PH Buffer in ATO RODI or not?
- Thread starter ItsAName
- Start date
- Tagged users None
A buffer that does ph only, will dose your tank with alkalinity only. I'd avoid that.
Kalwasser adds calcium and alk and doses it evenly. And will help your ph.
Kalwasser adds calcium and alk and doses it evenly. And will help your ph.
Kalk won't effect the mag.
Kalk will help alk cal an ph with very little problem.
I assume you're not dosing any thing else ?
Kalk will help alk cal an ph with very little problem.
I assume you're not dosing any thing else ?
Ah. Go it.
I belive that the imact of the slight addition of kalk to increase the ph will not effect your current cal and alk greatly. Check that on the dosing calculator. Also I prefer to use and refer to it as satureared ,i.e. Already mixed with rodi to the correct saturation. If you are dosing already you should double check the amounts your using.
So A very moderate amount of saturated lime will help your ph.
And likely not effect decent or fine miners greatly.
But it's good practice to know the numbers to insure your don't over dose or run high alk inadvertently.
If your cal alk and mag are already in line or great I would test to se if it is not an alk issue but a co2 issue.
You're a reefer. So no.
Out side air to the skimmer. Outside air with a pump to an air stone. Co2 scrubber. Refugium or ats on a reverse shed. More coral. Higher light. Cleaner tank. Less feeding.
Or the most crazy idea ever , don't sweat it at all and not chase ph ;Chicken
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
Just to add to what's been stated, the pH of purified top off water has no impact on the pH of the aquarium.
Even if the pH of the top off looks to be 7 or 6 (you can't measure it accurately, but suppose this is what you observe, or even what it really is), it has almost no buffering capacity at all, and when combined with pH 8.2 tank water, does not tend to lower the pH. It might even raise the pH a tiny bit.
The pH of two solutions mixed is not just the average of the two, and needn't even be between the two.
chipmunkofdoom2
Always Making Something
If this is the case, you should not add anything to your top off water to attempt to change pH. Any additive that will increase your pH will increase your carbonate alkalinity, almost without exception. If your reef aquarium is like most, excess CO2 is causing your pH to be what it is. Bringing fresh air into the aquarium or home using a CO2 scrubber is the only long term solution to controlling pH.
What is your pH by the way? How did you measure it? In many cases, reefers complain that their pH is low and it's above average.
AdamNC
Lawnmower Blenny says nom nom
Open a window in the same room. Even if it’s a few inches. Solve my chronic low pH in less than a week. Everyday I get home from work I open a window a few inches. By the time the lights are ramping down my pH hits between 8.2 - 8.3 daily. For a year I chased pH with additives to only be a temp solution. Once the bottle was done it went back low.
