Beginner dosing question, all for reef

[Parsely]

Hi, I have started adding corals to my first reef tank, I am about 10months in. It was recommended to me that I begin dosing. I was researching using all for reef as the all in one dosing seems to be the easiest.

Before any dosing I measured my parameters. My calcium was quite low at about 290, the instructions on the all for reef say to dose until you see carbonate hardness of 7-9. When I measured my carbonate hardness it was about 7.5.

So my question is should I be using the all for reef as the carbonate hardness is already in range? Or should I get a separate calcium supplement? Id really like to be able to use an all in one solution but am not sure if that is appropriate for me.

Thanks

 

[TheSheff]

Hi, I have started adding corals to my first reef tank, I am about 10months in. It was recommended to me that I begin dosing. I was researching using all for reef as the all in one dosing seems to be the easiest.

Before any dosing I measured my parameters. My calcium was quite low at about 290, the instructions on the all for reef say to dose until you see carbonate hardness of 7-9. When I measured my carbonate hardness it was about 7.5.

So my question is should I be using the all for reef as the carbonate hardness is already in range? Or should I get a separate calcium supplement? Id really like to be able to use an all in one solution but am not sure if that is appropriate for me.

Thanks

The best way to dose all for reef is by using 2-part additives to get to where your parameters should be, and then start dosing all for reef. BRS sells some good 2-part additives that I have used for that purpose. What test kits do you have?

 

[Parsely]

The best way to dose all for reef is by using 2-part additives to get to where your parameters should be, and then start dosing all for reef. BRS sells some good 2-part additives that I have used for that purpose. What test kits do you have?

I just have the API kits right now. I haven't heard the term 2 part additives before, does that mean dosing each element separately?

 

[paragrouper]

The best way to dose all for reef is by using 2-part additives to get to where your parameters should be, and then start dosing all for reef. BRS sells some good 2-part additives that I have used for that purpose. What test kits do you have?

I just started all for reef and this is what I did.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Before doing anything, I would double check the calcium, seems very unlikely to me to be that low.

Do you have a lot of corals in your tank?

 

[Parsely]

Before doing anything, I would double check the calcium, seems very unlikely to me to be that low.

Do you have a lot of corals in your tank?

Not many at all, I have a small Zoa garden, a duncan and i just added a pulsing xenia. My tank is a fluval evo 13.5.

I measured twice and got 270 the first time and 300 the second time, I can try again to make sure. My last water change was 3 days ago fwiw

 

[TheSheff]

I just have the API kits right now. I haven't heard the term 2 part additives before, does that mean dosing each element separately?

yes, so where all for reef is a combination of calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, and trace elements in one solution, 2-parts are all of those elements dosed separately , and depsite the name it is usually more than 2-parts lol :

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/2-pa...=11130&indexName=brs_prod_m2_default_products
The API tests are pretty bad for those elements especially lol I would recommend the hanna for alkalinity, and salifert for calcium and magnesium:

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/alka...D=5274&indexName=brs_prod_m2_default_products

Salifert Calcium Aquarium Test Kit

Get accurate, easy to read calcium readings in minutes! Trusted by discerning reefers for years, Salifert Test Kits feature some of the easiest to read results available. Their test kits include easy to follow instructions and straightforward, accurate results. Salifert test kits are also some...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Salifert Magnesium Aquarium Test Kit

Get accurate, easy to read magnesium results in minutes! Trusted by discerning reefers for years, Salifert Test Kits feature some of the easiest to read results available. Their test kits include easy to follow instructions and straightforward, accurate results. Salifert test kits are also...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

honestly , really no need at all to be dosing anything. There is nothing in your tank that is taking up nutrients faster than you are replenishing through water changes.

I would suggest against it for now, keep it simple. Invest in better test kits, and do more research to understand test kits and how all the nutrients relate to each other etc....

 

[Parsely]

yes, so where all for reef is a combination of calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, and trace elements in one solution, 2-parts are all of those elements dosed separately , and depsite the name it is usually more than 2-parts lol :

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/2-pa...=11130&indexName=brs_prod_m2_default_products
The API tests are pretty bad for those elements especially lol I would recommend the hanna for alkalinity, and salifert for calcium and magnesium:

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/alka...D=5274&indexName=brs_prod_m2_default_products

Salifert Calcium Aquarium Test Kit

Get accurate, easy to read calcium readings in minutes! Trusted by discerning reefers for years, Salifert Test Kits feature some of the easiest to read results available. Their test kits include easy to follow instructions and straightforward, accurate results. Salifert test kits are also some...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Salifert Magnesium Aquarium Test Kit

Get accurate, easy to read magnesium results in minutes! Trusted by discerning reefers for years, Salifert Test Kits feature some of the easiest to read results available. Their test kits include easy to follow instructions and straightforward, accurate results. Salifert test kits are also...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Amazing thank you

 

[peterhos]

I started using All for Reef a few weeks back. It was easy to use some RO water to make up 500 ml. I have tried adding 10 ml and now 5 ml per day in my 50 gallon tank. 10 ml and my dKH went up - now fairly steady at 5 ml per day, but I am also adding sodium (bi)carbonate at half a teaspoonful every 3 days to maintain dKH at around 8.5. I like the ease of using All for Reef so I shall stick with it.

 

[Parsely]

honestly , really no need at all to be dosing anything. There is nothing in your tank that is taking up nutrients faster than you are replenishing through water changes.

I would suggest against it for now, keep it simple. Invest in better test kits, and do more research to understand test kits and how all the nutrients relate to each other etc....

Interesting, I was away earlier in the summer and slacked a bit on the water changes. Maybe that caused some additional depletion, Ill do a couple of larger ones and retest to see how things are.

 

[SPS2020]

honestly , really no need at all to be dosing anything. There is nothing in your tank that is taking up nutrients faster than you are replenishing through water changes.

I would suggest against it for now, keep it simple. Invest in better test kits, and do more research to understand test kits and how all the nutrients relate to each other etc....

^^^THIS^^^

 

[paragrouper]

honestly , really no need at all to be dosing anything. There is nothing in your tank that is taking up nutrients faster than you are replenishing through water changes.

I would suggest against it for now, keep it simple. Invest in better test kits, and do more research to understand test kits and how all the nutrients relate to each other etc....

Your‘s was a good question and, in light of the OP’s response, I would agree.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi, I have started adding corals to my first reef tank, I am about 10months in. It was recommended to me that I begin dosing. I was researching using all for reef as the all in one dosing seems to be the easiest.

Before any dosing I measured my parameters. My calcium was quite low at about 290, the instructions on the all for reef say to dose until you see carbonate hardness of 7-9. When I measured my carbonate hardness it was about 7.5.

So my question is should I be using the all for reef as the carbonate hardness is already in range? Or should I get a separate calcium supplement? Id really like to be able to use an all in one solution but am not sure if that is appropriate for me.

Thanks

What salt mix are you using? What salinity?

I'd be very surprised if calcium at 290 ppm is correct unless salinity is very low. Aside from a bad batch of salt, which is very rare, there's no way to get there and have 7.5 dKH with any salt mix unless it was very high alk to begin with.

Also, if alk is 7.5 dKH, I'm not sure any dosing of AFR is warranted.

 

[Uncle99]

Just regular water changes until they can’t keep up with uptake.
I dose MG, CA and Alk separately, I like to run specific levels and individual dosing allows me “tune” my water chemistry better.

I don’t chase numbers but do follow the trends carefully.

 

[Parsely]

What salt mix are you using? What salinity?

I'd be very surprised if calcium at 290 ppm is correct unless salinity is very low. Aside from a bad batch of salt, which is very rare, there's no way to get there and have 7.5 dKH with any salt mix unless it was very high alk to begin with.

Also, if alk is 7.5 dKH, I'm not sure any dosing of AFR is warranted.

I have fritz pro aquatics reef pro mix and keep it at 1.025

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have fritz pro aquatics reef pro mix and keep it at 1.025

Then I do not think it likely the calcium value is real. It is probably more like 350-400 ppm.

I'd raise the salinity to 35 ppt 9sg = 1.0264), which will raise calcium some, and test again vs the new salt water you use.

 

[Parsely]

Then I do not think it likely the calcium value is real. It is probably more like 350-400 ppm.

I'd raise the salinity to 35 ppt 9sg = 1.0264), which will raise calcium some, and test again vs the new salt water you use.

Ok ill make a batch at a higher concentration and see if it improves after a few water changes