Water Chemistry
Water Chemistry for reef and saltwater aquariums.
Reef Tank pH Too Low? Causes and Fixes That Actually Work
Reef tank pH running low? Indoor CO2 is almost always the cause. Ranked fixes: fresh air, skimmer intake lines, CO2 scrubbers, refugiums, and kalkwasser.
Reef Tank Parameters Chart: Every Target Number in One Place
The complete reef tank parameters chart: salinity, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, pH, nitrate, and phosphate targets, plus a testing schedule that works.
Reef Salt Mix Comparison: Parameters, Price per Gallon, Consistency
Four reef salt mix types compared on mixed parameters, batch consistency, and true price per gallon — and how to match the bucket to your tank's targets.
Kalkwasser 101: The Old-School Doser That Still Wins
Kalkwasser delivers balanced alkalinity and calcium while raising pH, for pennies. Learn the right mix ratio, drip-dosing safety, and its real limits.
Is ICP Testing Worth It? What a Lab Panel Really Tells You
Is ICP testing worth it for a reef tank? What mail-in lab panels really measure, what they miss, and the testing frequency that makes the cost pay off.
How to Raise Alkalinity in a Reef Tank (Safely)
Raise reef tank alkalinity safely: the 7-11 dKH target range, baking soda and soda ash dosing math, and the 1 dKH per day rule that protects your corals.
How to Lower Phosphates Without Starving Your Corals
Lower phosphate in a reef tank the safe way: targets of 0.02-0.1 ppm, GFO and lanthanum used correctly, and how to stop before you starve your corals.
How to Lower Nitrates in a Reef Tank (Ranked by Effort)
Every proven way to lower nitrates in a reef tank, ranked by effort: feeding fixes, water changes, skimming, refugiums, and carbon dosing done safely.
Best RO/DI Systems for Reef Water
RO/DI systems for reef tanks compared — 4-stage 75 GPD units, 5-stage dual-DI, compact apartment rigs, booster pumps, and the TDS meter that runs them.
Best Reef Test Kits: What to Trust Your Corals To
Reef test kits ranked by the job: alkalinity titration, Ca/Mg combos, digital checkers, master kits, and low-range nutrient tests worth trusting corals to.
Best Dosing Pumps for Two-Part & Trace
Dosing pumps for reef two-part compared — single-head, 4-head programmable, and WiFi dosers — with calibration habits and the ramp-up that avoids overshoot.
Why Does Alkalinity Keep Dropping? (Consumption, Explained)
Falling alkalinity means your reef is growing. Learn where alkalinity goes, how to measure daily consumption in four days, and how to match dosing to it.