pH levels in saltwater pool

[Ok9ada]

Hello! I recently upgraded my strawberries’ saltwater pool to 10gals.

It has a sponge filter, deco bubblers, salinity 1.027, pH is somewhere between 6.5-6.75, a coral rock (no live coral), and other climbing features.

I’m curious if anyone has maintained water levels that are monitored and maintained as they would for a reef tank or marine hermit crabs.

I just ordered Reef Buffer to bring carbonate alkalinity and pH to levels healthy for a reef environment.

[wodesorel]

What is the PH of the water before you add it? Are you using any substrate inside the pool? Aragonite to help buffer?

I'm surprised it's sitting in the 6s. Natural sea water tends to be just over 8, and the salt mixes do buffer up to a point. Trying to maintain a steady PH with additional buffer can backfire as the pH can start swinging randomly. Thankfully it probably won't be an issue with crabs are who just visiting to drink and not living full time underwater, but it can cause issues over time with water quality unless you're planning on dumping and changing it out often.

[Ok9ada]

What is the PH of the water before you add it? Are you using any substrate inside the pool? Aragonite to help buffer?

I'm surprised it's sitting in the 6s. Natural sea water tends to be just over 8, and the salt mixes do buffer up to a point. Trying to maintain a steady PH with additional buffer can backfire as the pH can start swinging randomly. Thankfully it probably won't be an issue with crabs are who just visiting to drink and not living full time underwater, but it can cause issues over time with water quality unless you're planning on dumping and changing it out often.

I bought new test strips. I suspect the ones I was using were too old. I needed new strips that test for everything anyways.

The new strips are reading at around 7.5 for pH, 40mg/L for Carbonate (KH), 40mg/L for total Alkalinity, 75 for hardiness, zero chlorine, possibly a 1 for nitrite and 0 for nitrate.

My tank doesn’t currently have any live rocks, sand or living creatures. I did get some aragonite sand to include in the tank today, before dabbling with the Reef Buffer

[aussieJJDude]

The sand should help if you live in an area with incredibly soft water. But I do want to suggest if you have the funds, and the water parameters do concern, invest in a liquid test kit. Strips are terribly inaccurate, and well known within fish circles as something to be avoided. You're likely to get conclusive readings.