Should I Replace the Aragonite in my 4 year old tank?

[jskirwin]

Hi
I've recently had an emergency in a relatively new 60 gallon tank of Africans.
I have a 46 gallon acrylic tank that I set up about 4 years ago. It has about 40 lbs of fine aragonite sand. During the crisis in the 60 gal tank, I discovered my pH kit and the addition pH raising buffer were likely no good.

The tank is full of healthy mbuna that have adjusted to living to pH 7.4 - that is according to my new kit. Not the 8.2 I was expecting.

I want to gradually raise the pH of this tank and swap livestock because these mbuna are 4-5 inches in the 46 gal and the 60 gal only has 3 2" fish. But I can't do it until I raise the pH.

I am doing small daily water changes and gradually adding more of the perfect pH buffer than needed.

Should I replace the Aragonite between doing the fish swap after the pH is stable at 8.0-8.2?

BTW my well water is pH 6.1.

Thanks,
JSKirwin

 

[StevenF]

aragonite is mainly calcium carbonate. It's ability to adjust PH is limited by its water solubility. At low PH levels it desalts well and will push the ph up. But once the PH approaches 7 it stops dissolving in water. As a consiqence it will not push the ph above 7. Magnesium carbonate has a similar behavior. Sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate however are not affect by water PH and can push the PH well above 9.

I don't see any reason for you to replace your aragonite. It's still there and it is still doing it's job. Putting new aragonite in there will not do much if anything.