How can I lower pH?

[Anonymous]

I started a new tank about 3 weeks ago and have a really high pH. (8.6 if not higher..)

Other than a pair of damsels and whatever is growing in the nitrate factory (cannister filter) nothing else is "live" at this point.

I see all kinds of solutions and stuff for raising pH and buffering and all that, but what (if anything / reasonable) can I do to safely lower mine some?

 

[xKEIGOx]

hemm.... i think it's still consider ok for 8.6
but if you want to lower it.... IMO CO2 is the best way.
eh? you sure you don't want to remove the canister filter?

 

[Wild Child]

From what I have learned, 8.6 is too high. How are you testing? If you can afford one, I highly recommend a pH probe. I have a pinpoint. The tests I have seen are either not real reliable or are very hard to read. Randy wrote a great article regarding ph problems.

You can read it here http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2002/chem.htm

HTH

 

[Anonymous]

Ahhh... So CO2 will lower pH?? Ok.... (Beginnings of a clue are settling in..)

And yes, I will definitely be removing the canister. (I was going to do just a fish-only again - this will be my first reef.) I guess I could still use it for circulation somehow though.

Yeah, my test kit is pretty cheap (Red Sea Marine Lab) so I don't even have the ability to test calcium yet which could go right in hand with your article Wild Child.. Limewater..... Makes sense considering all the deposits that are QUICKLY building up in the showers.. (Newly built house and the water in the tank is only DI until I can get an RO.)

Alright... - So I have a lot more equipment changes to make than I thought but it looks like I have a course of action now at least.

Thank you both VERY much!

 

[ChrisRD]

If you're sure the pH reading is correct and you want to lower it, distilled white vinegar or seltzer water would also work. Only caution with the seltzer is I'm not sure what impurities you could introduce if you did this on a regular basis. I suppose that's true of the vinegar too, but if it's distilled, I think it's a lot less likely to be a problem. CO2 sounds like it might be a good long-term solution (I don't use it, so I don't know), but it's a bit pricey to setup.

You might just try waiting a while before doing anything - your pH may fall on its own given some time.

BTW, what are you doing for evaporation top-off? What are you dosing for Ca/Alk (if anything)?

 

[randy holmes-farley]

If the tank is 3 weeks old, and you didn't add anything to the tank that would raise the pH (like limewater or an alkalinity supplement), then I expect that the measurement is likely in error. In general, lots of people have issues with that particular kit.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the tips on alternatives to CO2 if it turns out that the readings are correct. And I kinda figured the test kit was sub-par too, I'd asked about it in another forum but wasn't getting much feedback.. The fact that it didn't give anything but generalizations (3 good/bad/worse type indications) on Alk made me wonder... (Alk reads really high on it too..)

I'm using DI to top off evap until I can get an RO, it's the same as what made up the original mix. And I'm not dosing anything at this point. The only kit I have (for now) is the Marine Lab by Red Sea which doesn't give Ca either. Once I get a better kit and re-read, I'll have a better idea of what to do.

My LFS is http://www.thereefshop.com - Mark, the owner, seems like a really great guy and (hopefully) will do me a favor and run a test or two for me to confirm the readings..

Thanks again everyone!