Before dissolving the limestone slab, a buffer solution needs to be made. The buffer solution moderates the dissolution and keeps the solution pH from starting too low which can damage the microfossils from the slab.

After mixing a 7% solution, I added a spare piece of limestone start making the buffer solution. The pH started at 2.5 and had risen to 3.7 about eight hours later. I'm going to keep dissolving the limestone for another day or two and then save this buffer.

In the Jeppsson paper, the dissolution progress is monitored by tracking the pH and solution density. Unfortunately, the hydrometer is 14" long and can't measure the density in a small 5 gallon bucket. This wasn't a problem for the researchers in the paper because they processed 50 lb of limestone. I'm only processing 3 lb! So I created a measuring device with a 2 foot length of 1.5" ID PVC pipe sealed at one end. Some the solution can be pumped from the bucket to the PVC pipe and the hydrometer can then measure the density. After the reading, the solution can be poured back into the bucket.