Role of Alkalinity

[Mad Reefer]

Question regarding alkalinity and if a problem exists! My alkalinity is stable @ 3 and has been for a while, but this is only possible with the use of the supplement ProBuffer. If I stop is will fall to 1.5 or 2 where it will stay on its own.

I top of the sump every day with 1 to 2 gal for evaporation and do a water change of 10 gal a week. Since the RO/DI water is stripped is this the reason I need to supplement or is there an underlying problem?

[Spanky]

That's because things in your tank actually consume, bind, use up the buffer you're adding to balance your alk. That's normal.

I'm assuming when you say your alk is stable at 3, you're referring to meq/L not dKH. If your test kit is measuring dKH, you should bring it up to 7-11 dKH.

Personally I add aprox 6-10 tbs buffer everyday.

HTH
Spanks

[tdwyatt]

Originally posted by Mad Reefer
Question regarding alkalinity and if a problem exists! My alkalinity is stable ... ...Since the RO/DI water is stripped is this the reason I need to supplement or is there an underlying problem?

No problem, just as the Spankster says, alk is one-half of the Calcium Carbonate used to make aragonite skeletons... It is used as the bicarbonate from seawater by the calcioblastic endothelium at the interface of the coenosarc and the coenosteum for skeletalization (latticework) and calcification (mortar and bricks) to make both the spicules of octocorals and the stony structures of hermatypic scleractinians. It is a consumable in the closed systems of our aquariums in the same manner that Calcium is.

[Mad Reefer]

Yes, I measure it in meq/L. Thanks for all the info everyone.