What is item?
pH is a measure of a solution’s acidity.
The pH scale runs from negative (yes: negative) values to
more than 15.
Most pH values in aquaculture and aquaponics range between about 6
and 9, depending on the target species.
Why is item important?
pH controls the rate and direction of important processes that
determine the success of aquatic systems. These include the…
- ...concentration of toxic un-ionized ammonia (UIA)
- ...removal of toxic ammonia by nitrifying bacteria
- ...amount of toxic dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2)
-
...calcite saturation state Ω (omega), important in skeletal
formation
- ...effectiveness of chlorine treatment to kill pathogens
-
...availability of essential minerals for hydroponic plants
And...
Neutral pH is not always 7; it depends on water temperature &
salinity.
e.g., seawater at 25° C (77° F) & 34.5‰ salinity is
neutral at pH 6.61.
Neutral pH is not a “magic boundary”: Some organisms have evolved
to prefer lower (acidic) pH and others prefer higher (basic or
alkaline) pH.
Typical seawater has a pH of about 8.1; healthy human blood, pH
7.35 - 7.45.