A commonly used liquid pH test.One of the many important water parameters marine aquarium hobbyists must routinely monitor is pH. But what exactly is pH, what should the level be in a saltwater aquarium, what does an incorrect pH level tell us, and what’s the point of testing for it anyway? As we mention in our post titled “Putting Aquarium Water Parameters to the Test,” pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion concentration in your system’s water, using a logarithmic scale that ranges from 0 to 14—with 7 being neutral, readings above 7 being more basic (or more “alkaline”), and readings below 7 being more acidic. The higher the hydrogen ion concentration, the lower the pH. The scale being logarithmic means that each point on the scale is 10 times more acidic or basic (depending on which direction you move along the scale) than the preceding point. So, a pH of 6 is 10 times more acidic than a pH of 7, while a pH of 5 is 100 times more acidic than 7. What should your aquarium’s pH reading be? The ideal pH range for marine livestock is between 8.2 and 8.4. However, that doesn’t mean a reading outside this range is cause for alarm. More: A Closer Peek at Marine Aquarium pH… More:
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