The importance of pH and the different ways to raise it

A reef aquarium that runs below its pH target puts its inhabitants under stress, and a quick fix won't hold while the cause is still there. The manufacturer's target is pH 8.3–8.5. When a customer's reading runs low, find the cause first — usually carbon dioxide build-up or alkalinity swings — then match the way to raise it. This article covers why pH matters, what drops it, every way the manufacturer gives to raise it, the limits to name and what to say at the counter.