does live rock keep ph up?

[briansreeftank19660426]

i have a dsb and as well all know the only downside of sand bed rather than coral is ph being low all time. does live rock keep it up

 

[galina]

Live rock helps filter water but does nothing to help PH. You can get buffers.. Calcium and other additives have an affect on PH, also.
Galina

 

[kris walker]

Unless I'm out in left field, arragonite sand has in theory the same, if not more, of a capacity to buffer pH that CC. Arragonite is made of a *more* soluble form of calcium carbonate. CC is made of a *less* soluble form of it. Especially in O2-poor areas like in a DSB, the potential for carbonate to be released into the water is high, leading to better pH buffering than with CC.
kris