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Not bad Doug, but the major thing to remember is that the high pH due to biological substrate activity is only in the DEPTHS of the sand bed. Once the dissolved CaCO3 begins to diffuse out of the deep low-pH sediments, the pH of the surrounding water increases and the CaCO3 again becomes insoluble, both taking out some of the protons (which has the net effect of raising pH) and precipitating out of solution, kind of a chemical vicious circle.
Once the biofilm forms on the substrate particles, little is available for dissolution into the water column, regardless of the pH (if your specimens are still alive, that is...)
Once the biofilm forms on the substrate particles, little is available for dissolution into the water column, regardless of the pH (if your specimens are still alive, that is...)
