The NEW Red Sea Reef Energy AB+ First Impressions

I've been using the much anticipated Red Sea Reef Energy AB+ for two months now - in this video, I give you an honest guide to everything you need to know about it and tell you my first impressions after two months.
Find my best fishy photos on Instagram - search 'Reef Dork'.
A select few great reef buys:
RO filter - amzn.to/2Xsq0KQ
Tunze algae magnet - amzn.to/2YydNku
Tunze frag rack - amzn.to/2XrW4d0
Tunze auto top off - amzn.to/2XrEryR
ATM colony - amzn.to/2YDlMwQ
Digital thermometer - amzn.to/2xy145i
Heating controller - amzn.to/2LDhmlB
Activated cardon - amzn.to/2YtLZO6
Coral glue - amzn.to/2XparDP
ICP test - amzn.to/2XsrZ1M
Rowaphos - amzn.to/2Xqx8m6
Red Sea salt - amzn.to/2XqGxub
Some of these links have an affiliate code - so if you make a purchase, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
For any commercial enquiries, please send me a PM, email me at [e-mail], contact me via Instagram or leave a comment below.

[@ReefDork]

Here are my long term thoughts after 18 months' use kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6jFYZmde899rrs

[@Mindboggle100]

Yes Alex, please keep your product sponsor neutrality, Reef Dork really is one of the best & most informative reefer channels. I'm sure people appreciate your honest style :-) I'm defintely looking forward to the 6 months review... Good to see Red Sea continually improving the Reef Care Range.

[@seniorreef9042]

"Honey, have you seen my urine sample" 😂😂😂😂

[@someone6reefs]

Great info and clips of coral 👍🏽😁

[@skitf_001]

@ Reef Dork, your Jack O Lantern Lepto is freaking nice, I say it did help it but that’s just me.... kuddos for dropping 2 vids in a week

[@nickhatton7502]

I use the a and b separate bottles and really like it. I’ll move onto this when I run out.

[@kevinw7044]

I have been using the older Reef Energy A + B consistently and I have seen an improvement in colour for sure.

[@Sweeeetpeaches69]

Can't believe you drank it, you absolute madlad.

[@ReefDork]

🤣 I actually drank the stuff at the last 5 seconds of the video - just looks the same 🤓

[@bongosreef9406]

I have just started using this in addition to all the other food that I add to the tank. I hope the corals enjoy it as it is rather expensive.

[@rudra7615]

This dude's humour is my humour Awesome video and can't wait to see 6 months update. Question, this is a feeder or dose? 🤔

[@ReefDork]

😎 It's on a doser.

[@marbles351]

2 videos in a as many days, that’s surely a record for a U.K. KZbinr! well done 👍

[@ReefDork]

🤓

[@sunnygoold9449]

Don't worry - Aaron's Aquarium Store is opening soon - for the first month of that there will be 2 or 3 a day and this record will be obliterated ;)

[@marbles351]

Sunny Goold untill he changes his mind! :-)

[@sunnygoold9449]

@@marbles351 yeah - it will only be the first few days LOL - but good on him! I love the UK Fishtubers - Especially the Dork and Aaron's - so much more entertaining than most of the Americans ;)

[@marbles351]

Sunny Goold yeah I agree, it’s a good idea for him, I am looking to pop up and visit at some point once it’s open, it’s quite far but I don’t mind travelling for something new. Hopefully he has picked up ideas form across the pond!

[@00Mass00]

The yellow stuff is color pigment. It's usually powder they add to it. I wonder when not running carbon, if it will make the water more yellow.

[@kevinw7044]

Another observation when using Reef Energy is the increased polyp extension.

[@theblindreefer8718]

Been using the air and be separate bottles for about a year now only use it on a Wednesday and a Sunday coral feeding days been waiting for this product to come in my local shop hope it's there when I run out of the original bottles been looking forward to this for a while I'll I would never use it everyday though so would cost me too much I feed my fish my sister RS check it out mate it comes in a big slab if you have never heard of it and it is full of amino acids omega-3 and EPA and dha so I only use the Red Sea bottles twice a week but my tank is mainly soft and LPS only a couple of SPS s-cars I had a problem with my Monte Pora and they all bleached out for some reason after they grew really big put me off him a little bit at the moment but I will start trying to more SPS soon my tank will be 3 years old in April everything else is doing marvellous good video mate

[@South-Texas-Drones_5801]

I use it as well as reef roids so far so good 🤞🏼

[@fuffoon]

I am trying this but I am also using aqua medic's iodine and strontium. Half doses with all. I believe I am seeing new coloration but what is causing it I cannot say. I don't see any remarkable polyp extension when it is circulating in the tank nor a change in growth but zooxanthelee production seems accelerated. I soak whatever I am giving the fish in it before adding it to the tank as it seems like a very complete fish vitamin supplement and the Leucosternon is battling newcomer's ick like a champion. It looks like the 96 hour ick because its been 72 hours now and its getting much better. The last time it was the persistant ick until it claimed its victims and went away.

[@anhtrd]

Hi there. Thank you for your sharing. Can you tell me should I use it together with AF Phyto Mix or this one alone is enough?

[@ReefDork]

I've never used that stuff but the description says it contains proteins, fats and carbohydrates which reef energy has so I'd say use either but not both.

[@karennation3580]

I really dont put any additives in my tank at all. I havnt had corals that long and calcium and magnesium are fine since I do weekly water changes. I would like to add something for better coloration and growth. I thought about this. How have your results been since this vedio? Is there anything different you would recommend. I have been hearing alot about prodibeo and also Aqua vitro. fuel I think its called. Also thought about amino acids. What do you recommend for my tank. I always trust your opion and love your videos and your style! I have a nuvo 20 and a 36 gallon bowfront.

[@ReefDork]

I haven't seen any difference in colouration - getting lighting, flow, nutrients and trace elements is a far better way to achieve that. But I now buy this stuff myself to improve growth and health 🙂

[@reefermadniss9453]

Your growth in 2 months time is fairly impressive. I just ordered a 500ml bottle so we will see how it goes. May I ask what your doing to control nitrate and phosphate? For now I’m running Rowaphos in a reactor and doing weekly water changes/sand bed vacuuming. I’ll be adding ulva and chaeto to the sump soon for nitrate control and so I can lower the frequency of the water changes - I run Kalkwasser so it naturally lowers phosphate, and I wonder if running the Rowaphos along with it is overkill?

[@ReefDork]

Auto filter roller, chaeto, Siporax, skimmer and Rowaphos. Although my levels are quite high so I plan on switching off the Rowaphos reactor and starting carbon dosing. Is rowa overkill for you? If your phosphate is too low, yes. If your phosphate is too high, no.

[@lindasreef]

I don't think there's anything wrong in accepting free stuff for review as long a the brand allow an honest review, or no review if you don't like the product. That way you can review a wider range of products for us.

[@marioguillen9141]

Great videos like always it’s really sad that Red Sea didn’t take it upon them to send you some free products after giving such a good review oh well live and learn keep up the good work !

[@ReefDork]

I'm cool with that - I don't do reviews for free stuff, I do them to share experiences 🙂

[@myenigma84]

Did you notice an increase in calc and alk consumption that was significant? I'd love a frag of that Bali shortcake if you have one. I will wait a bit for it too if you might have it in the near future. Ben from Portsmouth

[@ReefDork]

Can't remember I'm afraid. No plans to frag it - it's taken me 3 years to get it colouring up and it's a very slow grower I'm afraid!

[@irishlad7458]

I have been buying 500ml ab+ 25 quid I now buy 1000ml for 32 from swell that's a saving of 18 think my next will be a 5000ltr for 120 going half's with my son it seems the bigger the purchase the more you save 😊works out 20 a litre

[@ginoj7553]

Did you really drink that stuff? 😂😂😂 great video btw

[@ReefDork]

No, it was cloudy apple juice 😁

[@markrobinson7297]

Does it keep your alk and Cal at it's levels they should be or is it just a food

[@ReefDork]

Just a food, nothing to do with alk or calc 🙂

[@uploadsbytom3720]

Are you still using AB+, if so have you noticed a difference?

[@shanebeukes3491]

@7:16 what corals are these ??

[@ReefDork]

Scolymia

[@samer3249]

what a lovely tank but the background can distract the eyes maybe white walls will work

[@deoren279]

yep

[@gibes87]

Hi, my tank only have soft corals and a few LPS corals like torch/acan/blasto. Do i need this supplements? Thanks!

[@ReefDork]

No, you absolutely don't need this then. You only need to dose calcium alkalinity and magnesium - they're the essentials. AB+ is just a coral food to get slightly more growth. Before you start this, get your chemistry and nutrients spot on 🙂

[@gibes87]

@@ReefDork ahhh! thanks! i feed my corals with phytoplankton :)

[@urbanreefer1545]

Any more updates on your corals after using this?

[@ReefDork]

I've stopped using it for now as I have a few filter feeders cropping up that I'm trying to control. I plan to start again but not sure when... If you want a mini long term review, I like it and it helped my scoly recover. But I'm not convinced it's a good idea for most systems and should probably be a niche product

[@davidb1626]

What time is best to dose it ?

[@ReefDork]

Red Sea don't say but I dosed it while the lights were off because the corals will have their polyps out then.

[@taza626]

any updates yet on this? also what is the coral at 5.20?

[@ReefDork]

I did a mini update on this video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJOnnItpjLd6aMk It's a watermelon psammacora 🙂

[@youronlycow]

Do you really have to turn off all your pumps and skimmer before dosing this stuff?

[@ReefDork]

You don't have to, it's just better to do so

[@LightSearch]

I still think it's something that it's mostly useful for tanks with an underfed small fish population.

[@bearded-flipflop7122]

So for me then,i only have a 23 gallon lps tank with only 3 fish. The lps dont look as good as they used to, not as puffy.

[@LightSearch]

@@bearded-flipflop7122 Give it a try while watching the nutrients. Beautiful euphyllias btw.

[@bearded-flipflop7122]

@@LightSearch thanks, they just dont seem as happy recently and not open quite as much. I'm having to dose phosphates and have been for the last 3 weeks now, they do look a bit happier , just bottomed out nitrates and phosphates causing cyano then dino. The nitrates are back to 10ppm phosphates, with daily dosing sit at 0.03 if I stop it drops down again so it's being absorbed faster than the corals can use it,so I was looking to add this as a food source for the corals. I'm also getting through a dinoflagellates episode on the tank. In 14 years of reefing I had never had cyano or dino, as i always had algae to out compete it, in this tank though i never really had that. Plus I'm sure its seasonal as alot of people seem to be having issues.

[@LightSearch]

@@bearded-flipflop7122 I would go with AB+, reef roids and whatever other lps food you get your hands on.

[@bearded-flipflop7122]

@@LightSearch I'm gonna get me some roids then.💪

[@travelwithme7133]

Hi is there a update on this video? Thanks

[@ReefDork]

Kind of here but not a proper update yet kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJOnnItpjLd6aMk

[@jeremybw2180]

Someone didn't read the warning label of: NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION 😆

[@Arizona9001]

Does Cyano benefit from this product?

[@ReefDork]

Don't know for sure but I wouldn't add reef energy while I had cyano

[@pj2854]

Damn liters I also have to do math to translate to gallons😵😵

[@rudra7615]

Now you know how we feel. Converting to liters It's even worse when it's lbs to kg!!

[@natesaquatics4713]

Thoughts v Seachem Reef Plus?

[@ReefDork]

Never used it I'm afraid

[@natesaquatics4713]

@@ReefDork No worries. I'm dosing Reef plus - wondering if it's worth going with AB+

[@ReefDork]

For what it's worth I've been using it for a while now and I like it - it's helped recover a dying scoly and my growth has been good. I've had a quick look at the Seachem stuff - sounds very similar to the old reef energy a and b in that it has to be refrigerated. The ease of having ab+ hooked up to a doser is great for me - I tried dosing it manually for a while. It was fine at first, but I got tired of it after a while so now it's on a doser and I just change/refill the holding cup once a week.

[@Floridacop911]

Any no3 issues with this product

[@ReefDork]

Red Sea say no and I had no noticeable issues but I didn't test nitrate. I'll do a 6 month update in August 🙂

[@lilreefer6986]

First part lollll

[@rcdolphin714]

Your tank would look better if you put a sheet of black acrylic behind it.

[@Ruffles206]

Any update? Here and USA 🇺🇸 Just come but I’m still not sure if works Don’t want to waste money lol I don’t see any rewinds yet

[@ReefDork]

I'm still a good few months away from being able to do a long term review. Red Sea recommends turning your skimmer, return pump and powerheads off which is a massive pain in the arse. I did that for a few weeks but I'm going back to automating it via a doser now.

[@beauluftenburg3167]

I'm so lazy I dose and dont turn off filters. I'm probably just wasting. I should change my ways

[@jackkain7141]

Never did get a direct follow up to this.

[@ReefDork]

No, sorry about that. I'm still planning to but I haven't had a solid 6 months of using it. I've stopped a couple of times when I've had aiptasia or dinos or high phosphate. Maybe I should just do a video where I talk about that stuff 🤷‍♂️

[@Mihigo26]

Please cover the back of that tank

[@davidb1626]

Can we get an update please

[@ReefDork]

Funny you should mention that - update scheduled for this Friday at 4!

[@davidb1626]

@@ReefDork can't wait you and ukreefer are my 2 favourite UK channels

[@richardwalker4220]

No increase in nitrates n phosphates. Really?

[@reefermadness4891]

🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️ I literally just bought a 1liter bottle of a and b like a week ago 🤷‍♂️ guess I wount be trying this new product for a while

[@ReefDork]

🤦‍♂️

[@Sugaree43]

Great I just saw this stuff. Im using reef roids but its not doing it for me. Thanx!

[@richardwalker4220]

Does reef roids increase yr nitrates?

[@Sugaree43]

@@richardwalker4220 yes and phosphates so if you use it target feed lightly. I wouldn't use it at all if you don't have too. Get the AB+

[@richardwalker4220]

@@Sugaree43 does ab+ raise yr nitrates n phosphates?

[@Sugaree43]

@@richardwalker4220 They claim it doesn't. There is alot of stuff on it here (youtube)

[@richardwalker4220]

@@Sugaree43 thanx 4 reply!

[@Arizona9001]

Do you think maybe you didn’t see a huge difference is because you already have an amazing setup and anything new would only yield marginal gains? Versus someone new to the hobby that would probably have more to gain if they didn’t have top tier lighting and dosing. I’m this new person.

[@ReefDork]

I don't know for sure, but I feel like it's more likely to benefit my tank than a new tank on the basis that the basics are far more important for growth and that feeding corals is just the icing on the cake. I.e. Feeding corals won't mask or make up for deficiencies in the more important areas 🙂

[@Noridin]

Your price break down is not correct. If you bought 1 5L container of A and 1 5L container of B you would only have the equivalent of 5L of AB+ not 10L because the A & B have to be dosed in equal parts. Good video though.

[@ReefDork]

It's a little tricky to work out but I think i'm right. You need 2ml of a AND 2ml of b per 100l. But you need 4ml of ab+. I sat down with a spreadsheet and worked it out before the video!

[@fostee1]

Save $ just feed your tank more. Fish food has all the amino acids and vitamins you’ll ever need

[@polarspirit]

What fish food will u recommend?

[@fostee1]

High quality frozen foods are best! Get a pack of each kind at your favorite store

[@Diabandana]

Good joke man

[@rudra7615]

But the growth comparison shots...

[@user-ju6dz4sx3l]

Why mass with this crap? Try aquaforest

[@r3ndszergazda]

Really tired of these Red Sea sponsored ads..

[@fostee1]

András F agreed!

[@ldballoon4]

no to wallpaper