API PH Up

[nanew reefer]

Is this stuff safe to use for Saltwater application? Both the API and the ..Ensure brand say freshwater on the label, no mention of saltwater use.

 

What brand PH up you guys use?

 

And, I should test and adjust after adding the salt to the right salinity, correct?

 

Thanks!

[Oceanus]

I use Seachem Reef buffer. It's great! I'd be cautious of that API stuff.

[skimlessinseattle]

What is your pH level that you feel you need to raise it? If your pH is at least 7.9, you should be fine and messing with it may do more harm than good. Often times, low pH is due to poor alkalinity maintenance, so I would make sure to know where that is at as well.

[lakshwadeep]

+1 to avoiding any pH buffer and pH being a complicated parameter. How old is your tank? Read this article, especially the section "why does pH fall?". You can see that there are many different causes for "low pH" :

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php

[nanew reefer]

thank you for the replies.

 

actually, I have only tested the water coming out of the ro/di unit. I have not set up my tank yet at all. The ph reading is roughly 6.5 at 0ppm.

 

That being said, when I finally DO mix my salt (Instant Ocean Reef Crystals) and ro/di water, and take a pH reading, should I expect the water to neutralize after 24hrs to the proper pH? If not, can I use the API pH UP to achieve the correct level at that time? (8.2 right?)

 

Going to read all 3 parts of that link lakshwadeep, thanks for it

 

Thanks again!

[nanew reefer]

And, I should test and adjust after adding the salt to the right salinity, correct?

 

"It is neither necessary nor desirable to add anything to RO/DI water or to any type of freshwater used to make a salt mix (or aquarium top-off to replace evaporation), unless you determine that after adding the salt, the water is deficient in something"

 

but neither articles specify whether the pH buffers to 8.1-8.3 after adding the salt

 

I see now how dHK and Salinity relate to pH. I am just going to assume everything buffers up right

[lakshwadeep]

RO/DI water, if left unsealed, will often have a low pH, mostly because of carbon dioxide dissolving into it. However, because of the low numbers of ions in that water, pH can vary drastically. You should just pay attention to the pH of your saltwater. Proper aeration of the mixed water should be enough to get a normal pH. If not, there is likely an environmental problem like high indoor CO₂. Just try this out before adding any buffer. Chances are high that you will have good success like hundreds/thousands of other members.

[blasterman]

What the heck is pH up, and why in the world would you do this? Buffer used by itself isn't very stable and doesn't do much.

 

Low pH is either the result of a over-zealous calcium reactor, or stagnant environment conditions, etc. I have a boiler rather than forced air heat, and since I don't get much vented air during the winter my pH does ride on the low side. However, I don't try to do anything to try an artifically 'elevate' pH, and just increase my water changes a bit. Since I don't run a skimmer I put a wooden airtstone in my back filter and this helps pH a bit.

 

A good two part buffer, if used according to directions and combined with proper water changes, *will* keep pH at a stable range that it naturally wants to reside at, and this is is more healthy that trying to force pH to be in a zone it doesn't want to be. Good RO water and a decent salt mix *shouldnt* require additional chemical warfare, and certainly not the addition of buffer. If you aren't running an SPS heavy tank and doing regular water changes, ergo at least 10% a week, then the addition of a two part buffer a couple times during mid water changes should be all that's required. In this case, if pH is still riding low and it isn't a bad test kit, then something else is wrong that adding buffer surely isn't going to fix.