Saltwater Aquarium Guide -- Fast Facts

Fast Facts (page 9)

Coral Growth is Affected by pH Levels and Buffers: Slow reef growth is related to pH levels. The calcification of hard corals and marine algae occurs more efficiently at a higher pH, and for a reef aquarium, the goal should be to maintain pH levels in the 8.3 to 8.5 range.

The pH levels in an aquarium are directly related to the balance of various trace elements in the water: carbonates, bicarbonates, magnesium, borate, and potassium, to name a few. Since the biological processes in filtration and the corals deplete these elements at a faster rate, they need to be replenished periodically to maintain a high and stable pH.

To do this, a "pH buffer" is recommended. There are a number of buffers available on the market designed for various applications. In fish-only aquariums (without a large number of corals), the depletion rate of trace elements is generally slower, though the rates vary more widely from element to element. In this case, a general marine buffer would be appropriate, such as Reef Pure Marine pH Buffer, SeaBuffer, Marine Aquarium pH Buffer, and Marine Buffer.

In a heavily stocked reef aquarium, many of the elements such as magnesium, are used up much faster and need to be replenished more frequently. There are a few buffers which include the extra elements necessary to correct your aquarium pH. Some of these products include Reef Pure Marine KH Buffer w/Magnesium, Buff, Reef Buffer, and Reef Builder.

It is important to monitor the carbonate hardness, pH, and calcium levels regularly when using any of these products.

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