Methods

All-in-one reef supplements: dosing one bottle

One liquid carries calcium, alkalinity, magnesium and trace elements in a fixed ratio. It is the simplest dosing method there is, and it costs the most per unit of alkalinity, so it suits small and lightly stocked tanks.

Last checked 21 October 2026. How we check

Cost

Medium to high per unit dosed

Effort

Very low

Suits

Nanos and light to moderate demand

Needs

A one-head doser

How does it work?

The best known is Tropic Marin All-For-Reef. Its label (read via retailers) starts at 5 ml per 100 litres a day and raises the dose by 2.5 ml per 100 litres each week until alkalinity holds at 7 to 9 dKH, keeping calcium at 400 to 440 ppm. Above 25 ml per 100 litres a day it suggests switching to a reactor, kalkwasser or Balling (typical, check).

Red Sea's equivalent is ABC+ powder, which its manual recommends for tanks up to about 300 litres.

When does one bottle stop being enough?

Because the ratio is fixed, if your tank uses calcium and alkalinity in a different ratio, one drifts. Tropic Marin suggests calcium tests are the better way to track it. At high demand the cost climbs quickly.

How do I get started?

1. Measure alkalinity use for a week.
2. Start at the label dose for your volume.
3. Raise weekly in small steps until alkalinity holds.
4. Check calcium weekly to spot drift.

What are the common mistakes?

• Starting at a high dose.
• Dosing the day's amount in one go.
• Staying on it when demand passes the label's maximum.

Where do sources disagree?

Figures from sources read as a search summary only are shown as typical figures: check them before you rely on them. Found a mistake? Tell us how to fix it.