Adding potassium to all for reef

Spare time · Dec 30, 2022

Has anyone ever added potassium into all for reef? I am wanting to do so but am curious if there might be any issue.

blaxsun · Dec 30, 2022

I have not. I don't believe so, but I found this post from Tropic Marin.

Why All-For-Reef don't have potassium

Why All-For-Reef and K+ Elements don't have potassium? Is it not important enough to dose? I just tested mine and it's 368 ppm. Have been using the DIY All-For-Reef mix.

www.reef2reef.com

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 30, 2022

If you use potassium chloride, there is no chemical concern.

HomebroodExotics · Dec 30, 2022

Dang. I’m just realizing that afr doesn’t have potassium. I’m going to get some for dosing now. Thanks.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 30, 2022

HomebroodExotics said:
Dang. I’m just realizing that afr doesn’t have potassium. I’m going to get some for dosing now. Thanks.

Do you know that you need it? There’s no a priori reason to think it will deplete, and in my tank it did not.

HomebroodExotics · Dec 30, 2022

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Do you know that you need it? There’s no a priori reason to think it will deplete, and in my tank it did not.

I probably don’t really need it honestly. Maybe I’ll wait and see whenever I do another icp.

Spare time · Dec 30, 2022

blaxsun said:
I have not. I don't believe so, but I found this post from Tropic Marin.

Why All-For-Reef don't have potassium

Why All-For-Reef and K+ Elements don't have potassium? Is it not important enough to dose? I just tested mine and it's 368 ppm. Have been using the DIY All-For-Reef mix.

www.reef2reef.com

Yeah I remember that post. I actually use a potassium test kit since, I believe, my macroalgae uses quite a lot of it

Spare time · Dec 30, 2022

HomebroodExotics said:
Dang. I’m just realizing that afr doesn’t have potassium. I’m going to get some for dosing now. Thanks.

The salifert kit is a good one to see if you need it

HomebroodExotics · Dec 30, 2022

Spare time said:
The salifert kit is a good one to see if you need it

I think I will give that a try. Thanks

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 31, 2022

HomebroodExotics said:
I think I will give that a try. Thanks

Let us know what you find.

HomebroodExotics · Jan 5, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Let us know what you find.

I got in my test salifert test kit today and tested 3 of my tanks. 2 of my tanks are at 390. However, my newest tank that is right now at 102 days old is measuring at 340-330, I did the test twice to make sure. I thought this was interesting, because corals could look better IMO and so it looks like I will need to dose some potassium. I have some questions:

1) potassium iodide flouride - is this a viable source of potassium? From what I've read it seems like no but I don't really understand what this provides the most of. Any guidance on this would be great because it is something I use and I do feel like it does something. Maybe this is why potassium in my older tanks is a little higher?

2) what off the shelf brand potassium would you recommend, I will be trading some stuff with my LFS on monday so good timing.

Thanks

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 6, 2023

HomebroodExotics said:
1) potassium iodide flouride - is this a viable source of potassium? From what I've read it seems like no but I don't really understand what this provides the most of. Any guidance on this would be great because it is something I use and I do feel like it does something. Maybe this is why potassium in my older tanks is a little higher?

Definitely not. It will boost iodide and fluoride super incredibly high. NSW iodide is 0.06 ppm, and potassium iodide boosts iodide much more than potassium. So a 50 ppm boost to potassium will boost iodide from 0.06 ppm to over 100 ppm.

I'd first check the salinity to make sure it is OK (low salinity causes low everything, including potassium), but to boost potassium, use potassium chloride, such as this inexpensive USP (pharma) grade product: