All for Reef with Lou Ekus - 5 most asked questions, answered?

[@philsreef746]

Awesome video Paul. I can just listen to Lou all day every day - so knowledgeable and easy to understand.

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching Phil. Lou is great, easy to listen to and as you say knows his stuff 👍🏻

[@louekus]

Thanks Phil.

[@MikiCab1]

Excellent interview view. The tip to keep the tubes from crusting over was good advice.

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching 👌🏻 it is often small pieces of advice that you would never think of that helps prevent an issue and just makes life easier 🙌🏻

[@Reefspidey]

Lou is amazing, as is AFR

[@fishpalace]

He is a really nice guy and so knowledgable and agree AFR is a top product that corals seem to love 👌🏻

[@louekus]

Thanks Spidey

[@sosmra]

Great video so glad I came across this , Lou is great and this is coming to me at the right time. Great questions Thank you Paul.

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and your kind words. Lou is a great guest and chuffed you found it useful

[@louekus]

Thanks Sos.

[@tjhowell3282]

Very good video! Websites just need to use this video for selling it. Been thinking of using this for my 60 cube I’m starting up. All my questions answered in this video! Great job 👏🏻!

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and for your kind words. I have been using AFR for a while and they were the questions I had so took the opportunity to get Lou onto a video 👌🏻

[@paulsmith744]

I've been dosing the multiple additives then changed to all for reef and won't be going back to the the multiple additives . All corals showing better growth and colour. Aquarium now more consistent and stable. Very happy with this product ( game changer).Also made some for a colleague and he's seeing the same growth and stability.

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and great to hear how it has changed your tank. I think it is all down to replenishing the minor elements and that is the game changer. So much is made of alk, cal and mag, which I get, but you need all those others to get your corals to take that step up 👌🏻

[@ukm120]

Really interesting video Paul, thanks.

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching 👍🏻

[@richardgeorge4171]

Great info, thank you both! I am in the process if setting up a 125 mixed, and having been out of the hobby for about 8 years, having AFR to get a base start from is a great step in making the hobby more enjoyable and a little less work!

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and welcome back to this great hobby. A lot has changed but the basics are still the basics. 🙌🏻👌🏻👏🏻👍🏻

[@mteske1]

For crystallization I cut the line at an angle and it helps where it drips out. Also, I rarely do water changes so I like the all for reef since it has the trace elements.

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and like the cut line at an angle 🙌🏻. Adding minor trace elements is a big plus and corals love it 👍🏻👌🏻💪

[@LukeGreen_]

600 litre tank and i dose 4000 ml of kalkwasser - then I u dose 120 ml of allforfreef a day. it seems to be perfecly balanced for me and ive been running the tank like this for 18 months now.

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and great comments. Sounds like you have dialled your tank in with kalk and all for reef and tank is doing it’s thing. I have found it is easier to do with a larger tank as they tend to be more stable than with a smaller tank

[@andibandi1190]

There used to be another nice one-part powder from Tropic Marin called Bio Calcium🦊, that I used to dose🤡 and still is available, which is in fact Balling A, B, and C all in one, in solid format. I know that it is not the same thing as AllForReef, but which of them leads to less costs? Further, when is it preferrable to use Bio Calcium, and when is it preferable to use AllForReef?

[@oliverwoodward8255]

Great video mate 👍

[@fishpalace]

Thanks, appreciate the comment 🙌🏻

[@thomascristaldi9303]

Can you do All For Reef on a 60gal total system? Mostly acros ? Right now I’m running Brightwell Code A and B

[@fishpalace]

From what I understand from this interview you can use AFR and Lou knows of other reefers with bigger tanks that do use it. Not sure how economical it is to other Tropic Marin methods so you may need to compare and see.

[@levasconcelos]

Hi, my name is Leandro, I live in Brazil in the state of Minas Gerais, city Uberlandia, as always it's good to hear from Lou, I always learn something new. One thing I noticed that led to lower consumption in my reef, instead of dosing a quantity at once, was splitting the dosage several times a day, previously I dosed almost 30% more AFR, have you had this type of feedback?

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and really appreciate you taking time to watch and to comment ❤️. I would agree that dosing over the course of a day is better than one large dose as to keep your Alk etc as stable as possible really helps your corals. I have not heard of how 1 or many doses effects consumption for AFR or any other dosing method. The only thing I could think of is dosing high amounts in 1 go causes precipitation and is therefore wasted but I cannot say that with any knowledge or previous experience. I will ask Lou in case he has heard of it

[@louekus]

I haven't heard of this before. But if it is working, go for it!

[@andibandi1190]

can Balling A or Balling B be mixed to the AllForReef solution?

[@louekus]

You would want to add those separately.

[@fishpalace]

Thanks Lou 🙏🏻

[@richmatty5561]

This is truly a brilliant video for me who has just started using A4R. My only question is to take away is. When we test for our parameters and get a result is that the result of whats left in the water column after coral have taken it or total amount including what corals have taken. Eg my coral use 10dkh per day so I dose for this. When I test to get 10dkh have they already used 10dkh worth of alk and that's what's left or does it include what they have used. Does this make any sense?????

[@fishpalace]

Chuffed you enjoyed it 🙌🏻. When you test it measures the levels that are present at that time. I tend to test at roughly the same time each week for consistency as corals will consume at different rates during the day

[@louekus]

There is no way to know how much "more" your animals will use of any particular comound. At the end of the day, you want to add enough AFR to keep your parameters constant.

[@EdKazz]

Love the product(All for Reef). I have made a small batch and tried it for a few months. The results are nothing short of amazing ! The question I have is: If using the ENTIRE 1000mL container of All-For-Reef what would be the correct amount of RO/DI water to make the solution? I am looking to size the correct container to hold prepared solution to be dosed...Also is there a shelf-life for the premixed solution ? Thanks so much. Ed

[@fishpalace]

I believe it is 900ml of RO water to 100ml of AFR

[@EdKazz]

@@fishpalace Thank You.... Now just looking for a nice 10 liter dosing container...

[@louekus]

Use 900 ml of RO/DI water and add the proper amount of AFR. Then you will end up with a 1000 ml solution.

[@ggnore5745]

Great Video, i'm going to set up my first reef tank soon and i have done a little bit of research on everything already. Regarding dosing, i will definitely try AFR at first. I'm just wondering, especially after this video, wherein lies the difference between a 2 part dosing system which also includes trace elements like the ATI Essentials/reef zlements and AFR in regards to trace elements? I didn't exactly understand why i wouldn't get the traces with a two part as opposed to the AFR as mentioned. Have i misunderstood that part? Thank you and greetings from Germany

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and great to hear you are setting up your first reef tank 👌🏻. 2 part dosing traditionally did not have trace elements included but as the hobby has evolved some manufacturers have developed a system where trace elements are now included, such as ATI essentials There are so many different dosing options out there so a lot will come down to how you want to set up and run a tank. All the best, Paul 👍🏻

[@louekus]

The two part solutions usually have less, or at least not the same, trace elemtns than you will find in the AFR. Also, with the two part method you will get a build up of excess NaCl that you will not get with the AFR.

[@andibandi1190]

AllForReef and Carbo-Calcium are based on Calcium Formate, which contains in the molecule also Carbon. Perhaps some of the improvements observed when changing to AllForReef could be due also to this Carbon?

[@fishpalace]

I do wonder if it also due to dosing minor elements and not sure we discuss or fully appreciate the impact minor trace elements. I listened to Laura at Ecomarines a couple of years ago talking about dosing manganese when keeping goniopora and boy since dosing it has made such a difference, not only to my tank but others I know

[@hixyhicks]

I have a kh 7, and calcium is 440 if i add AFR to raise the kh will the calcium go up ?

[@fishpalace]

It should increase calcium and also magnesium too. If you are good with calcium then I would buy an Alk buffer to increase where you need it to be. In theory water changes with say Red Sea blue bucket should increase Alk over time as it is 8.4 but will take a while if you are changing 10% per week. Probably easier to just gradually add Alk to where you want to be. I kept a mixed reef at 7 dkh for almost 7 years and tank thrived

[@louekus]

Yes, you are adding both when you add AFR. If you calcium is 440 ppm, why do you want to raise it. That is a perfect target for calcium!

[@douglassoares9495]

​@@fishpalaceToday you still use everything for reef - And what do you keep your aquarium?

[@douglassoares9495]

​​@fishpalace você está usando allforreef em seu aquário qual o nível dkh que você mantém no aquário?

[@JFTB-i8y]

All for reef shot my magnesium up very high in my 200gallon system. So now i mix half carbo calcium half all for reef

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and for these comments. Interesting how alk and cal consumption is a lot higher than mag. Could it be due to a big system and type of corals such as sps that suck up Alk and cal? Just shows how different every system is

[@alfredtolentino8614]

Can I dose AFR with Carbo Calcium?

[@fishpalace]

I see no reason why you cannot dose them separately but I would not dose at same time. The question is why as if your tank is at the right level of Alk, cal and mag (for you) then AFR should be sufficient to maintain those levels. Buy adding carbo cal you are dosing additional Alk and cal which could take them too high.

[@alfredtolentino8614]

@@fishpalace My SPS and Clams have me at 20ml per day and rising. Was thinking Carbo-Calcium can help off set it.

[@louekus]

yes, just don't mix them in the same solution.

[@paulsmith744]

Lou's not wrong started using on my nano and had better colour and more growth in the last 6months than in the previous 2 and half years.now setting up a 365ltr tank and will continue to use AFR. .Value wise better than multiple additives and a lot easier. I am now dosing both alkalinity and Afr as my calcium is good but alkalinity was low , this is what's recommended in the instructions.

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and for your comment. It really does help that minor elements are being topped up and that really can help with colouration. Topping up Alk, cal or mag if out of sync is important as adjusting AFR will not help in this case. 🙌🏻👌🏻👏🏻

[@bamseskylling1978]

Nice info

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and appreciate the comment 👌🏻

[@zozocreek8327]

How much to dose? Is lab testing of trace elements needed?

[@fishpalace]

Dosage depends on how much your system needs. Need to test alk, cal and mag and then buffer to the level you want and then you are good to go. An ICP is best to measure minor elements

[@louekus]

You don't need to test for trace elements too often. The trace element consumption will be proportionate to the caclium and alkalinity consumption. Those will be supplied in that proportion by the AFR.

[@alexstoicia5867]

Hello! Is there a difference between liquid AFR and the powder version? For me it seems that the powder version (corectly mixed with RO water) is inferior to the liquid version. Is this just an impression? Has anyone noticed that? Thank you!

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and for your comments The only difference that I have noticed is the price with powder being more economical. I have not noticed a difference in quality of product

[@louekus]

The liquid and the liquid that results from the powder mixing should be exactly the same.

[@zozocreek8327]

Can I use if dosing kalk?

[@fishpalace]

Yep, you can use with kalk and top up both major and minor elements

[@richishere82]

Did you even watch the video 😂

[@fishpalace]

🤣🤣🤣

[@karennation3580]

Great vidoe! About to make the switch! What happens after you raise the alk. Will the all for reef then maintain it or do you have to still keep dosing it? If you do then that defeats the purpose of only using one product. I know my tank using way more alk then anything. Also what the difference between this and carbo calcium? I have a 36 gallon /10 g sump and a 20 aio. Also is it a good idea to get the alk calcium and mag right where you want it before you start. Also I use brs soda ash. Does this have same ph uping effect? Will my corals take a decline while I figure out dosing? Thats my fear! Very long story but I have 20 new corals and am now refiguring my dosing some of the new corals are stressed so I dont want to stress them anymore when I almost have it figured out!

[@fishpalace]

Personally I would stick with the method you currently have until the corals settle. You should dose Alk, cal and mag until you get them to where you need and then start to dose AFR so that they are balanced and then start to dose AFR gradually whilst you reduce the existing dosing method. During that time I would test daily to try and keep stability and avoid big swings I have not used BRS soda ash so cannot comment on it Thanks for watching

[@louekus]

Carbocalcium has alkalinity and calcium only. The AFR has those plus magnesl=ium and trace elements. MAny tanks use the same ration of caclium to alkalinity, just like the corals do. In those systems the AFR will maintain both very easily. In some other systems, the "system" uses more alkalinity per unit of calcium than the corals are using. In those systems, the alkalinity needs to be supplemented with something like Balling Part B.

[@karennation3580]

@@louekus I had got into a mess after discovering my hanna alk checker was off by 3 pts! It was registering 3 points higher! I didint have that many corals so I quite dosing because I only checked alk at WC time and it was at a good level then! ! I should have been dosing all along so I had to refigure it all! That took a while so I am much closer with calcium and alk then I thought but still use a tiny bit more alk. I dont dose mag daily! I was just going to switch but I have more corals coming lol! I have 2 company's that owe me big time! Do you agree with fish palace that I should wait? I did stress my corals before trying to figure out and lost some! But at the same time with this new batch coming in I have to refigure anyway! I am already scared that I have way to much coming in but I am dying to open up that bottle I ordered and quit dosing so many products! I also think I am going to use your carbon dosing products But leak in tank so skimmer not function properly so do I need a skimmer? I am having a hard time finding the leak or leaks!

[@karennation3580]

@@louekus Do I go by alk or calcium when I start? Can I od trace elements if I do large water changes? I change biweekly but 30 to 40 percent and now that my sump keeps getting low from this leak I end up doing even larger ones that one! If my sumps is where I see low water level does that mean leak is in sump? I cant even use my skimmer or ato because the salinity will get to low! Is their a secret I am unaware of to find where water loss is coming from? Not evaporation because salinty dont go up much but infact hard to keep it from getting to low from adding top off water!

[@louekus]

@@karennation3580 Your display tank will hold its water level. If you have a leak in either the display ot the sump, the lower level will wtill be seen in the sump only. That is until the sump almost empties. Keep an eye on your salinity and get the leak fixed. Nothing will be right if you are constantly fighting lower or higher salinity do to too much or too little fresh or salt water going into the system.

[@BabyMosquito777]

I'm using all for reef but after few months my calcium is over 600 and alkalinity at 8. Need help on how to fix this

[@fishpalace]

Can you confirm your magnesium too? Also what range do you want for Alk, cal and mag. We’re all 4 in balance before you started using AFR?

[@louekus]

You tank system is using more alkalinity, per unit of calcium, than your corals are using. The best solution in that case is to use the caclium as you indicator for your AFR dose. Then, as you alkalinity drops a little, use the Balling Part B solution to add more alkalinity.

[@zgzgchen4328]

hi pual! i am currently using BRS 2 part and troic marine A K trace elemeents, tropic marine recormemt using 80-330ml per gallon of each CAL and ALK solution, i'm using 120ml A&K trace element in a gallon of each CAL & ALK solution due to my tank was mainly softy and few LPS ( little hammer & doncan also candy cane frags),BTW,my tank is 120GL, doing 50ml of CLA&ALK everyday, water perameter was good but corals just not all perfet looking,thing switch to AFR now, but question: do softys really need these trace elements and if i switch to AFR, how can i control the usage of amount of trace elements within the AFR since it can't be ajusted as BRS 2 part balling method does. appreciated!!

[@fishpalace]

Thanks for watching and for your question Before switching you need to get alk, mag and cal at the required level as AFR will dose at a level based on coral consumption. From what i have learnt from Lou and also using AFR it does keep the 3 main elements in balance most of the time but occasionally they are out of sync and I then need to top up on an element. I have had to do this once or twice in the time I have been using AFR. Softies do not usually consume as much as LPS or SPs but will also depend on how you maintain your tank.

[@ManuelCastillo-kq3xy]

Hi everyone. A question: it”s neccesary water change? I have a nano tank with 25 gallons, all type off corrals and many little fish

[@fishpalace]

One of the oldest reefing debates…. Water change or no water change. I do water changes weekly on my tank that I dose AFR to manage phosphate and nitrate but you don’t need to water change on a reef tank.

[@ManuelCastillo-kq3xy]

@@fishpalace And do you change 100% every week or will 20% be okay?

[@fishpalace]

@@ManuelCastillo-kq3xy I was doing about 20% to 25% per week however I have changed to making smaller multiple changes to help with stability. 5L at a time so 3 or 4 changes per week. Sounds like a pain but only takes 10 mins as do not need to heat water

[@ManuelCastillo-kq3xy]

@@fishpalace I was referring to making 20% ​​changes once a week. In any other tank, 120 liters, I don't change the water, but I add 5 ml of "all fir reef" every day. I don't have a nitrate or phosphate problem. So I am left wondering if, to avoid so much water change, I could add it in the same proportion of 5 m per 100 liters.

[@fishpalace]

I get it. You want to reduce water changes and add additional all for reef to replenish elements. I would try reducing the amount of water you change and then test to see if elements reduce and if they do then add not all for reef. Would mean testing daily but you could then track impact

[@bensimpson4091]

21:00 wouldn't you need to.go through an entire bucket of RODI per day if you could dose it to the ATO. also your ato is not consistent because evaporation rate depends on humidity and temperature... riddle me that one Lou

[@fishpalace]

I would not use via an ATO either but people do and seems to work for them. Probably works ok when you have a tank with a low consumption of elements but suspect if you need to dose higher levels of AFR then It becomes more challenging to dose via an ATO

[@bensimpson4091]

@@fishpalace yeah the only way I could see it working is by overdosing the ato based on the average consumption daily but seems very high risk long term.

[@fishpalace]

@@bensimpson4091 it is a higher risk. You would definitely not do it on an sps dominated tank but it could work with less sensitive corals. Maybe under dose and then top up manually, when you do a weekly parameter test

[@andibandi1190]

maybe you can add Carbo-Calcium to AllForReef when you need less Magnesium, and Bio-Magnesium when you need more Magnesium🦊

[@louekus]

You can do that if you add them separately. You don't want to put them in the same solution. The other option is to add the Trace A and Trace K to the Carbocalcium. Then you have basically made AFR without the magnesium.

[@fishpalace]

Thanks Lou🙏🏻

[@PhotographyInFlight4183]

First question should be......what does All for reef do?

[@fishpalace]

Fair point. Thanks for watching 👍🏻

[@louekus]

The AFR supplies calcium, alkalinity, magnesium and 17 important trace elements in a single solution.

[@andibandi1190]

can‘t one dose AllForReef in powder form, in the sump? For instance by using a calibrated food dispenser?🦊

[@fishpalace]

I suppose you could if you can work out how much powder to dose per day. Seems easier to make liquid and then dose x ml per day but that might be due to what I know rather than what is easier

[@louekus]

You actually can dose the powder directly in the sump. However, it is VERY difficult to get the dose right when you are doing that. It works best in very large systems where there may be more margin for error in dosing.