Q. What is pH?

A. The pH is simply a measure of the free hydrogen ions in a solution. In the ocean the pH ranges from 8.0 to 8.4. In captive aquariums the range of pH is usually 8.1 to 8.3. Higher pH can increase the toxicity of ammonia, a danger in brand new aquariums. A benefit of a higher pH is that it increases the efficiency of a protein skimmer, allowing more organic waste to be removed from the system. Algae blooms can increase pH due to excess Oxygen (decrease in Carbon dioxide). A lower pH can inhibit calcium carbonate precipitation. Respiration of plants cells at night naturally drops the pH because of the decrease of oxygen. Decaying organics also decrease the pH by taking up oxygen. An Ideal pH is 8.2 to 8.3.