All for Reef Dosing Question

[brianfarm6767]

Hello,
I started using All for Reef on my 20 gallon nano a few weeks ago when I noticed my alk and calcium were on the lower side. I have been dosing 3ml each day manually and started dosing using a pump this past week over the course of the day. I have been testing every other day or so this week to make sure the pump was putting out the proper amount and noticed something off. My magnesium keeps rising by a little every time I test while my alk and PH are going down slighly. Calcium seems to be staying pretty good.
I am using Hanna Checkers for everything except magnesium and I am using Red Sea Pro for that. Tank is about 6 months old with 3 fish and a handful or frags that I have been slowly adding. I am confused on if I should up my dose on all for reef to get alk stable or if I need to lower it to keep magnesium from going too high.

Over the past week my tank went from

Temp - 78
Salinity - 1.026
PH - 7.81
Nitrate - 3
Phosphate - .15
Calcium - 410
Alk - 8.5
Magnesium - 1350

Tonights test

Temp - 78
Salinity - 1.026
PH - 7.75
Nitrate - 3.5
Phosphate - .19
Calcium - 420
Alk - 7.9
Magnesium - 1450


Thanks for any input.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ignore the magnesium. Any changes in a week are test error.

If alk is not keeping up, you need to dose more AFR each day. In the short term (weeks), calcium and magnesium will follow along just fine.

 

[brianfarm6767]

Ignore the magnesium. Any changes in a week are test error.

If alk is not keeping up, you need to dose more AFR each day. In the short term (weeks), calcium and magnesium will follow along just fine.

I just got done reading your post about the RMM method. Thanks for all the great info.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I just got done reading your post about the RMM method. Thanks for all the great info.

You’re welcome

Happy Reefing!

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Hello,
I started using All for Reef on my 20 gallon nano a few weeks ago when I noticed my alk and calcium were on the lower side. I have been dosing 3ml each day manually and started dosing using a pump this past week over the course of the day. I have been testing every other day or so this week to make sure the pump was putting out the proper amount and noticed something off. My magnesium keeps rising by a little every time I test while my alk and PH are going down slighly. Calcium seems to be staying pretty good.
I am using Hanna Checkers for everything except magnesium and I am using Red Sea Pro for that. Tank is about 6 months old with 3 fish and a handful or frags that I have been slowly adding. I am confused on if I should up my dose on all for reef to get alk stable or if I need to lower it to keep magnesium from going too high.

Over the past week my tank went from

Temp - 78
Salinity - 1.026
PH - 7.81
Nitrate - 3
Phosphate - .15
Calcium - 410
Alk - 8.5
Magnesium - 1350

Tonights test

Temp - 78
Salinity - 1.026
PH - 7.75
Nitrate - 3.5
Phosphate - .19
Calcium - 420
Alk - 7.9
Magnesium - 1450


Thanks for any input.

Was anyone going to address the ph of 7.8? That's what I'd be more concerned about. 410 Ca is fine.

 

[787will]

There's nothing wrong with that ph. in fact its pretty standard if you're not using a CO2 scrubber or drawing outside air.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

There's nothing wrong with that ph. in fact its pretty standard if you're not using a CO2 scrubber or drawing outside air.

not an issue for SPS?

 

[787will]

not an issue for SPS?

Not as long at you keep it within a stable range. stability is the key. Decide on your numbers and keep them there.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Growth of hard corals may be slower and some may have an issue at that pH, but also many nice tanks have a pH range that is 7.8 at its daily low.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Not as long at you keep it within a stable range. stability is the key. Decide on your numbers and keep them there.

got it. That's good to keep in mind. Every single coral I look up tells me parameters that say 8.1-8.4. So, it is confusing to me.

Also, I was looking up refund info today from the sale that is happening this weekend and they specify that if you don't have parameters in a certain range, you aren't eligible for return or exchange (which I thought was silly).