Dissolved oxygen levels

[Joe Lydon]

Does anyone here test for it? Seems like a pretty important parameter to control if you want stable pH.

 

[poidog]

Nope. Ph is a good enough indicator for if your O2 levels are.

 

[Joe Lydon]

What if a tank's dissolved oxygen levels were low and the keeper decided to raise the pH via sodium carbonate, shortly after (for whatever reason), the dissolved oxygen level rises. Wouldn't that cause a bad pH spike? Isn't it beneficial to know your dissolved oxygen levels prior to making a chemical adjustment?

 

[poidog]

Yes, you shouldn't use buffer to raise your Ph. Raise your O2. The best/easiest way to do this and make it stable is to hook up a CO2 scrubber on your skimmer air intake line. Easy and cheap.