Aquaforest products- Component 1+2+3+

[plyle02]

Thank you for response. I will start with 150ml of each and go from there. I understand not to raise levels with the components+ due to the microelements.

Michael,
If it were me, I would test alk/ca/and mag the morning before you go online with the component system, then begin dosing. The next morning, the same time, I would again test alk. I would repeat this process every morning, increasing or decreasing the dosing amounts, based on your alk readings. Once you are at you're desired alk level, which should be 6.5-7.5 roughly, I would then confirm every morning for a week to ensure you are locked in. I say this because alk is the least forgiving parameter we test with regards to sps. I truly believe that once you lock in alk, you will likely be locked in on all the others. We have used this system at the shop I work at for 2 months now, it really holds all levels consistently, based on my test results there. I will soon be online with my home reef.
Regards,

 

[Tweaked]

Michael,
If it were me, I would test alk/ca/and mag the morning before you go online with the component system, then begin dosing. The next morning, the same time, I would again test alk. I would repeat this process every morning, increasing or decreasing the dosing amounts, based on your alk readings. Once you are at you're desired alk level, which should be 6.5-7.5 roughly, I would then confirm every morning for a week to ensure you are locked in. I say this because alk is the least forgiving parameter we test with regards to sps. I truly believe that once you lock in alk, you will likely be locked in on all the others. We have used this system at the shop I work at for 2 months now, it really holds all levels consistently, based on my test results there. I will soon be online with my home reef.
Regards,

Great info Perry.

 

[elviraveloz]

Exactly what I did. I just started with sps not long ago. All I have is a bunch of frags so I'm only dosing 59 ml daily, keeping alk at 7.0-7.5.

 

[MichaelW]

Michael,
If it were me, I would test alk/ca/and mag the morning before you go online with the component system, then begin dosing. The next morning, the same time, I would again test alk. I would repeat this process every morning, increasing or decreasing the dosing amounts, based on your alk readings. Once you are at you're desired alk level, which should be 6.5-7.5 roughly, I would then confirm every morning for a week to ensure you are locked in. I say this because alk is the least forgiving parameter we test with regards to sps. I truly believe that once you lock in alk, you will likely be locked in on all the others. We have used this system at the shop I work at for 2 months now, it really holds all levels consistently, based on my test results there. I will soon be online with my home reef.
Regards,

Yes this is exactly what I was going to do (except test at night as I don't have time in morning) I was just looking for a rough estimate start amount so I'm the first day I don't drop a whole 1 dkh hrough not dosing enough. My alk now sits at 7.3 and that's where I want to keep it. I would actually probably prefers to over estimate my dose and see it rise to say 7.5 ( then I can just lower the dosage from there) than underside and have to worry about raising it up more with other products. I might start with 200ml of each to start and see where that takes me. I think from looking in Debora's thread she was dosing 250 ml of each.
I will have to look into getting more soon as it will be used up quick. Or I guess you can by the components seperatly and mix your own. I'm guessing it mixes up Exactly like the pre made product and probably works out cheaper?

 

[plyle02]

I would always go less for starting points than more, spiking alk is less forgivable than declining alk, IMO and experience.

 

[MichaelW]

Yeah thinking about it that makes more sense. The aquaforest balling salts must be less concentrated than many of the other brands. Not saying that as a negative just an observation. I was a little shocked to see how much I might need to dose to keep constant levels. One package of the product won't last too long but is also not as expensive as the products I was using before.
Does any one here know if the premixed components + are exactly the same as if you were to buy the alk buffer etc and add the components strong yourself? This way you wouldn't be paying for water also.

 

[plyle02]

Yeah thinking about it that makes more sense. The aquaforest balling salts must be less concentrated than many of the other brands. Not saying that as a negative just an observation. I was a little shocked to see how much I might need to dose to keep constant levels. One package of the product won't last too long but is also not as expensive as the products I was using before.
Does any one here know if the premixed components + are exactly the same as if you were to buy the alk buffer etc and add the components strong yourself? This way you wouldn't be paying for water also.

Michael,
I think you will be surprised at how little you will need, I think once your corals settle in and begin growth, obviously your demand will increase, but your starting point will likely be less than what is indicated in terms of suggested dosing. For this, I say start at 1/2 what the volume replenishment indicates on dosing, take it from there, either increase or decrease based on your test results. Going to be tricky the first week, but this would occur with any 2 part transition. The positive is that you need nothing else in terms of trace, so that right there makes this mix valuable, at least to me. As far as the dry versus pre-mixed, I would imagine this would be the same, you would just have to figure ratios and so forth. I will look into this a bit deeper and get back to the thread.
Cheers Michael

 

[fessoclown]

Following along, thanks Perry for the explanation.... please do continue this thread. I am currently holding fast with just kalk but my intention is to move to component 1+2+3 once Kalk can't keep up.....

150 ml a day does seem to be quite a bit as the 5L would only last 1 month... that gets pricey....

 

[MichaelW]

In the AF manual for the dry powders it does say mix 50grams of calcium and 10 grams of magnesium in 1000ml ow water, 80 grams of kh buffer in 1000ml of water, and 25 grams mineral salt in 1000 grams water. Also has about adding 5 ml of the different components strong in the different solutions. In guessing this produces exactly what is in the pre made bottles?

 

[MichaelW]

Now I need to go look up the prices and amounts of each of these to work out price differences between the pre made.

 

[plyle02]

Now I need to go look up the prices and amounts of each of these to work out price differences between the pre made.

Michael,
I kind of figured the products were assembled this way. I will likely be using the pre-mixed to see how the tank reacts, but keep me posted on your findings should you gravitate towards the dry formula.
Thanks,

 

[MichaelW]

To aquaforest rep,
If you mix your own with the dry kh, ca,mag,and mineral salts and add the components strong, do you end up with exactly the same product? And would it be more cost effective?

 

[Aquaforest]

As You Can see in our Guide

There is few ways to dose Macro and Micro:

1 - Ca Plus, KH Plus, MG Plus (macro) + Component A, Component B, Component C(micro)
2 - Calcium, Magnesium, KH Buffer, Reef Mineral Salt ( Macro) + Components Strong (micro)
3- Calcium, Magnesium, KH Buffer, Reef Mineral Salt ( Macro) + Kalium, Iodum, Fluorine, Iron, Strontium, Micro E (micro)
4 - Component 1+2+3+

Every ways working the same - but Aquarist should find comfortable products for self


Regards,
Aquaforest

 

[Tweaked]

Shouldn't option "1" also include Kalium for others looking at options? This confused me at first as I did not see that either three of the components ABC contained Kalium, so I am balling it manually.

 

[MichaelW]

So option 2 produces the exact same as option 4? I have option 4 being delivered today but when I have used it up I may do option 2 if it is the same but costs less.

 

[Marc11]

So I run ABC with Kalk for Alk and Cal. Should I also be dosing Kalium? I was under the impression that all micronutrients were in ABC.

 

[Tweaked]

So I run ABC with Kalk for Alk and Cal. Should I also be dosing Kalium? I was under the impression that all micronutrients were in ABC.

No, Kalium is not in ABC

 

[Aquaforest]

So option 2 produces the exact same as option 4? I have option 4 being delivered today but when I have used it up I may do option 2 if it is the same but costs less.

Yes.
2=4


Aquaforest

 

[mordibv]

So option 2 produces the exact same as option 4? I have option 4 being delivered today but when I have used it up I may do option 2 if it is the same but costs less.

Sent u a PM . Didn't want to derail the thread .

 

[Magem]

Yes.

2=4





Aquaforest

In relation with option 2, Where can I find the quantity of grams and ml of each product to mix with RO water and prepare the three components? Thanks !