Re: Ph which chems??

[IDMiamiBob@aol.com]

John writes:

> Ok Bob, then how come my pH goes up.  I use dolomite to make my water
>  harder and more alkaline, this keeps my africans happy.   I hate using
>  store bought chemicals to raise my pH.  My method of using dolomite for
>  my tanks does what I want it to do.   Cause my water not to be soft and
>  not to be acidic.   Isn't that what I said it would do?   So by using
>  dolomite, my pH goes up.  Isn't that what the original thread asked
>  about, getting the pH to go up?

I'm not debating any of that.  Your original statement was that dolomite 
raises pH without adding any chemicals.  Dolomite is by its nature a group of 
chemicals, primarily calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate.  These are 
chemicals, and they are what is added to your water.

Carbonate and acids react to neutralize each other, causing the pH to rise.  
I could get into a lengthy chemistry lesson, but I'm not really saying that 
your method won't work.  It actually is also my method of choice.  I'm simply 
saying that it does indeed ad chemicals to the water.  The single advantage 
to using a product like dolomite is that you know what chemicals it adds, and 
there are no "unknowns" like you have with commercially available buffers.

Bob


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