Issues dosing All For Reef.

[Heart is what matters]

Hello My friends, i have a 105gallon Reef tank just lps, zoas and softies. I’ve been dosing 22ml of all for reef daily for about 9 months, alkalinity has always been stable my issue is calcium, it’s always been high im thinking of ditching all for reef and going to a regular 2-part any thoughts?
the reason i do all for reef is i don’t do water changes i believe in as long as nutrient export is being handled and elements replaced no need for water change.
here are the parameters.

Salinity 35ppt
Alkalinity 8.3-8.5
Calcium 536-530
Phosphate 0.07
Nitrate 1.7
Hannah test

my parameters stated within this range.
help would be greatly appreciated.

a part from all for reef i dose acropower and reef energy ab+.

 

[Saltyreef]

AFR instructions state that some minor adjustment may be needed over time amd almost certainly before starting.

I would recommend ceasing dosing until your calcium level returns to normal and then re evaluate/ regain optimal levels by dosing each element by hand before resuming AFR.

 

[Midrats]

@Hans-Werner

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not know the exact ratio of calcium to alk in All For Reef, but no additive system can be exactly balanced for alk to calcium in all reef tanks because the ratio varies a small amount based on a variety of processes (such as the amount of coralline (it's a lower calcium to alk user than abiotic precipitation or most corals) or the changing levels of nitrate (rising nitrate depletes alk, nitrate dosing adds alk).

This effect is especially problematic in a no water change scenario.

My suggestion is to reduce the all for reef and add a pure alk additive to the routine for a while (same total alk dosed), and let calcium drop a bit.

That said, that level of calcium is not presently a concern. I recommend 400-550 ppm for calcium.

 

[Hans-Werner]

I agree with Randy. Reduce All-For-Reef and use an alkalinity additive to balance the lacking or dropping alkalinity.