I just got an anemone and I fed it a shrimp for the first time and while it was eating the shrimp I put some sea buffer in the tank and it got on him and he retracted his tencales and started to release this slime. Is this ok or is the anemone dying. I know now to mix it up before putting it in there because I dont have a sump but what do I do now?
Newbie Mistake, Help
- Thread starter cbayer
- Start date
I tested my PH and it came out a dark green color, I lost my color chart but I presume that is ok if I remeber right. I just added the buffer because my local pet store told me to do it every week. Should I not add the buffer and what is a good color for PH in a reef tank.
I tested my PH and it came out a dark green color, I lost my color chart but I presume that is ok if I remeber right. I just added the buffer because my local pet store told me to do it every week. Should I not add the buffer and what is a good color for PH in a reef tank.
cbayer":2pv1qbcw said:
You should buy a new test kit, as I would have no idea what "color" indicates a correct reading for your test kit. The typical pH for a reef tank should be 8.0-8.3.
That having been said, do you understand what a pH buffer is, and why you put it in the tank? If you don't know I will try fill you in.
tarpons
:welcome:
Well, here are a few good articles to start with, although they are a bit technical. The short version is that we keep our marine tanks at a certain pH level, right? Ph measures how acidic or how basic/alkaline the water is. Now a buffer is a chemical that helps the water to be more stable in the pH ranges we like to see, i.e. more basic/alkaline.
http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/d_ ... 90797.html
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marphalk.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alkalinity.htm
Does your tank need 'buffering'? It may, it may not. I can't tell without knowing what your water parameters are now, what corals you have, etc. but a good rule of thumb in this hobby is to never add anything to your tank if you don't understand HOW and WHY it works.
The chemical interactions going on in our tanks can seem a bit overwhelming if, like me, you skipped Chem class in High School and took gym instead
It takes a bit of reading and learning to understand things. I do suggest that you get some books on reefkeeping (if you haven't done it already), John H. Tullock's Natural Reef Aquariums is a good place to start.
:welcome:
Well, here are a few good articles to start with, although they are a bit technical. The short version is that we keep our marine tanks at a certain pH level, right? Ph measures how acidic or how basic/alkaline the water is. Now a buffer is a chemical that helps the water to be more stable in the pH ranges we like to see, i.e. more basic/alkaline.
http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/d_ ... 90797.html
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marphalk.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alkalinity.htm
Does your tank need 'buffering'? It may, it may not. I can't tell without knowing what your water parameters are now, what corals you have, etc. but a good rule of thumb in this hobby is to never add anything to your tank if you don't understand HOW and WHY it works.
The chemical interactions going on in our tanks can seem a bit overwhelming if, like me, you skipped Chem class in High School and took gym instead
It takes a bit of reading and learning to understand things. I do suggest that you get some books on reefkeeping (if you haven't done it already), John H. Tullock's Natural Reef Aquariums is a good place to start.
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
