thanks a lot!! and no i do have any testing units yet but later today im going out to purchase probablly a couple powerheads, maby a filter, more salt, and testing kits. Also whats this i hear about a buffer? what is it and what does it do??
I'd recommend you get pH High Range, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, and Phosphate test kits to start with. Other ones to consider are Calcium, GH... but for right now the essential ones should be good.
Okay, this is a topic that confused me as well until recently. If I can break it down to its most basic function its sorta like this... Your pH can flucuate based on things like fish death, fish pee and poop, uneaten food. These things turn the water more acidic. You want your pH to be 8.1 to 8.4 at all times in your marine tank. Over time, your tank becomes more acidic, thus lowering your pH.
Now, there is a thing called alkalinity... in simple terms. alkalinity is a buffer to keeping pH stable. If you have low alkalinity, your pH has a much higher rate of flucuation - not good. If your alkalinity is medium to high, your pH will stay more stable. So, with that being said... I add a buffer to my water every two weeks to keep my alkalinity up as well as my pH. (or I add a little buffer to my premixing saltwater before I do a water change) The buffer will adjust your pH to somewhere between 8.1 and 8.4 if you follow the directions on the product correctly. Also the buffer boosts your alkalinity. Good thing.
There are a bunch of buffers on the market. I've been using Kent Marine Super Buffer. So far, its been quite good. Maybe others know better brands, its the only one I've used to be honest. but again it's been good to me so far.
It's really important in a new tank to test often as water conditions can change quickly. Did that explanation of alkalinity and pH make sense to you at all? lol.
