alkaline
Relating to or containing an alkali; having a pH greater than 7.0; having a relatively low concentration of hydrogen ions; able to neutralise an acid.
Used in 94 profiles
Results for “alkaline”
Ichthyological terms, not general ones.
alkalinity
Measure of the buffering capacity of a given water body, i.e. its capacity to neutralize acids and bases thereby maintaining a fairly stable pH. Water containing compounds, such as bicarbonates, carbonates, and hydroxides has a stronger such capacity and is referred to as hard water, while water lacking or deficient in them is termed soft water. Soft water aquaria tend to be susceptible to pH crashes if not maintained correctly.
Used in 6 profiles
buffering capacity
See alkalinity.
carbonate hardness
Measure of the alkalinity of water as dictated by the presence of bicarbonate and carbonate ions. Usually expressed as parts per million, milligrams per litre, or degrees (dKH) of which 1 dKH corresponds to 17.848 ppm. Sometimes used a synonym for, but not equivalent to, temporary hardness.
Used in 65 profiles
neutral
Neither acidic nor alkaline.
Used in 179 profiles
pH
Measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH around 7.0, solutions with pH of less than 7.0 acidic and greater than 7.0 basic or alkaline. Measured on a logarithmic scale of 0.0-14.0 whereby a change of a single unit represents a ten-fold increase in acidity or basicity/alkalinity, i.e., a solution with a pH of 4.0 is ten times more acidic than one of 5.0., and 100 times more acidic than one of 6.0. Some fishes require a relatively specific pH in aquaria, while others are more generalised, with the former requirement often-reduced in captive-bred examples.
Used in 397 profiles