Ever buffer your top off water?

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carbon

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
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Nov 6, 2008
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I was measuring ph levels of my RO top off water it was around 5 and I'm trying to keep my system at 8.0 - 8.3. So I was wondering if it is pho-pa to buffer a gallon of top off water? Just a thought... does the top off even impact the PH that much or is the disolved salt in the system enough to counteract any PH swings when toping off..
 
I'm not 100%, but I'd think that RO water is going to have essentially no pH modifiers/buffers of any kind, and therefore will have virtually zero effect on the pH of the tank water.
 
I've never buffered top off water. No issues.

Agree with jonnythan... RO water is truly neutral so it shouldn't have any major impact on the pH value. Plus, measuring pH of basically pure water is not really going to give you an accurate value. Assuming your alkalinity is OK and you're doing water changes every couple weeks, I would think you'd be OK not buffering.
 
From my chemistry days, I remember that even just a drop or two of acid in distilled water will cause a huge pH swing, but would cause no discernible effect in buffered saltwater.
 
I add Kalk. so that's my buffer. helps maintian my ph and Ca levels as well as my Alk.
 
Your alkalinity will help keep a stable pH as long as it is within a reasonable margin. I don't normally buffer top-off water, but at work we will buffer our 'water change vats' from time to time with calcium or alkalinity supplementation. If you buffer prior to water changes, make darn sure you've done your math.
 
I'm not 100%, but I'd think that RO water is going to have essentially no pH modifiers/buffers of any kind, and therefore will have virtually zero effect on the pH of the tank water.

Exactly!

I don't buffer or for that matter do anything to my top off water and I top off about 3 gallons per day on my system.
 
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