alkalinity, I was worried that I wouldn't be dosing enough A-, and too much K+ (with the alkalinity). With the All for Reef dosing, I'm assuming the inverse of that is true.

I've since reread the instructions and realized that I had it backwards. The A- goes in the alkalinity mixture, so by default I'll be dosing more of it than I will K+.

Does that make sense now?

I believe it is just the iodine that has been updated. You would add the same volume of each in dosing. That would mean that if you are ragularly dosing more alkalinity than Ca, you would need to put a little more of the K in the Ca solution to make up for that difference.

 

[Hans-Werner]

Hello,

Yesterday we had computer problems and where offline.

In All-For-Reef we still recommend the old recipe with 100 ml of K+ and A- Elements each per 140 g Carbo-Calcium (43,000 mg Ca, 6000 dKH). We did adjust the iodine concentrations in all products.

If you know the calcium concentration and the alkalinity of your solutions, you can calculate the proportion of K+ and A- Elements that should be added.

 

[Hooz]

Hello,

Yesterday we had computer problems and where offline.

In All-For-Reef we still recommend the old recipe with 100 ml of K+ and A- Elements each per 140 g Carbo-Calcium (43,000 mg Ca, 6000 dKH). We did adjust the iodine concentrations in all products.

If you know the calcium concentration and the alkalinity of your solutions, you can calculate the proportion of K+ and A- Elements that should be added.

I'm not finding much information on the BRS Pharma components, other than mixing and dosing instructions. No real info on the concentration of elements per gallon. I'll continue to look.

 

[areefer01]

Just as an aside TM AFR still works great with large systems. I am dosing 100 ml/day on my 210 display. Buying the large 1600g container and mixing larger batches lasts a while.

If you are happy with the product and the concern is larger sized systems it shouldn't be a concern. Unless cost is the driving factor but even then all things considered it is part of the territory with large systems. ESV 2 part, or other, plus additives, will also cost more.

Edit: I also know a fellow reefer who is dosing between 200 - 300 ml/day The stuff works.

 

[Hooz]

Just as an aside TM AFR still works great with large systems. I am dosing 100 ml/day on my 210 display. Buying the large 1600g container and mixing larger batches lasts a while.

If you are happy with the product and the concern is larger sized systems it shouldn't be a concern. Unless cost is the driving factor but even then all things considered it is part of the territory with large systems. ESV 2 part, or other, plus additives, will also cost more.

Edit: I also know a fellow reefer who is dosing between 200 - 300 ml/day The stuff works.

I am super happy with All for Reef. I just thought I might take advantage of the ph boost I'd get from switching to the 3-part BRS Pharma components, especially since they have the TM Hybrid thing going now too.