Buffers

Buffers Help and Advice

Natural pH control

Buffers are chemicals that help your pH stay stable. They mop up acid and alkali to push things back towards balance. Buffering is an aquarists friend as it helps stop big pH swings that might damage your fish

What are buffers?

Aquarium Buffers are the fast and effective solution to a range of chemical imbalances in your tank. Certain species of fish require different pH, gH and kH levels so it is important to regularly check and maintain these levels, buffers act to maintain these.

Why might I buy buffers?

If you've used a test kit to check your water quality and the results have shown high levels of ammonia or lower levels of calcium than is necessary for a marine tank, it could be worth purchasing a buffer to regulate the levels of certain elements in your aquarium. If your tank is set up right, it should be a functioning ecosystem (or near enough), but this is very difficult to achieve, and sometimes levels of certain substances may rise or fall to dangerous levels, impacting the health of your tank. Buffers can get your tank back to where it's supposed to be, whether it needs the pH lowering or raising, or the calcium levels sorting out.

What are the main types of buffers?

You can buy buffers to add to your tank water which helps keep it in a particular pH range. Most people manage without them but they might be worth considering if you have erratic pH readings.

What features to look out for?

It's important to get the correct buffer for your set up - what might be suitable for a marine aquarium, may not be suitable for a tropical fish tank, and different species of fish may require differing buffers. For example, Aquaforest KH Buffer helps to maintain constant carbonate hardness in coral reef aquaria while Dr Tim's First Defence promotes healing and repairs wounds in your marine aquarium. It also provides stress relief and immune support for your livestock, which especially helps fish adapt to new environments.