Ph low...

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Often times premixed from lfs. Is mixed to the bare minimum 1.o22 to 1.o23. Less salt per gallon sold. Equals 10 to 20 % more profit over 1.026. And ph runs lower when mixed at minimums. In the long run an rodi and mixing your owne will save you a little bit over a years time and offer better parameters. All while providing better accessibility to much needed water for emergencies

pH is not really directly related to salinity. It is determined by alkalinity and CO2 in the water which is usually driven largely by the CO2 level in your home air.

 

[Miller535]

pH is not really directly related to salinity. It is determined by alkalinity and CO2 in the water which is usually driven largely by the CO2 level in your home air.

I have heard you say this many times. Why does Triton say that things like Boron "stabilize" PH? I have heard several people on reef2reef also claim similar ph stability from higher SG. Or are the people saying this just regurgitating what Triton says?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have heard you say this many times. Why does Triton say that things like Boron "stabilize" PH? I have heard several people on reef2reef also claim similar ph stability from higher SG. Or are the people saying this just regurgitating what Triton says?

Boron (as borate/boric acid) is a pH buffer, and it stabilizes pH. It does not "raise" or "lower" pH. It steadies it.

I discuss it in great detail here:

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Boron In A Reef Tank

This article also discusses the sources and sinks for boron in reef tanks, and shows that while typical tanks may be slightly depleted in boron with respect to natural levels, most are not so significantly depleted that any correction is required. Nevertheless, how to test for and supplement...

reefs.com

If you raise salinity, and that means raising either boron or bicarbonate/carbonate, or both, pH is stabilized. Higher pH (say, 8.3) is also more stable than lower pH (say, 7.8) because there is much more buffering with teh same amount of these buffers at the higher pH.

Here's a really strange quirk that few people know if they did not read it here:

Take seawater at pH 8.0 and add totally pure RO/DI water at pH 7.0 and mix them

What happens to pH?

it rises above pH 8.0, just by lowering salinity and the effect that has on the acidity of bicarbonate.

This discussions details it:

Master Reef Chemist Certification Question!!! (yes, you want this title)

Let's have some fun with a question that wraps up several different aspects of reef chemistry into a single, very simple (perhaps deceptively simple) question. It's just the pH of a hyposalinity solution. How much easier can it get? [emoji1] Get it right for the right reason and you too can...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Miller535]

Boron (as borate/boric acid) is a pH buffer, and it stabilizes pH. It does not "raise" or "lower" pH. It steadies it.

I discuss it in great detail here:

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Boron In A Reef Tank

This article also discusses the sources and sinks for boron in reef tanks, and shows that while typical tanks may be slightly depleted in boron with respect to natural levels, most are not so significantly depleted that any correction is required. Nevertheless, how to test for and supplement...

reefs.com

If you raise salinity, and that means raising either boron or bicarbonate/carbonate, or both, pH is stabilized. Higher pH (say, 8.3) is also more stable than lower pH (say, 7.8) because there is much more buffering with teh same amount of these buffers at the higher pH.

Here's a really strange quirk that few people know if they did not read it here:

Take seawater at pH 8.0 and add totally pure RO/DI water at pH 7.0 and mix them

What happens to pH?

it rises above pH 8.0, just by lowering salinity and the effect that has on the acidity of bicarbonate.

This discussions details it:

Master Reef Chemist Certification Question!!! (yes, you want this title)

Let's have some fun with a question that wraps up several different aspects of reef chemistry into a single, very simple (perhaps deceptively simple) question. It's just the pH of a hyposalinity solution. How much easier can it get? [emoji1] Get it right for the right reason and you too can...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you Randy, that was very informative. I did not realize it was one of the buffers in sea water.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thank you Randy, that was very informative. I did not realize it was one of the buffers in sea water.

You’re welcome.

Happy Reefing