Seachem Marine Buffer - Powder vs Liquid

swordstool · 01/14/2013, 08:21 AM

Has anyone had experience with these? I started using the powder buffer a week ago. I was unaware that it could be purchased in liquid form too until this morning. Seems like the liquid is 2 to 4 times more expensive per amount to be treated. Is this price difference merely for the convenience of not having to mix it? I do admit though, I have been having a hard time getting the powder to completely dissolve, even when stirred by a powerhead for 8 hours. Maybe I should use the liquid every day for a week (until my pH stabilizes), and then switch the to powder every other week to 'maintain'?

disc1 · 01/14/2013, 09:10 AM

If you want to use it as an alkalinity supplement then either will work although there are far cheaper ways to do it. If you are trying to fuss with pH then using any buffer is a recipe for an alkalinity spike. Buffers should never be used for pH adjustment.

tmz · 01/14/2013, 11:13 AM

I should also note Marine Buffer is likely high in borate alkainity which is not what corals use . I agree with David buffers are not for pH tuning. Here's a little more from a previous post of mine :

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2252982

bertoni · 01/14/2013, 09:16 PM

The cost difference is just the cost of mixing and shipping the water.

I would avoid this product due to the borate content, but either version likely will work exactly the same way.

01/14/2013, 08:21 AM	#1
swordstool Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 7	Seachem Marine Buffer - Powder vs Liquid Has anyone had experience with these? I started using the powder buffer a week ago. I was unaware that it could be purchased in liquid form too until this morning. Seems like the liquid is 2 to 4 times more expensive per amount to be treated. Is this price difference merely for the convenience of not having to mix it? I do admit though, I have been having a hard time getting the powder to completely dissolve, even when stirred by a powerhead for 8 hours. Maybe I should use the liquid every day for a week (until my pH stabilizes), and then switch the to powder every other week to 'maintain'?

01/14/2013, 09:10 AM	#2
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	If you want to use it as an alkalinity supplement then either will work although there are far cheaper ways to do it. If you are trying to fuss with pH then using any buffer is a recipe for an alkalinity spike. Buffers should never be used for pH adjustment. __________________ David Current Tank: Undergoing reconstruction...

01/14/2013, 11:13 AM	#3
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	I should also note Marine Buffer is likely high in borate alkainity which is not what corals use . I agree with David buffers are not for pH tuning. Here's a little more from a previous post of mine : http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2252982 __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

01/14/2013, 09:16 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The cost difference is just the cost of mixing and shipping the water. I would avoid this product due to the borate content, but either version likely will work exactly the same way. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni