How to add Seachem Reef buffer?

[Darryn Lyon]

I need to preface this by saying im still new to reef tanks, only been doing it for about 2 months, and my tank is doing pretty well. I need to bump by alkalinity from 7 to 10 and my pH from 8 to around 8.4. I got some Seachem Reef Buffer and I'm a little confused on how to use it. I need to add it to FRESH water and dump that water in my tank? Or am I just reading the directions incorrectly?

 

[jboone82590]

Following along
And don't use fresh water
only use RO water

 

[Darryn Lyon]

Reverse osmosis water? It's ok to just add freshwater to the tank? Won't that mess with salinity?

 

[Ocelaris]

Those numbers are whack, you really don't need to reach those numbers.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

 

[adestafi]

what are the rest of your parameters? you may not need to change anything...

 

[fishkeeper2]

I need to preface this by saying im still new to reef tanks, only been doing it for about 2 months, and my tank is doing pretty well. I need to bump by alkalinity from 7 to 10 and my pH from 8 to around 8.4. I got some Seachem Reef Buffer and I'm a little confused on how to use it. I need to add it to FRESH water and dump that water in my tank? Or am I just reading the directions incorrectly?

Correct. Take 250ml+ RO water and dilute the reef buffer. Mix well. Add to tank. Test for carbonate alkalinity.

Note that you can overdose using this additive.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I personally would not use this product at all. It has excessive borate in it that long term will accumulate. It is not intended for a reef tank.

But if you want to use it, use it only to boost the alkalinity, and ignore what the pH gets to, as it almost certainly will not boost pH very much.

Dissolve it in fresh water and add to a high flow area away from corals.

 

[GoVols]

I personally would not use this product at all. It has excessive borate in it that long term will accumulate. It is not intended for a reef tank.

But if you want to use it, use it only to boost the alkalinity, and ignore what the pH gets to, as it almost certainly will not boost pH very much.

Dissolve it in fresh water and add to a high flow area away from corals.

Randy,
Is Seachem "Reef Builder" high in borate too?

Also, How does the long term accumulation of borate "effect" a reef tank?

Regards, GoVols

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

No just the Marine Buffer.

I'm not sure on the tox concern levels, but as borate elevates, folks can become misled as to the available carbonate alk because more and more of the total alk measured by a kit is borate alkalinity.

 

[GoVols]

No just the Marine Buffer.

I'm not sure on the tox concern levels, but as borate elevates, folks can become misled as to the available carbonate alk because more and more of the total alk measured by a kit is borate alkalinity.

Randy,
Thank you as always.
I use "Reef Builder" from time to bump alk.

Regards, GoVols

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That should be fine.

Happy Reefing.

 

[chrspher]

Hi Guys,
Trying to stay on subject here I need to raise my pH and my alkalinity. Had to start from starch had my 75 and my 20 crash due to some bad sand is all we can figure out. Tested with a new Hanna test kit from BBS 5.9 dkh on Alka 7.4 pH. Have 4 Damsels a few crabs a scooter Bleny That all seem to be doing fine and suggestions

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi Guys,
Trying to stay on subject here I need to raise my pH and my alkalinity. Had to start from starch had my 75 and my 20 crash due to some bad sand is all we can figure out. Tested with a new Hanna test kit from BBS 5.9 dkh on Alka 7.4 pH. Have 4 Damsels a few crabs a scooter Bleny That all seem to be doing fine and suggestions

Well, the thread title chemical is not the answer.

I’m suspicious your pH is not accurate. First boost alk back to 7 dKH with baking soda or other alk additive. Then after 24 h with normal aeration, try this test:

pH and the Reef Aquarium - REEFEDITION

by Randy Holmes-Farley For many aquarists, pH is not something that they have much experience with aside from their aquarium. For many, pH is almost a black box measurement: something to be considered, but whose physical meaning makes little sense to them. This article will Read more here...

www.reefedition.com

The Aeration Test

Some of the possible causes of low pH listed above require an effort to diagnose. Problems 3 and 4 are quite common, and here is a way to distinguish them. Remove a cup of tank water and measure its pH. Then aerate it for an hour with an airstone using outside air. Its pH should rise if it is unusually low for the measured alkalinity (Figure 2). Then repeat the same experiment on a new cup of water using inside air. If its pH also rises, then the aquarium’s pH will rise simply with more aeration because it is only the aquarium that contains excess carbon dioxide. If the pH does not rise in the cup (or rises very little) when aerating with indoor air, then that air likely contains excess CO2, and more aeration with that same air will not solve the low pH problem (although aeration with fresher air should). Be careful implementing this test if the outside aeration test results in a large temperature change (more than 5°C or 10°F), because such changes alone impact pH measurements.