Some Questions about All For Reef

[Fishbro]

Hey guys I’m new to dosing so bear with me here. My tank is about 2ish old now and I have 9 frags in my tank now (8 softies 1 LPS which is a Blasto. My Alk seems to be holding steady at 10.2 and I’m using Reef Crystals doing weekly water changes. I feel like I’m picking up a new frag every week haha and soon I’ll be getting more LPS so I want to be prepared to dose. I’m choosing All For Reef and their recommended dose to start is about 6 ml for my 32 gallon tank. Should I do that much or start with like 3? I should only dose when my Alk drops right? How much should my Alk drop before I dose All For Reef? Also since it’s an all in one when dosing for Alk does it also “adjust” mag and calcium to the right level? Sorry for all the questions but I kinda want to be prepared.

 

[Hydrored]

You only need to dose if water changes can’t keep up, test your alk every 24hrs and see what your drop is in between water changes. In always start with 50% when dosing anything. My recommendation is only dose all for reef if your parameters are currently where you want them. I would search the forum also, been a few discussions about this as of late.

 

[Fishbro]

You only need to dose if water changes can’t keep up, test your alk every 24hrs and see what your drop is in between water changes. In always start with 50% when dosing anything. My recommendation is only dose all for reef if your parameters are currently where you want them. I would search the forum also, been a few discussions about this as of late.

Wait I’m a little confused why would I dose if my parameters are where I want them?

 

[Hydrored]

meaning dose only alk or calcium to where you want it once you understand your drop. Then use afr to maintain.

 

[Fishbro]

meaning dose only alk or calcium to where you want it once you understand your drop. Then use afr to maintain.

Ohh ok I got it now

 

[Rybren]

AFR is a balanced additive (adds equal amounts of alk and Ca), so it is used to maintain desired levels. If your levels are not where they should be, then you would use an alk or Calcium additive to bring the levels in line to where you want them first and then start using AFR.

Note that the main ingredient in AFR is Calcium Formate, which does not add alk directly to the tank. It will take a day or more for the bacteria to break down the formate and release alk, therefore don't be in a big rush to test alk after dosing. It could lead to overdosing. Also, because only about 18-20ppm of calcium gets consumed for every 2.8 dKH of alk consumed, don't worry too much about testing for Ca initially when starting to dose. Focus on the alk.

One more thing, Calcium Formate will also act as carbon dosing, so if you are already carbon dosing, you might want to consider stopping it initially to see how you tank reacts. I've been able to stop dosing my DIY NOPOX altogether.

 

[Fishbro]

AFR is a balanced additive (adds equal amounts of alk and Ca), so it is used to maintain desired levels. If your levels are not where they should be, then you would use an alk or Calcium additive to bring the levels in line to where you want them first and then start using AFR.

Note that the main ingredient in AFR is Calcium Formate, which does not add alk directly to the tank. It will take a day or more for the bacteria to break down the formate and release alk, therefore don't be in a big rush to test alk after dosing. It could lead to overdosing. Also, because only about 18-20ppm of calcium gets consumed for every 2.8 dKH of alk consumed, don't worry too much about testing for Ca initially when starting to dose. Focus on the alk.

One more thing, Calcium Formate will also act as carbon dosing, so if you are already carbon dosing, you might want to consider stopping it initially to see how you tank reacts. I've been able to stop dosing my DIY NOPOX altogether.

Ok so when my levels are where I want them then I wait for them to drop then dose? So say after a water change all my levels are where I want them then my Alk drops the next day is that when I start to dose? Also if I test Alk the next day what if my corals already use the Alk that I dosed so it looks like I didn’t even dose?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok so when my levels are where I want them then I wait for them to drop then dose? So say after a water change all my levels are where I want them then my Alk drops the next day is that when I start to dose? Also if I test Alk the next day what if my corals already use the Alk that I dosed so it looks like I didn’t even dose?

There are many ways to approach this. That suggest is one of them. With All for reef, you need to wait a while to get the proper bacteria set up and ready to metabolize the formate or you won't see the alk addition with a kit.

You said you alk was holding steady at 10.2 dKH, in which case i don't see why you want to dose. In fact, I recommend that you do not dose this product as the alk will likely end up higher than desirable.

 

[Fishbro]

There are many ways to approach this. That suggest is one of them. With All for reef, you need to wait a while to get the proper bacteria set up and ready to metabolize the formate or you won't see the alk addition with a kit.

You said you alk was holding steady at 10.2 dKH, in which case i don't see why you want to dose. In fact, I recommend that you do not dose this product as the alk will likely end up higher than desirable.

Yeah it is currently holding steady at 10.2 but I just want to be prepared to start dosing if it drops. I’m picking up a few LPS this week and I’m sure they won’t require dosing just yet as they are still frags but testing will decide that. Do you recommend another product to dose with like BRS 2 part where I can individually dose?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yeah it is currently holding steady at 10.2 but I just want to be prepared to start dosing if it drops. I’m picking up a few LPS this week and I’m sure they won’t require dosing just yet as they are still frags but testing will decide that. Do you recommend another product to dose with like BRS 2 part where I can individually dose?

This product is perfectly fine, as it a two part. You won't need very much of either one until the hard corals or coralline algae begin to grow faster.

 

[Fishbro]

This product is perfectly fine, as it a two part. You won't need very much of either one until the hard corals or coralline algae begin to grow faster.

So would you recommend two part in my case instead of All for Reef? I’m leaning towards it now for being able to individually dose and adjust certain needs.

 

[Hydrored]

All for reef works great, I use it on my 120, it’s expensive on my tank. For your demands and tank of your size I think it’s a great product until it gets cost prohibitive

 

[Fishbro]

All for reef works great, I use it on my 120, it’s expensive on my tank. For your demands and tank of your size I think it’s a great product until it gets cost prohibitive

But the thing is I can’t individually dose for calcium like I could for 2 part. If my Alk is 10.2 and it goes down a bit I could end up getting more Alk than I want.

 

[Hydrored]

Doesn’t work that way. You should be dosing in equal parts unless you are intentionally trying to get certain parameters. @Randy Holmes-Farley has a couple great post on this.

 

[Fishbro]

Doesn’t work that way. You should be dosing in equal parts unless you are intentionally trying to get certain parameters. @Randy Holmes-Farley has a couple great post on this.

Ohh ok now I’m confused so why would I use two part if I would dose equal things? Now All for Reef seems better can you explain this haha.

 

[Krully]

Are Calc Mag and Alk depleted simultaneously at a set ratio? For example if Alk had lost x% in a day can we deduce that Calc and Mag have lost y% and z% in the same timeframe?
sorry if that’s off topic

 

[Fishbro]

Are Calc Mag and Alk depleted simultaneously at a set ratio? For example if Alk had lost x% in a day can we deduce that Calc and Mag have lost y% and z% in the same timeframe?
sorry if that’s off topic

Good question I’m wondering the same thing

 

[Hydrored]

I focus on alkalinity with all for reef, my trident test 6 times a day and auto adjust the dosing based on needs. Yes the calcium and magnesium goes up and down a bit but I’ve seen zero impact to coral and I don’t chase those numbers. The dosing calc with tell you how much of each per dose you will obtain. Here is the graph, varies from 8.30 to 8.36

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So would you recommend two part in my case instead of All for Reef? I’m leaning towards it now for being able to individually dose and adjust certain needs.

They are both fine choices. All for reef is not useful to make certain types of adjustments (calcium correction, in particular) that separate dosing of a two part can.

 

[Fishbro]

They are both fine choices. All for reef is not useful to make certain types of adjustments (calcium correction, in particular) that separate dosing of a two part can.

Randy, in your opinion in my 32 gallon tank, if you were deciding between two part and all for reef what would you choose?