The pH Value of Your Aquarium
Water chemistry can be a complicated matter but it is vital for all the life in an aquarium, regardless of the kind that you are keeping, that effort is taken to keep all aspects of water chemistry balanced for your aquarium.
Balanced water chemistry is maintained when all the organisms in your aquarium have everything that they need to survive and reach an optimum state of health.
For example with plants, certain combinations of macronutrients and water pH must be kept within acceptable ranges.
For fish, the same is true, but the focus shifts more towards acceptable levels of nitrates and other substances within the water.
pH is an often overlooked factor when it comes to maintaining the delicate balance of healthy water chemistry.
So just what is pH? The pH value indicates how acidic or alkaline you water is and ranges from one to fourteen, with seven being completely neutral.
It is important to note that the pH scale is not linear, it is logarithmic.
What this means to you is that a ph reading of four is ten times more acidic than a reading of five and one hundred times the acidity of a pH reading of six.
Most plants can tolerate a pH range of roughly 6.
5 to 7.
5, although this changes from species to species with some tolerating either greater or lesser degrees of acidity or alkalinity.
It is crucial to the health of the aquarium that the right water pH is maintained for the organisms within.
Changes in water pH can result from the usage of live rock and substrates which contain crushed coral.
The quality, acidity and alkalinity of water also varies from source to source so it is advisable to test the pH of a new water source before it used in an aquarium to determine how different it might be.
A small numeric change in pH can mean a dramatic difference to the fish, plants and invertebrates inside the aquarium.
If you use the same water source for all of your water changes then it is likely that the water you replace is of the same pH value each time you change the tank.
If you want to make sure, you can always test the water quality and conditions with a variety of water testing kits.
When using a dechlorinator, after dechlorination you have a perfect opportunity to ascertain the pH value before changing some of the aquarium water.
Balanced water chemistry is maintained when all the organisms in your aquarium have everything that they need to survive and reach an optimum state of health.
For example with plants, certain combinations of macronutrients and water pH must be kept within acceptable ranges.
For fish, the same is true, but the focus shifts more towards acceptable levels of nitrates and other substances within the water.
pH is an often overlooked factor when it comes to maintaining the delicate balance of healthy water chemistry.
So just what is pH? The pH value indicates how acidic or alkaline you water is and ranges from one to fourteen, with seven being completely neutral.
It is important to note that the pH scale is not linear, it is logarithmic.
What this means to you is that a ph reading of four is ten times more acidic than a reading of five and one hundred times the acidity of a pH reading of six.
Most plants can tolerate a pH range of roughly 6.
5 to 7.
5, although this changes from species to species with some tolerating either greater or lesser degrees of acidity or alkalinity.
It is crucial to the health of the aquarium that the right water pH is maintained for the organisms within.
Changes in water pH can result from the usage of live rock and substrates which contain crushed coral.
The quality, acidity and alkalinity of water also varies from source to source so it is advisable to test the pH of a new water source before it used in an aquarium to determine how different it might be.
A small numeric change in pH can mean a dramatic difference to the fish, plants and invertebrates inside the aquarium.
If you use the same water source for all of your water changes then it is likely that the water you replace is of the same pH value each time you change the tank.
If you want to make sure, you can always test the water quality and conditions with a variety of water testing kits.
When using a dechlorinator, after dechlorination you have a perfect opportunity to ascertain the pH value before changing some of the aquarium water.
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