All for reef.

[PetitReef]

Not easier, but there are two issues:

1. AFR does not give any pH boost. In that context, it is overall identical to bicarbonate dosing.
2. One may need separate solutions to occasionally adjust the big 3 independent of AFR if the tank is not using them in the same ratio they are in AFR.

And one that is not necessarily an issue, but...

With lots of two/three parts to pick from, one has more control over which trace elements are dosed and how much.

Hi @Randy Holmes-Farley , it’s true that AFR shouldn’t raise PH but on my system my PH remain quite high using AFR.

Between 8.2 and 8.4 when home and even higher while away for vacation.
My 300l tank have been on AFR for the past 18 month.

My corals are quite small and I do have automatic water change, so I only need to dose 18ml a day at the moment.
I have the 1,6kg box and do it by batch of 2 litter with a stirrer bought on Amazon (necessary small investment as the powder require lot of stirring to fully dissolve)

So the cost isn’t really more expensive than a 3 part + trace


The biggest advantage in my opinion is the concentration of AFR in comparaison to kalk or balling. I remember a video from @Lou Ekus that showed the difference of potency between AFR and kalk and that what’s decided me to put my avast kalk stirrer on the bench and try AFR

In my 2 liter container, have more than 100 days of alk, calcium, mag, traces. That’s a lot of space saving.

And as it use only one head of my doser, I can use the other three for either amino, bacto balance / vodka /vinegar , peroxide or even extra alk to support AFR or mix with extra traces based on ICP.

Overall I find it a very practical et not that expensive if using the powder to create your baseline and from there tweak for the remaining traces or organic
,

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hi @Randy Holmes-Farley , it’s true that AFR shouldn’t raise PH but on my system my PH remain quite high using AFR.

Between 8.2 and 8.4 when home and even higher while away for vacation.
My 300l tank have been on AFR for the past 18 month.

My corals are quite small and I do have automatic water change, so I only need to dose 18ml a day at the moment.
I have the 1,6kg box and do it by batch of 2 litter with a stirrer bought on Amazon (necessary small investment as the powder require lot of stirring to fully dissolve)

So the cost isn’t really more expensive than a 3 part + trace


The biggest advantage in my opinion is the concentration of AFR in comparaison to kalk or balling. I remember a video from @Lou Ekus that showed the difference of potency between AFR and kalk and that what’s decided me to put my avast kalk stirrer on the bench and try AFR

In my 2 liter container, have more than 100 days of alk, calcium, mag, traces. That’s a lot of space saving.

And as it use only one head of my doser, I can use the other three for either amino, bacto balance / vodka /vinegar , peroxide or even extra alk to support AFR or mix with extra traces based on ICP.

Overall I find it a very practical et not that expensive if using the powder to create your baseline and from there tweak for the remaining traces or organic
,

What is your alkalinity?

There's nothing wrong with pH 8.2 to 8.4. It seems perfect to me. The AFR is not contributing to increasing it, but certainly other things raise pH, such as photosynthesis, or having alk above 7 dKH.

The pH above 8.4 (such as 8.7) may not be accurate, but if it is, it will come down simply with more aeration.

AFR is not more concentrated than a two part, but I agree it is one or two less dosing pumps.

 

[PetitReef]

My alk is around 8.4. My PH is also high right now because the appartement is empty so no CO2.
But you are right that I should check the sonde calibration when returning.

Need to check indeed the comparaison with balling. To see what my 18ml AFR would translate in balling A B C

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

My alk is around 8.4. My PH is also high right now because the appartement is empty so no CO2.
But you are right that I should check the sonde calibration when returning.

Need to check indeed the comparaison with balling. To see what my 18ml AFR would translate in balling A B C

18 mL of AFR is similar in potency to about 18 mL of each of the two parts of my DIY carbonate or hydroxide recipes, plus about 36 mL of Balling Part C.

 

[PetitReef]

I probably used the wrong word with potency but this is what I meant.

18ml daily AFR vs 72ml of two part + part c
So 2L container VS 2L + 2L + 4L containers

That’s the advantage I see with the formate form dosing. Knowing that can use the two other pump left to fine tune the balance between alk and calcium or traces if my tank require it.

As for the cost, with my current consumption that will most likely increase in the months to come and based on the 1.6 Kilos powder pack.
It’s about 0,13 cents a day.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I probably used the wrong word with potency but this is what I meant.

18ml daily AFR vs 72ml of two part + part c
So 2L container VS 2L + 2L + 4L containers

That’s the advantage I see with the formate form dosing. Knowing that can use the two other pump left to fine tune the balance between alk and calcium or traces if my tank require it.

As for the cost, with my current consumption that will most likely increase in the months to come and based on the 1.6 Kilos powder pack.
It’s about 0,13 cents a day.

The volume of two part would be less using a true two part, such as B-ionic, which would be a less than twice what you use now, but I understand the volume is really not as important as the number of dosing pumps/heads needed.