Initial All For Reef Dose

[ChiReefGuy3]

I've decided to switch from dosing 2-part to All For Reef. I see that the initial dose of All For Reef is suggested to be 5 ml per 100 liters however, on their website it looks like this only corresponds to the daily consumption of 0.28 dkh of alk. Currently my tank is consuming 0.7 dkh of alk per day. Can I increase this initial dose to match how much alk my tank uses right off the bat? Or will it screw something up if I don't follow the directions and start with a lower dose? @Lou Ekus

 

[ChiReefGuy3]

Additionally, as I wait for alk to show up (it’s my understanding there is a lag), should I keep dosing alk? @Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, raise the dose to match needs. I’d dose the matching amount each day for a few days and track alk.

 

[Lou Ekus]

I've decided to switch from dosing 2-part to All For Reef. I see that the initial dose of All For Reef is suggested to be 5 ml per 100 liters however, on their website it looks like this only corresponds to the daily consumption of 0.28 dkh of alk. Currently my tank is consuming 0.7 dkh of alk per day. Can I increase this initial dose to match how much alk my tank uses right off the bat? Or will it screw something up if I don't follow the directions and start with a lower dose? @Lou Ekus

YEs, you can increase and start from there. but go cautiously, as each system will utilize additives in different ways. So for the first week or two, during your transition, monitor at least Ca and alkalinty very closely to make sure you are not losing or gaining too much.

 

[ChiReefGuy3]

@Randy Holmes-Farley @Lou Ekus Thank you both so much!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[BR260354]

@Randy Holmes-Farley @Lou Ekus Thank you both so much!

How's it going thus far with AFR? I just started mine a few days ago.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

How's it going thus far with AFR? I just started mine a few days ago.

I’m not the OP, but I love AFR in my tank!

 

[Noodles_Jefferson]

Additionally, as I wait for alk to show up (it’s my understanding there is a lag), should I keep dosing alk? @Randy Holmes-Farley

The tip i got from my LFS when I started with AFR is to make sure your dosing for the optimum alk level (usually 8.5 to 9 dkh) and to keep some calcium and mag on hand in case you need to bring those levels up individually. My thought is if i'm going to be doing that anyway I may as well dose individually. I used AFR for a bit but ultimately went back to a two part system. I like having precise control of each individual additive. What I did get is a new doser, the Aquavitro Sentia doser. It's amazing and lets you dose fractions of a ml so you can really zero in on the exact amounts being consumed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The tip i got from my LFS when I started with AFR is to make sure your dosing for the optimum alk level (usually 8.5 to 9 dkh) and to keep some calcium and mag on hand in case you need to bring those levels up individually. My thought is if i'm going to be doing that anyway I may as well dose individually. I used AFR for a bit but ultimately went back to a two part system. I like having precise control of each individual additive. What I did get is a new doser, the Aquavitro Sentia doser. It's amazing and lets you dose fractions of a ml so you can really zero in on the exact amounts being consumed.

FWIW, AFR has a bit of excess calcium in it relative to alk, so bringing up calcium is rarely needed if you maintain alk with it.

 

[Noodles_Jefferson]

FWIW, AFR has a bit of excess calcium in it relative to alk, so bringing up calcium is rarely needed if you maintain alk with it.

for me my Calcium was in the 400 range, Mag about 1300 so i would add a bit of each individually because if i increased the AFR dosing my alk would get up into the 10dkh range which i felt was too high. Went back to Bionic recently and i'll be testing frequently to see how it goes.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

for me my Calcium was in the 400 range, Mag about 1300 so i would add a bit of each individually because if i increased the AFR dosing my alk would get up into the 10dkh range which i felt was too high. Went back to Bionic recently and i'll be testing frequently to see how it goes.

I agree that one cannot quickly raise calcium with AFR or any other fixed alk/calcium additive because alk rises too much, but if you maintain alk long term, calcium will slowly rise and tha tmay need correction by water change or by adding some alk in another fashion. The same is true of kalkwasser.