Switching from RedSea Reef Complete

[CodyF.]

Hello all,

I’m looking to replace RedSea 4part, Red Sea coral care. It’s becoming too expensive!! I have a 50gallons-sps dominated-and a 15gallon, mixed, both running coral care.

I struggle to keep my calcium up on the 50. It runs around 380 with my Alk at 7.7-8.3.

I’ve used AFR for a bit on my 15, but switched to RedSea a while ago.

I’m thinking about trying out either Aquaforest 1,2,3 or B-Ionic 2 part. My concern is a PH drop, RedSea has a PH buffer, and just the change in general.

Anyone else made this switch? How did the corals hold up?

View attachment 20251114_213041_6DFC98A4-81DD-4CA8-B621-D8ED0DE62824.mov



View attachment 20251114_213112_BF81F9D0-7375-4B40-9431-E81900BABE8B.mov

These are the two tanks.

I use to run 4 part Red Sea but when I added refugium 4 part did recommend. So I started doing AFR and it’s working perfect.

Assuming nothing adverse when you switched?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

They ICP tested the whole thing and it had massive amounts of impurities that are “safe” and food grade but absolutely wrecked their tanks

call me skeptical. Do you know the details?

Without seeing what product type and what was found, I’m more likely to believe it was not actually a food grade material being sold as food grade. Some of the specs, such as total heavy metals, are going to catch a lot of possible tank problems.

It is possible that a company could buy a material and test it themselves, but the expense of materials like calcium chloride at higher than food or pharma grade makes it very unlikely to make it into a useful product for reefers.

 

[CodyF.]

After seeing Polo Reef crash their tanks after using “food grade” raw materials, I don’t buy it’s safe enough.

The NYOS system is one of the cheapest on the market especially after you add in the costs of adding trace elements

I literally priced it out. I can get salt and the call/mag & alk/ph with trace bottles for the same price as just the coral care 4 part!!

Thank you so much for brining the NYOS to my attention. I heard about it. But kinda forgot about it.

 

[AlexG818]

Hello all,

I’m looking to replace RedSea 4part, Red Sea coral care. It’s becoming too expensive!! I have a 50gallons-sps dominated-and a 15gallon, mixed, both running coral care.

I struggle to keep my calcium up on the 50. It runs around 380 with my Alk at 7.7-8.3.

I’ve used AFR for a bit on my 15, but switched to RedSea a while ago.

I’m thinking about trying out either Aquaforest 1,2,3 or B-Ionic 2 part. My concern is a PH drop, RedSea has a PH buffer, and just the change in general.

Anyone else made this switch? How did the corals hold up?

View attachment 20251114_213041_6DFC98A4-81DD-4CA8-B621-D8ED0DE62824.mov



View attachment 20251114_213112_BF81F9D0-7375-4B40-9431-E81900BABE8B.mov

These are the two tanks.

I use to run 4 part Red Sea but when I added refugium 4 part did recommend. So I started doing AFR and it’s working perfect.

Assuming nothing adverse when you switched?

I started off half the recommended amount and raised it on weekly bases and found the sweet spot.

 

[rtparty]

call me skeptical. Do you know the details?

Without seeing what product type and what was found, I’m more likely to believe it was not actually a food grade material being sold as food grade. Some of the specs, such as total heavy metals, are going to catch a lot of possible tank problems.

It is possible that a company could buy a material and test it themselves, but the expense of materials like calcium chloride at higher than food or pharma grade makes it very unlikely to make it into a useful product for reefers.

I don’t know all the details except what I’ve been sent from those in their group

They were buying materials from a restaurant supply company. Sodium chloride I believe. Then getting magnesium from another third party. They use ESV salt so they sourced the dry materials and used the liquid components from ESV. They ICP test ICP tests so they can ICP when ICP’ing LOL

I believe the sodium chloride came back loaded with lead. I would hope a restaurant supply company isn’t selling non food grade materials to food places

 

[CodyF.]

@rtparty, are you also using NYOS salt in addition?

 

[Hemmbone20]

I switched off the RS complete system a while ago. Switched to AFR. Never missed a beat. You’re right, it was too expensive.
Just be ready to test multiple times a week until you have your new stuff dialed in.

You asked about the ICP in regards to the nyos trace supplements.. you definitely don’t need to do ICP. What they were suggesting is that you adjust the amount of trace that you’re adding to your mix based on whether ICP indicates rising or falling values.
if I were you, and I didn’t want to send off ICP, I’d start with the low end of trace supplementing and increase over time based on how the corals appear.
Or… send an ICP couple times a year

 

[CodyF.]

@Hemmbone20, I agree!! It gets very expensive. Around $600 a year. I need to re-fill about 2.5 times annually.

I’m torn between the AFR and the NYOS Ion-B. I have a big tub of AFR and currently use the Tropic Marin Pro salt, and like it. But, the NYOS Ion-B looks very intriguing. And like you suggested, I’d probably do an ICP about every 6 months.

Being able to adjust the trace elements is what draws me to NYOS over AFR.

Thanks for your input. I also appreciate hearing how you made the switch! I’m very very nervous about switching from something that is working.

 

[rishma]

since you own some AFR already why not use it? Or you can mail it to me and I’ll dispose of it for you.

 

[CodyF.]

since you own some AFR already why not use it? Or you can mail it to me and I’ll dispose of it for you.

! That’s funny. I’m probably going to go to AFR. Because I already have it.

 

[rishma]

! That’s funny. I’m probably going to go to AFR. Because I already have it.

Good choice. There are plenty of good supplement systems and AFR is one of them. Lots of great tanks use it. It’s simple, predictable, and the chemistry is well thought out.

I’ve used many different systems over the years. I currently use AFR and kalk. I am sure I’ll use other systems in the future because I like to tinker but AFR is good.

 

[CodyF.]

How’s your PH with AFR? I guess the Kalk helps….

 

[rtparty]

@rtparty, are you also using NYOS salt in addition?

I switch between a few different salts depending on what I catch on sale when I need more salt. I’m currently using Aqua Forest Reef Salt. Prior to this I was using NYOS salt.

If I can catch ESV salt on sale next time I need some, I’m going back to it. 200 gallons for $95-100 compared to 135 gallons at $90. The NYOS salt is really nice but way too expensive

 

[CodyF.]

Thanks!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don’t know all the details except what I’ve been sent from those in their group

They were buying materials from a restaurant supply company. Sodium chloride I believe. Then getting magnesium from another third party. They use ESV salt so they sourced the dry materials and used the liquid components from ESV. They ICP test ICP tests so they can ICP when ICP’ing LOL

I believe the sodium chloride came back loaded with lead. I would hope a restaurant supply company isn’t selling non food grade materials to food places

Making a salt mix from sodium chloride is very, very different than making supplements, which is what we were talking about, in terms of how much is added. But the lead limit in food grade sodium chloride should still prevent a problem.

The FCC (food chemicals codex) limit is 2 mg lead per kg of sodium chloride. That is 2 ug per gram of sodium chloride.

To make a salt mix, one uses about 25 grams of sodium chloride per liter.

That 25 grams could at most contain 50 ug of lead. So the max possible lead would be 50 ppb.

Is 50 ppb lethal to corals? I’m not sure, but at least to the corals studied here, it is not.

Research Portal

Pharma grade (USP) allows even more, and folks obsessing over pharma grade are not doing themselves a favor.

 

[rishma]

How’s your PH with AFR? I guess the Kalk helps….

I don’t use enough kalk to really impact much.

My pH is quite high but that’s a different story. I use a massive amount of aeration with outdoor air.

AFR will result in lower pH as compared to a high pH alkalinity additive. Though I have put more effort into pH thank most, I’m not sure it matters much

 

[Hooz]

Is there any specific brand you guys would recommend? I’m looking for something that will also provide trace as well. (Kinda leaning to the B-Ionic)

B-ionic doesn't replenish trace elements. It only contains what is needed to offset the salinity imbalance inherent in dosing a 2-part.

If you want to replace consumed trace elements, then you'll have to add them to the ESV, or use another 2-part (or 3-part) that includes them. I was recently looking for 2-part options myself, and I ended up going with Nyos for one of my tanks. It seems to be the most complete option out there, with magnesium, potassium and all the trace elements in a true 2-part solution.

 

[hunterallen40]

B-ionic doesn't replenish trace elements. It only contains what is needed to offset the salinity imbalance inherent in dosing a 2-part.

If you want to replace consumed trace elements, then you'll have to add them to the ESV, or use another 2-part (or 3-part) that includes them. I was recently looking for 2-part options myself, and I ended up going with Nyos for one of my tanks. It seems to be the most complete option out there, with magnesium, potassium and all the trace elements in a true 2-part solution.

You may also consider NAF 2-Part (disclaimer: this is my product). It checks all the same boxes that Nyos checks, and uses ACS Reagent grade calcium chloride + magnesium chloride, and uses NaOH for alkalinity (which gives it 2x the pH boost compared to soda ash based approaches).

 

[OfficeReefer]

Thanks for that! It was a learning curve I guess. I also run the dose 4 on both tanks. So it will 100% free up dosing spots on a really nice but expensive dosing pump.


Did you Jane any negative by switching back to AFR. Or going to AFR should I say?

I did a bit, but nothing that water changes cannot resolve on their own. I do think that the three part is appropriate on larger tanks, especially where half or full water changes are simply not an option. AFR is more than adequate on tanks up to 120L or 30gal. It's probably just fine on tanks up to 55g with a sump, so long as you have a water system that can replace the other minor water elements and rebalance those.

Maybe I can get @Lou Ekus to comment on that. Thank you, Lou for great products!

 

[CodyF.]

Thanks for that! It was a learning curve I guess. I also run the dose 4 on both tanks. So it will 100% free up dosing spots on a really nice but expensive dosing pump.


Did you Jane any negative by switching back to AFR. Or going to AFR should I say?

I did a bit, but nothing that water changes cannot resolve on their own. I do think that the three part is appropriate on larger tanks, especially where half or full water changes are simply not an option. AFR is more than adequate on tanks up to 120L or 30gal. It's probably just fine on tanks up to 55g with a sump, so long as you have a water system that can replace the other minor water elements and rebalance those.

Maybe I can get @Lou Ekus to comment on that. Thank you, Lou for great products!

I made the switch. But now I’m having trouble getting the AFR to register. My ALK has dropped like 2dkh this week and I’m supplementing with my KH from RedSea. It’s been like 9 days and I haven’t noticed the AFR yet. I’m currently dosing 25mils for a 50gallons tank. My tank consumes about .6 DKH daily.