TM All for Reef powder - Shake or stir?

[NickHolmes]

Is it ok to shake All for Reef powder? Stirring takes forever

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

yes

 

[Wasabiroot]

If it helps, let the rodi water reach room temperature to aid in dissolution

 

[PeterC99]

Is it ok to shake All for Reef powder? Stirring takes forever

Yes definitely shake to mix. I also find that I mix my A4F dosing container every now and then for better consistency!

 

[NickHolmes]

Cool thanks

 

[Jgoal55]

Just mixed my first batch of the powder. I shook it pretty vigorously for about 30sec. Let it sit 1 minute. Then shook again for another 30sec. And then I repeated this process several times but a bit of powder still remained in the bottom, which makes me think it's not fully dissolved. Would there be any issues using a mixing pump in the container for a while until it fully dissolves? Also, read a few forum posts where the yellowish (almost urine-like color) is normal. Just want to be sure that's ok? Thanks! Tagging @Lou Ekus in case he can weigh in.

 

[Lou Ekus]

Just mixed my first batch of the powder. I shook it pretty vigorously for about 30sec. Let it sit 1 minute. Then shook again for another 30sec. And then I repeated this process several times but a bit of powder still remained in the bottom, which makes me think it's not fully dissolved. Would there be any issues using a mixing pump in the container for a while until it fully dissolves? Also, read a few forum posts where the yellowish (almost urine-like color) is normal. Just want to be sure that's ok? Thanks! Tagging @Lou Ekus in case he can weigh in.

A mixing pump is fine to use. No problem. But it is usually not needed. Also, the yellowish tinge is perfectly normal for the solution. No worries there either.

 

[takitaj]

I heat the RoDi in the microwave first and use a gallon Arizona jug to shake it up. It dissolves a lot quicker in hot water. Put it in the fridge (*remove cap first) to cool before you pour into your *dosing container. Don't use a soda bottle, it will shrivel up and/or just melt.

*If you don't remove the cap before putting in the fridge the container will collapse and distort and if you don't let it cool before pouring into an acrylic dosing container it will craze (a whole bunch of tiny cracks) or just melt.

 

[naterealbig]

I put a small powerhead in the dosing container on a cheap timer. I stir until fully mixed with the pump - then 15 min per day.

 

[Hairyteeth]

I just starting using the powder, definitely getting a magnetic stirrer and plate setup….I have read about others on here doing the same and much happier about life

 

[Jgoal55]

Thanks for all the replies. Seems all is good with how I did but, while it was a good workout, I’ll likely use the mixing pump next time since I’m mixing about 3000ml at once.

I put a small powerhead in the dosing container on a cheap timer. I stir until fully mixed with the pump - then 15 min per day.

Why the 15min per day? Is it necessary or just personal choice!

 

[Jgoal55]

deleted. - duplicate post.

 

[naterealbig]

Thanks for all the replies. Seems all is good with how I did but, while it was a good workout, I’ll likely use the mixing pump next time since I’m mixing about 3000ml at once.



Why the 15min per day? Is it necessary or just personal choice!

I have found that in most instances where I've mixed powders with water that some of the solids settle out of the mixture. The daily mixing beeps the solution consistent, which I feel is very important with respect to alkalinity dosing of any type.

I don't know that it's necessary for the A4R, but it's an easy way for me to eliminate a variable from the overall reefing 'equation'.

Let me know if this answers your question.

Best.

 

[Jgoal55]

Thank you. Definitely answers my question and to your point, the more variables we can erase, the more successful we can be - and the less things we have to worry about.

 

[Jgoal55]

@Lou Ekus after about three weeks of using AFR at the recommended starting dose my dKH eventually hit 10.1 (from 6.3 on July 20th)

Perhaps incorrectly, I panicked and took it offline. I’ve now had it offline for a little over a full week and my alk is down to 7.8. In the last 7 days, I’ve gone from 8.6 to 7.8.

I have very few corals in the tank and just recently introduced about 5 SPS frags. They all seem to be doing alright and I assume they’ve contributed to alk uptake, but for perspective, the tank 220g (830 liters) so I don’t think they’re taking too much alk.

So, how should I continue the dosing? Should I go back to the recommended starting levels even though it raised my ALK as much as it did?

 

[Koh23]

Shaken...

Not stirred.

JB

 

[NickHolmes]

@Lou Ekus after about three weeks of using AFR at the recommended starting dose my dKH eventually hit 10.1 (from 6.3 on July 20th)

Perhaps incorrectly, I panicked and took it offline. I’ve now had it offline for a little over a full week and my alk is down to 7.8. In the last 7 days, I’ve gone from 8.6 to 7.8.

I have very few corals in the tank and just recently introduced about 5 SPS frags. They all seem to be doing alright and I assume they’ve contributed to alk uptake, but for perspective, the tank 220g (830 liters) so I don’t think they’re taking too much alk.

So, how should I continue the dosing? Should I go back to the recommended starting levels even though it raised my ALK as much as it did?

Dose half the recommended starting dose and monitor daily

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

@Lou Ekus after about three weeks of using AFR at the recommended starting dose my dKH eventually hit 10.1 (from 6.3 on July 20th)

Perhaps incorrectly, I panicked and took it offline. I’ve now had it offline for a little over a full week and my alk is down to 7.8. In the last 7 days, I’ve gone from 8.6 to 7.8.

I have very few corals in the tank and just recently introduced about 5 SPS frags. They all seem to be doing alright and I assume they’ve contributed to alk uptake, but for perspective, the tank 220g (830 liters) so I don’t think they’re taking too much alk.

So, how should I continue the dosing? Should I go back to the recommended starting levels even though it raised my ALK as much as it did?

You need to dose much less than you were since the demand is low. I’d start at perhaps 1/4 to 1/2 of the previous dose.

 

[Lou Ekus]

@Lou Ekus after about three weeks of using AFR at the recommended starting dose my dKH eventually hit 10.1 (from 6.3 on July 20th)

Perhaps incorrectly, I panicked and took it offline. I’ve now had it offline for a little over a full week and my alk is down to 7.8. In the last 7 days, I’ve gone from 8.6 to 7.8.

I have very few corals in the tank and just recently introduced about 5 SPS frags. They all seem to be doing alright and I assume they’ve contributed to alk uptake, but for perspective, the tank 220g (830 liters) so I don’t think they’re taking too much alk.

So, how should I continue the dosing? Should I go back to the recommended starting levels even though it raised my ALK as much as it did?

Both @Randy Holmes-Farley and @NickHolmes are giving you good advice. But there is one additional piece of information that would be very helpful to know. What was your Ca concentration doing all of this time. If the Ca was rising as much as the alkalinity was, then I would try to 1/4 dose to start that @Randy Holmes-Farley has suggested. Then follow both the Ca and alkalinity, and adjust accordingly.
If the Ca concentration did not rise as dramatically, then we should talk about why that might be so and how to approach that.

 

[Jgoal55]

Thanks for all the replies. Yes, my calcium also went up though not as fast as my ALK.

I’ve started at 1/2 the recommended dose again and will monitor Cal more closely this time.