Saltwater Aquarium pH- Post 4

Most saltwater fish and inverts require pH to be higher than freshwater species.  In general, most saltwater tanks are kept at a pH of between 7.8 and 8.4, with reef environments being between 8.2 and 8.5. The reason for the different pH requirement is just simply because it is how these organisms thrive in their natural environment.  Just as a polar bear doesn’t live in the rainforest, clownfish don’t live in lakes.  The pH of the ocean is usually between 7.5 and 8.5 (ocean pH varies based on depth and ocean acidification- we will discuss this in depth later as we have a keen interest in the

conservation of our ocean resources).  In a reef environment with corals, the target pH is on the high end of the spectrum.  Corals make use of the trace elements in the water to thrive.  By using them, they are removing them from the water and reducing the buffering capacity.  Therefore it’s a little more complicated to maintain the right balance of minerals and necessary to maintain a higher pH in a reef tank.  Luckily the products available that we’ll most likely need anyway, will keep our environments right where they need to be.  In keeping with the “keep it simple” theme of this series, if you start with the right water quality, use the right salt mixture, and have the appropriate filtration and aeration, odds are your pH will be right where it should be.  We’ll soon discuss what to do if you have a pH problem.