An important aspect in maintaining a saltwater aquarium is its acidity or basicity. Pure water is generally considered neutral (although it is actually a very weak acid) with pH near 7. It is the measure of the capacity of hydrogen ions in a substance to react and it is measured approximately as the negative logarithm of concentrations of hydrogen ions (H+).
Measuring and fully understanding pH is generally reserved for chemists. Even a standard definition of pH is not yet set although most refer to it as the “power of Hydrogen” taking into account the fact that it is the capacity of hydrogen ions in a substance to react.
A liquids acidity or basicity has been considered important since it was discovered that cell electrolysis strongly depends on H+. Therefore, pH levels in an aquarium have significant (if not direct) effect on your marine creatures.
The antitheses of acids are bases. Bases neutralize the acids by reacting with them. You can increase the power of Hydrogen of a liquid by adding base chemicals into it. This is hardly advisable though as even neutral chemicals may still be poisonous. Water in itself is considered neutral as it contains both an acid (H+) and a base (OH-) at the same time.
H+ + OH- = HOH or H2O
The pH of a liquid is its standard measure of the acidity or basicity. Substances with a pH level lower than 7 are considered an acid and substances with pH higher than 7 are considered bases. Measuring pH levels are quite tricky for the novice, though, since temperature dictates the accuracy of pH meters. Always see the catalog attached to your pH meter and check to see whether it is calibrated to temperatures close to where you will need them.
Seawater has a pH from 8.0 to 8.3. Saltwater aquariums should have pH levels between 7.8 and 8.3 although this is a matter more of public opinion rather than an established fact. If you want to be safe, keep your pH levels at least at 8.0. Corals and invertebrates have difficulty utilizing calcium to make their calcified bases and exoskeletons respectively at low pH levels. If you have invertebrates or corals in your saltwater aquarium, it is advisable to keep watch on your pH levels. If they fall drastically low, you can save your invertebrates by keeping calcium concentrations of 400 to 450 parts per million but it is urgent that you increase pH levels gradually.
An important factor with fishes is that they tend to get stressed to fluctuations in rather than the actual levels of the water. Fish-only aquariums can stay longer with low pH levels as long as there is constancy in the acidity of the water. But it will eventually cave in to the stress. Reef aquariums on the other hand are highly susceptible to low pH levels and should be guarded promptly from decline.
Contrary to public belief, alkalinity is not the opposite of acidity. As a matter of fact, in certain conditions (usually almost freezing) liquids can be highly acidic and alkaline for a short period of time. What is alkalinity then?
Alkalinity is the capacity of the liquid to increase its pH. This is the reason why aquariums with low alkalinity tend to have crashing pH levels. Carbon dioxide also increases the pH of the aquarium but not its alkalinity.
If your aquarium has both low pH levels and alkalinity, it is best to change about 30% of the water while finding the cause of the problem. Do this as long as you don’t stress your marine creatures more than when you just leave them alone.
Cedric James is a saltwater aquarium enthusiast. For more great tips about what is pH information, visit http://www.saltwateraquariumeasy.com.
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