Switching from CC to LS, pH question

[nickbuol]

My southdown sand and arag-alive are on the way. I am going from a 3.5" crushed coral UGNF (Under Gravel Nitrate Factory) to live sand. Anyway, I was told when we got the crushed coral that it was a good buffering agent for keeping the pH stable, and as far as I know, it has done that. What about live sand? Any buffering there? Maybe I am not even using the right terms, but you know what I mean, will it help to keep the pH stable, or while I need to add something to maintain the pH at a particular level (raising or lowering to the 8.2 range)?
I just want to have everything read for the nice long day of swapping things out.
Thanks everyone.

 

[andymi]

Depending on how much of the aragonite you are using you might be ok. I only use all araganite in my reef tanks and so far I have not had to add any elements to my tank. I recently started adding some Kent Pro Buffer dKH, but my pH was actually fine and everything was growing great. Just wanted to try and boost the alkaline in the tank a little. The carib-sea stuff is pretty good (at least the reaflor is), I think you should be ok. A lot of the salt manufacturers will add something to the salt mix to help stabalize the pH in the tank as well.
HTH
-Andy

 

[kdlbem]

I have LS, and have had to add a ph buffer. I started using Pro buffer DKH, got the alkalinity where it is supposed to be, and haven't needed to adjust the ph since. If you ever need to adjust the ph, Seachem makes a really good ph buffer.
B