Saltwater beginner with some questions.

[NFURST]

I’ve kept freshwater tanks for a number of years, but this will be my first plunge into saltwater.

Planning on going with live rock and sand, just purchased a 72 gallon bowfront for a steal for this.

A few things I have questions about after reading posts, and watching various YouTubers. I’m familiar with an RODI system and it’s benefits. I have hard tap water where I live and used the RODI for my discus tank. In freshwater, pure RODI would lead to crazy ph swings and almost certainly kill all tank inhabitants, if it weren’t for buffers. I’ve used seachem’s alkaline and acid buffers to maintain a steady Ph in my freshwater tanks. That being said; every post, video, or article I’ve read mentions nothing about adding buffers in saltwater. Does the salt buffer the RODI water? Does the live rocks or sand? Do people use other buffers and just never put it in their posts or videos?

I’m sure I’ll have more questions, just want to have a fairly decent understanding of saltwater before I ever attempt to get this one started.

Any other tips are very much welcomed.
Thanks for your help!

 

[Flippers4pups]

Welcome to Reef2reef!

This covers more than you need to get started: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

And : http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

And:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/o...-reef-aquarium-by-randy-holmes-farley.173563/

Any questions, just ask away! There’s a ton of knowledgeable reefers here!

Welcome again!

 

[jeff williams]

So in salt water when you mix in the salt this adds the minerals back to the water making the ph stable now reefs you dose two part which is calcium and alkalinity these help keep ph hi but are mostly used because corals use the calcium and alkalinity out of the water. I would say most reefers don't worry as much about the ph, they worry more about keeping the calcium and alkalinity at the proper levels which in turn keeps
Ph hi does that make sense?

 

[Flippers4pups]

So in salt water when you mix in the salt this adds the minerals back to the water making the ph stable now reefs you dose two part which is calcium and alkalinity these help keep ph hi but are mostly used because corals use the calcium and alkalinity out of the water. I would say most reefers don't worry as much about the ph, they worry more about keeping the calcium and alkalinity at the proper levels which in turn keeps
Ph hi does that make sense?

Most don’t chase PH, including myself, but even with proper dosing to maintain alkalinity, calcium and magnesium, PH can drop below 7.

Factors that can lower ph can be high ambient air C02 and simple as when your DT lights go off for the night.

Solutions can be such as opening windows in your house, can help raise ph or running a airline from your skimmer to the outside of your house or adding a C02 scrubber (soda lime) to the air intake of your skimmer.

Running a refugium in your sump or attached to your system and running it’s lights on a opposite light schedule than your DT can offset ph drops.
As well as adding calcium hydroxide (kalkwasser) to your ATO (automatic top off) can help balance your ph, to some degree.