Carib Sea Substrate??

[toddnbecka]

I can't find any info online regarding the actual content of carib sea cichlid sand, specifically the sahara mix. What specific water chemistry does it create/maintain?
I'm thinking about getting some featherfins that have been bred/raised in a tank with that substrate. I simply use coral to buffer my tanks, used to use baking soda and epsom salt for my Tangs. but don't have any (other than catfish) at the momemt.

 

[Andrew]

All caribsea substrates marketed for saltwater or African cichlid tanks contain the same calcium compounds found in coral skeleton/crushed coral. It will buffer to approximately 8.2. Whether it is enough to maintain at 8.2 depends on outside factors.

 

[toddnbecka]

What I don't quite understand is why aragonite will buffer the pH higher than coral. They're both calcium carbonate, but coral only buffers to 7.6 max.
In any case baking soda will also max out at 8.2 regardless of how much you use, though adding more will raise the KH level higher, which makes it more stable.
Would it be necessary (or just a good general precaution) to adjust my pH before receiving the fish, or would they adapt well enough? They are F1 (or so I'm told) juvies, and my water is very hard regardless of the difference in pH.