Dosing All for Reef Questions

[Somethinchill]

I am new to the group and hoping someone can help me out. My 65g (total volume is around 60-65 with sump) and tank is currently fallow. I will add 3 fish back on 3/20. I have been having been raising my alk since mid Feb as I realized that the premixed water I've been buying from my LFS had dropped to 5.4. Since I have been mixing my own salt (Fritz RPM Pro). I do a 10g water change weekly. My tank is not heavily stocked with coral and I plan on it being a mixed reef (see pic). I would like my alk to be between 8-9, Cal 430- 450, mag 1350 - 1400. I've read that once you get your numbers where you want them, you can start All for Reef to try and keep them stable. Also, the white rock structure in the middle (most of the tank) is dry live rock from BRS that I got in mid December. Any suggestions on getting my numbers stable and info on All for Reef is appreciated.

2/15 pre WC:
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 7.7
Cal: 441
Mag: 1270
pH: didn't test

2/15 after WC
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 7.7
Cal: 478
Mag: 1260
pH: 7.45

Today pre WC: Will be doing a WC later today when temp is ready.
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 839
Cal: 409
Mag: 1260
pH: 7.36

I've been dosing alk to bring it up and now my cal is low (which I know can be reflective of the Alk dosing) and my Mag and pH are low.

Dosing Alk is as follows:
2/17 - 7 +15ml alk
2/18 - 7 + 15ml
2/19 - 7.4 + 15ml
2/20 - 7.5 +15ml
2/21 - 7.8 +15 ml
2/22 - 7.9 +15ml
2/23 - 8.1
2/24 - did not test or add
2/25 - 7.7 +15ml
2/26 - did not test or add
2/27 - 7.6 +12ml
2/28 - 8 + 12ml
2/29 - did not test or add
3/1 - did not test or add
3/2 - 7.7 +15ml
3/3 - 7.8 +15ml
Today - 8.3 pre WC

 

[T Diddy]

I haven’t used it yet, but it seems much simpler than any two part, and kalkwasser just doesn’t cut it if you have enough coral growing. If I’m not mistaken, the all for reef is a calcium formate product, and relies on organisms in the aquarium to convert it into the compounds and ions needed by the coral. Having said that, it’s not something that will work overnight. A balance of bacteria and dosing with two part for a period of time must be achieved before you can be successful with all for reef alone (assuming you have an existing reef tank). If you’re just starting, then all for reef may be all you need in order to keep ideal chemistry parameters…just my $0.02

 

[Somethinchill]

I haven’t used it yet, but it seems much simpler than any two part, and kalkwasser just doesn’t cut it if you have enough coral growing. If I’m not mistaken, the all for reef is a calcium formate product, and relies on organisms in the aquarium to convert it into the compounds and ions needed by the coral. Having said that, it’s not something that will work overnight. A balance of bacteria and dosing with two part for a period of time must be achieved before you can be successful with all for reef alone (assuming you have an existing reef tank). If you’re just starting, then all for reef may be all you need in order to keep ideal chemistry parameters…just my $0.02

Yeah, all of my parameters seem to continue to drop even with weekly water changes. I can't even keep my pH up. I have a skimmer, plenty of surface agitation, and I run an algae scrubber from Santa Monica that has a bubbler. I guess I don't see how my numbers keep dropping with the little amount of coral I have. I assume I need to dose each element to get them within range first. Would that be as soon as they are in range, then use it? I know a lot of people start with half the dose.

 

[reefing102]

I dose all for reef. I actually need to recheck my consumption to see if I need to dose more.

Anyway, I originally did about 50% water change and got my alk where I wanted it. I then tested, waited 7 days and tested again to see what my overall consumption was and divided by 7 to get a daily average. I’ve read it’s important to test around the same time as numbers can swing through out the day.

I then did another water change to balance the numbers out again and began my dosing. I think I’m actually still on the half dose. So far so good.

Careful on overdosing. I way overdosed (dosing pump issue due to my negligence) and it spiked my alk above 16.

It’s honestly super simple to use in my opinion.

 

[Somethinchill]

I dose all for reef. I actually need to recheck my consumption to see if I need to dose more.

Anyway, I originally did about 50% water change and got my alk where I wanted it. I then tested, waited 7 days and tested again to see what my overall consumption was and divided by 7 to get a daily average. I’ve read it’s important to test around the same time as numbers can swing through out the day.

I then did another water change to balance the numbers out again and began my dosing. I think I’m actually still on the half dose. So far so good.

Careful on overdosing. I way overdosed (dosing pump issue due to my negligence) and it spiked my alk above 16.

It’s honestly super simple to use in my opinion.

I usually test my Alk daily in the evening. But on water change day, it could be late morning or early afternoon. I usually wait at least an hour after the WC to test. I also didn’t think about all that new dry live rock I added in December. I would think by now it’s not absorbing anything anymore or at least not as much. After my WC, I’ll test and should I dose what I need to in order to get the numbers where I want (over the week) and then start the all for reef. It seems like I kind of have an idea of what is used as I checked parameters before and after my last WC and will for this one. Just wondering if the alk will be off due to all the dosing of that one.

 

[reefing102]

As long as the all is balanced it shouldn’t be off with dosing another product. I would likely stop dosing other stuff once you start all for reef

 

[Somethinchill]

As long as the all is balanced it shouldn’t be off with dosing another product. I would likely stop dosing other stuff once you start all for reef

Thanks!