How do I lower PH???

[BBReefkeeper]

My test kit tops out at 8.6 and it has been reading 8.6 for four weeks. How do I lower? What is an ideal PH?
Thanks for any help.
P.S. will Kalc. raise calcium or just maintain the levels?

 

[vp39]

First thing to do is have LFS test your ph also to make sure your kit is still good. If it is the when you do water change dont add any type of buffer for the ph. most water is usually lower in ph than your tank so this will help bring it down some.
Glenn

 

[MattM]

Everything that Glenn said.

In a desperate situation (like you just poured a gallon of kalkwasser in and your pH is 9.5 and climbing), you can add club soda. The carbon dioxide will drop the pH.

This is ONLY for emergencies - please don't try this at home, kids.

[ July 17, 2001: Message edited by: MattM ]

 

[Anonymous]

Do you have any way of aerating the tank more? A fan blowing on the sump, bigger skimmer, etc.

 

[BBReefkeeper]

Increation aeration increases or decreases PH. I have heard both. If it lowers PH should I add an air wand, or is there a better method?
Bryan

 

[jdeets]

Increased aeration with O2 will increase pH. Increase of dissolved CO2 will decrease pH. Generally aeration will have the effect of adding O2 and reducing dissolved CO2, thereby increasing pH. So I wouldn't prescribe increased aeration for your problem. Just my $0.02.

 

[mgamelin]

You can use a solution of baking soda and water.it's just the same as PH buffer.
PS.Don't hold me to it though!
Marc

 

[The Brain]

BBreefkeeper,
Im sorry to hear about your Ph problem, one definite way to reduce your Ph is to add a diluted form of Sodium Bisufate(vinegar is a readily accessible source).Further are you having algea blooms as this will cause a variation in Ph levels

Bryan

 

[BReefCase]

BB -- How are you measuring your pH?

If you are relying on a single test kit, buy another one of a different brand, preferably Tropic Marin, Tetra or Salifert, or get someone to measure your pH with a quality pH meter that is newly calibrated with FRESH calibration fluid.

Tank pH is often LOW due to too much CO2 or too much livestock, but it is seldom HIGH. I'd suspect a bad test kit, unless you are adding lots of something alkaline to your tank, like Kalk.

If your pH really is too high after a reliable measure, this is a case where less is more. If you have a Calcium reactor, shut it off. If you are dripping Kalkwasser (which in large quantities will raise your Calcium level better than anything else, as well as maintain it with smaller additions), stop. Stop adding pH buffers -- they keep pH high, not low.

Test your Alkalinity, Calcium, and Magnesium with reliable test kits. You need to get all these in reasonable balance at optimum levels before giving up and resorting to lowering your pH by dumping some new unknown into the tank. I'd do a water change if all else fails with fresh salt mix, and gfo easy on the additives in the future. Try doing nothing first, and letting pH fall naturally.

In the extreme case, Sodium Bisulfate, NaHSO4.H2O (aka Sodium Acid Sulfate or Sodium Hydrogen Sulfate) is a common food industry additive USED IN TINY AMOUNTS that will lower pH. To my knowledge, it is not found to any great extent in grocery store White Vinegar, which is typically 5% Acetic Acid, but which will also lower pH.

Both Sodium Bisulfate and Vinegar are used in freshwater goldfish pond keeping to control high pH, but I cannot recommend using either in large quantities in a salt or reef tank. They don't just add H+. They all have side effects that may be worse than your current problem.

The only place for these in your tank is in small quantities of Acetic Acid from White Vinegar used to increase the solubility of Calcium in Kalkwasser mix.

 

[The Brain]

You go Breefcase!!!!!

Well put.