All for Reef dosing

[Napoliandy]

Ok, I have a few questions that I’m concerned about. I have been dosing all for reef on a 100 gallon tank which is a mixed reef with 50 percent sps corals. For the most part it keeps the parameters. Occasionally I have to dose kalk. Otherwise it’s good. I have been using it for a month and I can’t believe the results that I’m seeing. Corals colored up and started encrusting way more, but!
I have started to have red film on the glass and on some of my rocks. Today I did a water change and realized I’m starting to get green hair algae. It was a strange hair algae because it just litterally pealed off the rock, when I had a bout with it before, I had to tug and pull at it.
Anyway, I’m thinking that the trace elements might be too much. I saw a similar situation happen when I was dosing Red Sea trace colors and it annoyed me so much, I just stopped.
Please give me some insight on this issue, because I really like the product and I intended on finishing the product and making my decision.
I will say that I recently had to put new corals in there because of a mishap with my frag tank. I hated to do it, but I had no choice. That could be the issue in itself.
My phosphate is at 0.06 or 0.08
Nitrate are at 6.
Has anyone had this issue or am I doing something wrong. I’m up to 45ml a day and I dose in the am before the lights come on.
Please give me any insight that you might have.

 

[exnisstech]

Probably not much help but I've been dosing AFR on one tank of 65g total for a few months. I'm at 30ml a day and like you corals have never looked better. I'm not getting the film or algae that you speak of tho. I have two other tanks that I do not use AFR on and I don't really notice any difference as far as having to clean glass more often or anything like that. Not sure if it matters but I do dose small amounts of bacto balance also to each tank. Tests today had PO4 at 0.02 and NO3 4.2.

 

[Napoliandy]

Probably not much help but I've been dosing AFR on one tank of 65g total for a few months. I'm at 30ml a day and like you corals have never looked better. I'm not getting the film or algae that you speak of tho. I have two other tanks that I do not use AFR on and I don't really notice any difference as far as having to clean glass more often or anything like that. Not sure if it matters but I do dose small amounts of bacto balance also to each tank. Tests today had PO4 at 0.02 and NO3 4.2.

Thanks. Is it possible it came in on the few corals I put in there.

 

[areefer01]

I've used AFR for a couple years now and haven't seen what you describe. I made the switch from ESV 2 part. My display is 210 gallons, mixed reef, 7 years old, and dose about 90 ml/day.

I run a higher nutrient system with phosphates pushing up to 2.2 ppm. Nitrates run about 32 ppm. I've had both parameters lower and in both cases the changes is gradual over time. Only reason to mention this is that I have run with high and low nutrients and not seen it while also dosing AFR. No major hair algae or similar outbreaks one typically associates with them.

That being said I do run into a few small bouts of cyano throughout the year. I do not attribute it to dosing AFR as I've also seen this when dosing ESV 2 part. It is just how my system operates. I typically blow it off with a turkey baster if it is on a rock or substrate if there. Pretty sure I could clear it if I went without lights for a few days or dose something from a bottle but since it doesn't bother me I just let it go.

TL; DR I've not seen any correlation to dosing AFR and what you describe. I do see small bouts of cyano but in my system it isn't related. In my opinion.

 

[Napoliandy]

I've used AFR for a couple years now and haven't seen what you describe. I made the switch from ESV 2 part. My display is 210 gallons, mixed reef, 7 years old, and dose about 90 ml/day.

I run a higher nutrient system with phosphates pushing up to 2.2 ppm. Nitrates run about 32 ppm. I've had both parameters lower and in both cases the changes is gradual over time. Only reason to mention this is that I have run with high and low nutrients and not seen it while also dosing AFR. No major hair algae or similar outbreaks one typically associates with them.

That being said I do run into a few small bouts of cyano throughout the year. I do not attribute it to dosing AFR as I've also seen this when dosing ESV 2 part. It is just how my system operates. I typically blow it off with a turkey baster if it is on a rock or substrate if there. Pretty sure I could clear it if I went without lights for a few days or dose something from a bottle but since it doesn't bother me I just let it go.

TL; DR I've not seen any correlation to dosing AFR and what you describe. I do see small bouts of cyano but in my system it isn't related. In my opinion.

Ok. Thank you so much. How do you dose you afr. Am I doing it right by once in the am or should I space out throughout the day.

 

[areefer01]

Ok. Thank you so much. How do you dose you afr. Am I doing it right by once in the am or should I space out throughout the day.

I dose it via my controller. Basically I dose 90 ml/day and the controller takes that and divides it up across my dosing window. I start at 0800 and end at 1700. I don't know if it matters doing it all at once or over time to be honest but this is how I have done it. My lighting starts at 0700 which is why I picked 0800 I guess.

I've not really dosed it any other way so cannot comment from experience how a single dose works. I tend to think it won't matter based on how the product works. Also I know a few with smaller systems 30 - 60 gallon range who manually dose at one time. They haven't had any ill effects.

My personal preference is over time with lights on but to be honest I don't know. I apologize for not having a specific answer.

 

[Formulator]

The algae is likely taking advantage of the improved water chemistry with trace elements. That’s the problem with trying to manage algae by tank chemistry alone. Corals love the same things as algae. Their tissue is full of algae in fact. IMO algae is better managed by a robust CUC, some elbow grease, and time to allow beneficial organisms like bacteria and coralline to outcompete the nuisance algae.

 

[Napoliandy]

I dose it via my controller. Basically I dose 90 ml/day and the controller takes that and divides it up across my dosing window. I start at 0800 and end at 1700. I don't know if it matters doing it all at once or over time to be honest but this is how I have done it. My lighting starts at 0700 which is why I picked 0800 I guess.

I've not really dosed it any other way so cannot comment from experience how a single dose works. I tend to think it won't matter based on how the product works. Also I know a few with smaller systems 30 - 60 gallon range who manually dose at one time. They haven't had any ill effects.

My personal preference is over time with lights on but to be honest I don't know. I apologize for not having a specific answer.

Don’t apologize. You have been helpful in so many ways. I was also questioning if it was a good choice for a larger tank with 50% sps and that was also answered. Thank you so much.

The algae is likely taking advantage of the improved water chemistry with trace elements. That’s the problem with trying to manage algae by tank chemistry alone. Corals love the same things as algae. Their tissue is full of algae in fact. IMO algae is better managed by a robust CUC, some elbow grease, and time to allow beneficial organisms like bacteria and coralline to outcompete the nuisance algae.

i hear that. Thanks. I am getting a Icp test soon and will send out in a few weeks to compare to a prior one done a few mths ago.

 

[Ziggy17]

Have you changed your lighting in any way since the change to AFr? Sometimes when you start adding something new, you change something else and forget you did.

 

[Napoliandy]

Have you changed your lighting in any way since the change to AFr? Sometimes when you start adding something new, you change something else and forget you did.

Not at all. Should I maybe lower my whites a bit or the length they are on.

 

[Ziggy17]

Not at all. Should I maybe lower my whites a bit or the length they are on.

For me, I wouldn’t adjust anything. I’m sure whatever is happening will either sort itself out or get worse to a point that some of the smart people on here can lead you to the cure.