Ro / Di and pH

[AZdogpatch06]

I'm considering a Rodi system as my tap water is extremely heavy. My question is, how would I raise or lower the pH of the new Rodi water since a Rodi will make it pH neutral? Thanks!

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[Sniperhank]

Mixing your salt into the water should put it where it needs to be.

 

[bribo12]

You mix salt in it. That buffers it for you for wc. When you top off just add straight rodi. Don't mess with buffering it. It won't lower your pH.


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[AZdogpatch06]

I wouldn't know how to buffer it anyways....

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[AZdogpatch06]

Except with chemicals

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[AZdogpatch06]

The whole buffering thing is foggy to me anyways. I don't quite understand it.

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[Sniperhank]

It's all number chasing when it comes to pH.

 

[AZdogpatch06]

I was wondering what exactly buffering is and how you do it.

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[Sniperhank]

The raising or lowering of something, like pH or alk. It depends on what you are dealing with on what you use. For pH, baking soda is basically what you use....way over simplified, but basically.

 

[AZdogpatch06]

Baking soda??? What?

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[Sniperhank]

Well, baked baking soda which gives you soda ash. Still more complicated than that, but it raises pH.

 

[jeffaquarius]

If you plan to have fish only with live rocks for a start, you need not have to worry about those stuff mentioned for now. You will learn as you go along when you are ready for corals.

 

[AZdogpatch06]

I've already got some kenya tree coral.

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[jeffaquarius]

Looks like you need a lot of research to do. I'm sure you are aware that it is not a cheap hobby.

 

[AZdogpatch06]

That would be why I'm here

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[jeffaquarius]

You're lucky you came to the right place lol. But should have been done earlier before you had corals.

 

[AZdogpatch06]

Definitely! So essentially what I've learned is that the pH number doesn't have to be exact, as long as you keep it consistent and most fish will adjust, however there are certain exceptions where some fish are highly sensitive to pH, and obviously you can't have your ph highly toxic in one direction or the other. My freshwater pH is at 7.8 and everyone in the tank has been living with it that way for about a year or more. My water is alkaline here so in theory I should never have much of a problem with my marine fish. Please correct me if I'm wrong! I welcome constructive criticism.

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[jeffaquarius]

In saltwater everything has to be done slowly and avoid sudden changes of parameter. That is why acclimating is critical when adding or moving fish and corals in the tank. The pH has to be not below 8.0 during the day since it normally drops to about 2 points at night as algae consume oxygen when light is out. Try to maintain Alkalinity to 9 if possible to have a stable pH and provide good balance to Magnesium and Calcium. The 3 are the most important trace elements for corals. You can raise pH by water surface agitation with power head.

 

[AZdogpatch06]

I'll have to invest in a more complete test kit that measures alkalinity as well as pH. I already have a power head that agitates the surface and moves water, obviously. I can't stand air stones so this was my solution.

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[Gregcoyote]

The chemistry can be a bit complex, but your statements about stability are right on. The final PH number isn't as important as stability. Buffering can help stabilize PH. BRS has some nice videos about this topic. But at the point you are at , water exchanges should be all you need to do. Adding alk/cal/Mg is something you do when your coral bioload exceeds what water exchanges replaces.


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