New to chemistry

[leopard_babe]

I am starting a reef. I want to keep my levels in balance. I am not sure that my tank is ready for a reef. So I was wondering.

I noticed my salt was 1.020 the other day, kind of low for me. I boosted it back up to 1.023. I noticed that my alk was a little low. My alk test does not read #, just low, norm, and high. So since I put more salt in, would that raise my alk back to normal, or no? I have a buffer, is that what you use to adjust the alk as well as the ph? Does the ph and alk work in conjunction? My ph is about 8.2, I would like to keep it at that, but I would like to get my alk back to normal. I am a nurse, and understand basic chemisrty, and acid, and alkalinity. So can I adjust my alk without messing with my ph?

thanks for the advice,

Leopard

[joanadam]

Really the only relationship between alk and ph is that alk gives your water the ability to buffer PH. I use B-Ionic two part buffering system for calcium and alkalinity. These two things do work in conjunction to maintain ionic balance. I would also get a test kit that accurately measures your alkalinity and calcium levels if your going to keep a reef. Also the salinity is better at 1.025 on a reef tank.

[Boomer]

Yes, you should boost your salinity up but first how are you measuring it ? Swing-Arm( who's) , Floating hydrometer and what size, ie., 8 ", 12" or a refract ? Once we know for sure where your salinity is then you can boost it up with some baking Soda, if needed, with no effect on the pH, once it has equilibrated . The real controlling mechanism for pH, in most waters, to include tanks, isn't the Alk but the CO2. It is CO2 that causes about 99 % of most peoples problems with pH. You can have a very high Alk and still get a low pH due to excessive CO2.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The small rise in specific gravity from1.020 to 1.023 will provide a small increase in alkalinity (about 15%).

Alkalinity impacts pH in a few ways, but the biggest way is that alkalinity supplements themselves can raise, lower, or leave pH unchanged. A buffer can be formulated to have little effect on pH while it is supplementing alkalinity, and many commercial buffers are this way.

However, many aquaria need pH raising due to elevated CO2 in their homes, so those folks pick higher pH additives.

[leopard_babe]

I check my salinity with a 12" floating hydrometer. I reads 1.020 today. Which is much lower then I keep it. I am going to do a water change and try to bring it back up. Then I will get a test kit that measures alk and calcium and then perhaps I could give you some more accurate reaadings, and you can help me balance my tank a little better. I would like my alk a little high, and I don't even know what my calcium level is. MY PH is still 8.2, where I keep it.

Thanks for the help!!!!

Leopard

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

That sounds like a good plan. :)