All for Reef: How to dose

Summary

In this video, Gage from Candy Coral Aquatics shares updates on his reef tank and offers insights on proper dosing techniques using All For Reef. He introduces a new addition, the one-spot yellow foxface rabbitfish, to help with algae control, and explains how to dose for optimal alkalinity levels in a reef tank. Gage provides clear instructions on how to adjust dosing based on your tank's needs, emphasizing the benefits of using All For Reef to supply essential elements without raising salinity. He also addresses how to maintain stable calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity levels with minimal effort.

Takeaways

• 😀 Update 1: Gage introduces a new addition to his tank – a one spot yellow fox face rabbitfish – to help with algae control on the glass.
• 😀 Update 2: Gage admits that algae growth on the tank glass is due to high phosphates caused by missed water changes while he was sick and in the hospital.
• 😀 💧 Dosage Tip 1: For the first dose of All-for-Reef, add 5 milliliters per 26 gallons of aquarium water, and calculate based on your tank's actual water volume after accounting for displacement from rocks and sand.
• 😀 💧 Dosage Tip 2: For a 60-gallon tank, Gage suggests starting with 10 milliliters of All-for-Reef for the first dose, considering water displacement.
• 😀 🔬 Test Alkalinity: On Day 2, test your alkalinity to ensure it’s within the recommended range of 7–9 dKH. If it's lower, increase the dosage gradually.
• 😀 ⚖️ Dosage Adjustment: If alkalinity is too low, add 2.5 milliliters per 26 gallons for each additional dose, increasing the amount weekly until the desired alkalinity level is reached.
• 😀 🗓️ Weekly Dosage: Continue dosing the adjusted amount every day for a week, then retest alkalinity to see if it has reached the target range.
• 😀 🌱 Long-Term Maintenance: As corals grow or more corals are added, test alkalinity monthly and adjust dosage if necessary to maintain stable levels of alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, and other trace elements.
• 😀 💡 Trace Elements: All-for-Reef provides all the necessary elements for corals, including calcium, magnesium, alkalinity, and trace elements, without the need for additional supplements.
• 😀 💧 Salinity Neutral: Unlike traditional salt mixes, All-for-Reef does not raise the salinity of the tank when broken down, making it more convenient and reliable for daily dosing without affecting water levels.

Q & A

Why did Gage add a yellow fox face rabbit fish to his tank?

Gage added the yellow fox face rabbit fish to help control the algae growth on the glass of his tank, as he had been neglecting water changes due to illness, leading to high phosphate levels and algae accumulation.

What kind of algae was Gage dealing with in his tank?

Gage was dealing with green algae on the glass of his aquarium, which was largely caused by high phosphate levels from not doing regular water changes.

What is 'All For Reef' and how does it help reef tanks?

'All For Reef' is a single solution that provides essential elements like calcium, magnesium, alkalinity, and trace elements needed for coral health. It simplifies dosing by combining multiple necessary components into one product.

How do you calculate the initial dose of All For Reef?

For the initial dose, you add 5 milliliters of All For Reef per 26 gallons (100 liters) of aquarium water. For Gage’s 60-gallon tank, he used approximately 10 milliliters for 55 gallons of water after accounting for natural water displacement due to rocks and sand.

What should you do if your alkalinity is low after the first dose of All For Reef?

If your alkalinity is low (below the desired 7-9 dKH range), you should increase the dose. For example, Gage added an extra 2.5 milliliters per 26 gallons of aquarium water on Day 2 after finding his alkalinity was too low.

How do you adjust the dosage of All For Reef as your tank's alkalinity improves?

If your alkalinity reaches the desired range (7-9 dKH), you can continue dosing the same amount. However, if your alkalinity is still low, you increase the dose by 2.5 milliliters per 26 gallons of water each week until it stabilizes within the desired range.

Why is it important to consider natural water displacement when calculating the dose of All For Reef?

Natural water displacement from rocks, coral, and sand means the actual water volume in the tank is less than the total tank volume. This should be accounted for when calculating the correct dose of All For Reef to avoid over- or under-dosing.

How often should you retest your alkalinity when dosing All For Reef?

You should retest your alkalinity regularly, especially at the start of dosing. Once the desired alkalinity is achieved, you can test every 2-3 weeks. As your corals grow and use more nutrients, you may need to adjust the dosage accordingly.

What is the benefit of using All For Reef compared to traditional two-part dosing solutions?

All For Reef combines multiple essential elements (calcium, magnesium, alkalinity, trace elements) in one solution, making it easier to maintain balanced water chemistry without needing separate products for each element, as is the case with traditional two-part solutions.

Does All For Reef affect the salinity of the tank?

No, All For Reef does not affect the salinity of the tank, unlike traditional salt mixes. This makes it easier to dose without worrying about fluctuating salt levels, as the product doesn’t contribute to salinity changes.