# crushed coral as a ph buffer



## SteveSchulz (Jan 13, 2015)

I am setting up a new 30g long species only tank for Brichardi. I want to use crushed coral as a ph buffer in this tank but I also want to add it to my 46bf Mbuna tank. Is a 5lb bag enough for both tanks and do you recommend I just mix it in with the gravel?


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## The Cichlid Guy (Oct 18, 2014)

If you want to use it specifically to raise your pH, your best bet would be to place it in your filter inside a media bag. However, crushed coral doesn't have much of an impact on pH as it buffers the water slowly, and frequent water changes nullify the effect.

I understand the desire to use something permanent, rather than adding buffer with each water change, but in most cases you'd be better off skipping crushed coral.


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

The Cichlid Guy said:


> If you want to use it specifically to raise your pH, your best bet would be to place it in your filter inside a media bag. However, crushed coral doesn't have much of an impact on pH as it buffers the water slowly, and frequent water changes nullify the effect.
> 
> I understand the desire to use something permanent, rather than adding buffer with each water change, but in most cases you'd be better off skipping crushed coral.


Just realizing just now that crushed coral does not have much impact on ph. Placed crushed coral in a media bag and placed this in the sump. In the beginning, it maintained the ph at 8.2. But like you stated, over time, the ph has slowly gone down on each water change that the ph is presently at 7.4.

Will follow this thread to get new ideas on how to raise the ph back up and matain it. But it appears that the only remedy is to add buffer probably baking soda.


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## SteveSchulz (Jan 13, 2015)

Maybe I should just stick with the old saying "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". I have never done anything in my 46bf mbuna tank to raise the ph. It stays at a constant 7.6, which I realize is not ideal for Africans but I've always operated under the assumption that it's better to have the ph constant than constantly up and down. At a constant 7.6 my fish are healthy, happy, brightly colored, open fins and seem to thrive in that tank. I don't know what the kh is in the tank because my API Master Test Kit doesn't include kh test. I have well water so I'm assuming it should be relatively high. In the 2 years I've had this tank going I have never lost a fish, never had a sick fish. I have 2" fish all the way up to 6" and never a picked on fish. I only have 9 fish in that 46bf but they are 9 healthy, happy fish. That includes the 5" red tail shark which I realize isn't an African but it was a rescue fish that a friend was going to dump in the toilet when he moved. It was only 2' at that time and now it is 5", his color is brilliant and none of his tankmates seem to know he's not an African.

I am setting up another 30g long tank which will have nothing but Brichardi in it. This is the only reason I even thought about raising and buffering the ph but maybe I should just leave well enough alone in the mbuna tank and see how the brichardi do once I get that tank going. Your thoughts??


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd leave it alone. I too have well water and my pH=7.8 and KH=7.

If your KH is less than that, you could worry about buffering. Just in case you could run crushed coral as part of the media in your filters.


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## raze (Jan 29, 2015)

I find crushed coral as my substrate gets my ph from about 7.2 to 8. I have about a 2 inch thick bed. I dont understand why putting a small amount in your filter would buffer ph better?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

IDK why my aragonite substrate never increased pH at all. In the filter the water being forced through the particles dissolves them faster and more than just sitting on the bottom.

Raising pH and buffering are related but different. The buffer action is just to keep things stable...not to increase or decrease.


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## raze (Jan 29, 2015)

Cool thanks Djransome


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Crushed oyster shell is a bit more effective than crushed coral at raising pH and buffering. However both are temporary effects. Much above a pH of 7 they are very ineffective. To make them have a permanent and useful effect you would have to use a calcium reactor like the reef aquarium keepers do. Water from the aquarium is saturated with CO2, lowering its pH to something distinctly acidic. This highly carbonated water is forced under pressure through a chamber full of crushed coral. Then the CO2 is stripped from the water and it now has a high pH and lots of calcium and magnesium so that it is very hard.


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