All For Reef Question

ReefGeezer · Feb 27, 2023

Do any of you All For Reef users see additional calcium carbonate build-up in your systems? I'm getting those little white nodules on my overflow partition since I started using it.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 27, 2023

ReefGeezer said:
Do any of you All For Reef users see additional calcium carbonate build-up in your systems? I'm getting those little white nodules on my overflow partition since I started using it.

Is that where you dose it?

It should be among the least likely alk and calcium methods to cause precipitation, after a CaCO3/CO2 reactor.

areefer01 · Feb 27, 2023

ReefGeezer said:
Do any of you All For Reef users see additional calcium carbonate build-up in your systems? I'm getting those little white nodules on my overflow partition since I started using it.

I do not, no. My dosing varies a bit but currently at 90 ml/day. Are you sure it is carbonate build up and not something like a spirobid or similar worm?

Edit: I dose TM AFR just before my return pump intakes.

ReefGeezer · Feb 27, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Is that where you dose it?

It should be among the least likely alk and calcium methods to cause precipitation, after a CaCO3/CO2 reactor.

No, I dose it in the return section of the sump. I'm dosing 22ml over 8 hours at night with a Versa dosing pump. Magnesium is ~1300 if my test kit is accurate. Alk is 8.3. I just thought it odd.

areefer01 said:
I do not, no. My dosing varies a bit but currently at 90 ml/day. Are you sure it is carbonate build up and not something like a spirobid or similar worm?

Edit: I dose TM AFR just before my return pump intakes.

No, they are just tiny white nodules that dissolve in vinegar. I recently raised the dosage because the alk had dropped to 7.7 dKh over a week and added some of Randy's two-part alkalinity solution to put it back to 8.3. However, I had noticed the nodules prior to that. They aren't bad or anything and are easy to remove, I just wanted to get a handle on the situation before it shows up in pumps and stuff.

ReefGeezer · Feb 27, 2023

My pH always runs a little low (7.9-8.2). Could excess CO2 cause this issue?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 27, 2023

ReefGeezer said:
My pH always runs a little low (7.9-8.2). Could excess CO2 cause this issue?

No, lower pH will reduce the chances of precipitation.

areefer01 · Feb 27, 2023

ReefGeezer said:
No, they are just tiny white nodules that dissolve in vinegar. I recently raised the dosage because the alk had dropped to 7.7 dKh over a week and added some of Randy's two-part alkalinity solution to put it back to 8.3. However, I had noticed the nodules prior to that. They aren't bad or anything and are easy to remove, I just wanted to get a handle on the situation before it shows up in pumps and stuff.

Np, just figured I would ask. My ph is similar if not a bit lower ignoring the possibility of calibration and I do not see what you described. Then again I'm only one person. For what it is worth I've been running AFR for a couple years now on my 210 gallon.

@Lou Ekus - thoughts?

ReefGeezer · Feb 27, 2023

areefer01 said:
Np, just figured I would ask. My ph is similar if not a bit lower ignoring the possibility of calibration and I do not see what you described. Then again I'm only one person. For what it is worth I've been running AFR for a couple years now on my 210 gallon.

@Lou Ekus - thoughts?

You are using 90ml on a 210 and I'm using 22ml on a 90. So your dosage is higher. I use the AFR powder and I'm almost positive I mixed it as directed. I wonder if I have something else going on. Thanks.

Lou Ekus · Feb 28, 2023

I'm not sure exactly what is going on with these "little white noduals". It certainly sounds like a calcium carbonate formation. But we do not normally see that with the AFR usage. mybe some pictures would be helpful. You say they dissolve in vinegar. This also sounds like calcium carbonate. But I guess there might be something else that would act the same. Do they feel hard? how large are these noduals? How long does it take them to reform after you have cleaned them off? Sorry for all the quesitons, but I'm a little stumped by this one!

ReefGeezer · Feb 28, 2023

Lou Ekus said:
I'm not sure exactly what is going on with these "little white noduals". It certainly sounds like a calcium carbonate formation. But we do not normally see that with the AFR usage. mybe some pictures would be helpful. You say they dissolve in vinegar. This also sounds like calcium carbonate. But I guess there might be something else that would act the same. Do they feel hard? how large are these noduals? How long does it take them to reform after you have cleaned them off? Sorry for all the quesitons, but I'm a little stumped by this one!

Thanks for the reply. It is more of a curiosity than a problem right now, but I don't want it to get out of hand. All For Reef is a great product and has really helped my tank... and is so simple to dose.

I just scraped the nodules off last night but there are still a few left. They are small, maybe 0.5mm, and seem to be mostly on the plastic overflow partition. They are solid and hard. I'll try to get you a picture this afternoon.

Lou Ekus · Feb 28, 2023

ReefGeezer said:
Thanks for the reply. It is more of a curiosity than a problem right now, but I don't want it to get out of hand. All For Reef is a great product and has really helped my tank... and is so simple to dose.

I just scraped the nodules off last night but there are still a few left. They are small, maybe 0.5mm, and seem to be mostly on the plastic overflow partition. They are solid and hard. I'll try to get you a picture this afternoon.

Sounds pretty innocuos. But I'm not sure why you are getting them.

ReefGeezer · Feb 28, 2023

Lou Ekus said:
Sounds pretty innocuos. But I'm not sure why you are getting them.

Here are some pictures:

ReefGeezer · Feb 28, 2023

OK, after zooming in on the pictures, I'm starting to believe that most these little white "nodules" are Spirorbid worms. It's hard to tell for sure due to my phone's crappy resolution, but I can see the darker center that might idicate the start of the spiral shape of the worm's shell. I must have sample a random calcium carbonate nodule earlier or the worm shells dissolve in vinegar also.