Switching from Neutral Regulator to Acid Buffer and Alkaline Buffer with RO Water

[jaydro]

I've been using Neutral Regulator with RO Water in a community tank for a while, and I now want to turn my tank into a low-light planted. Reading here it seems I should consider using Alkaline Buffer combined with Acid Buffer to buffer the water to avoid the phosphate in Neutral Regulator--or would that not be much of an issue in a low-light planted tank?

And if I do want to switch buffering products, I am a bit confused as to the dosing. Reading information here and previous discussions it seems pretty cut-and-dried as to how much NR to use to maintain buffering for a month, but the Alkaline/Acid Buffer recommendation is a ratio with the amount up to the user depending on how long they want the buffering to last? So my question is, how much to provide buffering equal to what one would achieve with NR in RO in my water changes?

[Tech Support JS]

Hello and thanks for your question,

If you are switching to a planted tank--even low lighted-- it would be better for you to use a carbonate based buffer (Acid/Alkaline Buffer). This is not just due to algae proliferation in planted tanks, but that plants also use the phosphates and can remove your buffer.

To ease your switching over, I would suggest using PhosGuard, a phosphate remover, to remove your current buffer while dosing with Acid and Alkaline Buffer to establish your new one. When dosing Acid and Alkaline Buffers, I would suggest starting with the ratios given on the label as a good starting point (remember, the ratios are dose:dose and not a direct ratio, so first calculate the dosages for your tank, then calculate the ratios). Remember, however, that the ratios are given for use in RO/DI water; the ions and other elements in your tank may throw your dosage off a little, so you may need to adjust accordingly. The time it takes for your carbonate buffering system to dissipate is unique for each tank and depends on bioload, CO2 concentration, other ions, etc and cannot be calculated. Eventually once you get established, you will get a feel for when you may need to dose on a scheduled routine.

I hope this information helps, and have a good day!

[jaydro]

Thanks, I guess what I wasn't getting at first was that Neutral Regulator is a stable buffer, while using Acid Buffer and Alkaline Buffer is not stable, and thus you can't just say "use this much for n gallons."

[Tech Support LK]

Acid and Alkaline Buffer are certainly an effective method to maintain a stable pH. They are more susceptible to other parameters than phosphate-based buffers, but I wouldn't consider them unstable.