Buffering Capacity of Aragonite

Specific Gravity and pH

OK...so I'm a few days into the cycle. It's my first time using shrimp. NH4 is up nicely...but still no nitrites. The shrimp is getting covered in an nasty bubbley type of casing...my 8 yr old is quite curious as to what the heck I'm actually doing.

I roughly added about 70 cups of salt....which would add up to about enough for 140gal based on the Instant Ocean bucket. Right now, according to my InstantOcean hydrometer, my specific gravity is between 1.021 and 1.022. With this much salt, my pH is at 7.8.

Qestion is...Should I increase my SG? If so...if I add more salt to bring the SG up to 1.024, do you think that will be enough to get my pH up in the 8's?
 
Right now I personally wouldn't worry about your PH until your cycle is completed. Once its completed do your large water change and then add any buffers as necessary.

You can use Kalkwasser to up your calcium records which will help increase your PH and Alkalinity once your cycle is completed. Or you can use B-Ionic #1 and #2, there are lots of things.
 
OK...but regardless of the pH...should I increase my SG? Or is 1.0215 good enough? I've read that many pet stores keep a low SG to ward off parasites. For a fish only talk, do we generally do the same thing? Or for reduced stress purposes, do we want the SG higher?
 
I would also raise it. Keep in mind that pretty much all the fish that we purchase in the hobby either come from more open areas and reefs (rarely ever estuarine conditions), so keeping them at full strength reef salinity is the most natural. For reference, the average salinity of reefs is 35 ppt or a specific gravity of 1.0264. This will also help calcium and alkalinity solubility.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom