ZElements vs. All for Reef

[chitmonj]

Hi all-

I’m almost ready to either switch or restock my dosing products.

Currently using ZElements

2 Part PH plus
Vita Plus
Amino Plus

Recently I’ve seen success of people only dosing All for Reef and was looking for some advice of if switching over to 1 product would be a better solution.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What do you hope to accomplish with a switch?

Why did you pick z elements to begin with?

 

[chitmonj]

What do you hope to accomplish with a switch?

Why did you pick z elements to begin with?

The switch would only be because of the amounts being used of PH Plus. As the tank continues to grow it’s getting to be a bit excessive of PH Plus. I already dose Kalk for evaporation.

Originally I dosed Z-Elements 2 part Complete. But the winters in Scotland saw my flat become a CO2 nightmare. So I made the switch from Complete to PH Plus.

When making that switch I saw my consumption double. Now this could have been due to the increase in ph and in turn the corals consumption of alk, but I did maintain the 8.3 steady with the ph plus in the winter. And alk stayed the same with the increased amounts. The PH in the winter was dropping to around 7.2. I could get an increase with a CO2 disposable media canister hooked up to the skimmer. But that only lasted 2 weeks. I then ran the skimmer line outside hoping that would make the fix. But I was still falling

I started with Zelements as a friend was using it with success.

It’s now a question of if adding increased levels of anything to achieve a common goal, is it better to just have increased levels of 1 product that does the work of 4.

I’ve never gotten a straight answer when I have messaged them that there is any difference between Complete and ph Plus. I know they say the ratios are the same, so if that were the case I could have just increased the 2 Part Complete. I just didn’t feel right when they had a product that was marketed to raise PH and was essentially the same product. I might be missing something that is actually in there raising PH.

Now that’s not to say the All for Reef can accomplish a raised pH in a CO2 filled environment, but the success of others in the same conditions has made me reconsider my original solution and fix.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

AFR will do nothing for pH.

Maybe increase surface agitation will help but even cracking a window should help somewhat.

AFR will only give you trace elements and raise the dkh and calcium and add magnesium. If the product your already using works no sense changing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Right, if low pH is a concern , All for Reef is a sub optimal choice. There are many two part systems and diy two parts that will boost pH.