tennesseebob
New member
My PH has been right around 7.8-8.0, and my alk at 7, for the week since i got my test kit for alk anyway, should i keep letting it slide, or use this Seachem Reef Buffer that i picked up?
So alkalinity and PH
- Thread starter tennesseebob
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downbeach
New member
Any time of year you have to close up your house due to weather, and run your A/C, heater, you're going to have elevated levels of CO2 in your household atmosphere. As long as your other parameters are within acceptable ranges that pH level is fine. So, I wouldn't chase your pH, with any type of pH buffer, since it's really just a type of alkalinity supplement. You can use that product, and get a temporary boost in pH. But, once the CO2 in your system reached equilibrium with your household atmosphere, it will go back to those base readings, and leave you with a somewhat higher alk reading. If you want to elevate your pH, a better solution would be to run an air line from your skimmer to an outside air source, if practicable. Other possibilities include: a CO2 scrubber on your skimmer, and using kalk in your top off or dripped slowly into your sump/system.
tennesseebob
New member
Kk thx...the ph I know will change constantly. ..im more worried about the alk...7 is low also isnt it? So if they are both low, should I use the reef buffer?
I buffer to 8.3 and always keep it there. PH slides about, but as long as the alk is 8.3 and the mg is 1300, calcium stays in solution for my corals. Stony reefs are not the WHOLE ocean, but they are a slice of ocean where fishes such as we keep seem to like to be. I can't interview them and ask them, but they're healthy, don't have problems, eat enthusiastically and their aggression level is low, so I assume they're feeling ok.
tennesseebob
New member
Kk thanks...thats what I figured. ..I need a mag test kit...only have 3 corals so I imagine my water changes are keeping that ok, but I still want to know...im nisey lol
