"pH measures how acidic or basic the water is. The scale goes from 0 to 14. Seven is neutral — like pure water. Below 7 is acidic (like vinegar). Above 7 is basic (like soap). The lagoon should be around 7.5 to 8.5. When it changes too much, fish and shellfish suffer."
What Is pH?
pH is a measure of how acidic or basic (alkaline) a liquid is, on a scale from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral (pure water). Below 7 is acidic (vinegar is about 2, lemon juice about 3). Above 7 is basic or alkaline (baking soda is about 9, bleach is about 12). The pH scale is logarithmic: each number represents a 10-fold change. So pH 6 is ten times more acidic than pH 7, and pH 5 is a hundred times more acidic. Seawater is naturally slightly basic, around 8.0-8.2, because of dissolved minerals. The Indian River Lagoon's pH typically ranges from 7.0 to 8.5, varying with location, time of day, and biological activity. pH is important because it affects every chemical reaction in the water and every organism that lives there. Fish, invertebrates, and especially shell-building organisms (oysters, clams, corals) are sensitive to pH changes.
