very high PH

[AnthonyAce]

My PH is off of the charts (over 8.8) - I am not sure why it is so high I am using RO water and all other parameters are in line. I do about a 25% WC every 3 weeks.

Any suggestions on how to bring it down to 8.4? more alk? add vinegar?


Thoughts??

 

[KathyC]

What have you been adding to the tank that got the PH so high? Dosing??

What PH is you tap water?

**The one thing you do NOT want to do is bring the PH down quickly - it will be instant death for your fish!!** Do not use a product that lowers PH.

If your newly made SW has a lower PH, you can do SMALL water changes over the course of several days to get the PH to come down on it's own. Technically it is suggested NOT to lower the PH by more than .2 per day (8.8 --> 8.6 --> 8.4 )

Before anyone posts that it naturally occurs in a reef tank that PH swings can be more than .2 points in a day - remember that is happening gradually over the course of roughly 12 hour periods. If this reefer changes his PH and has the 'normal' PH swing on top of that, he stands a greater chance of killing his livestock.

 

[duke62]

do u use any sprays or carpet powder in that room.that can be a issue

 

[Bob 1000]

Too much kalk probably...

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Same issue here.8.7 during the day and 8.3 at night lights off.

 

[AnthonyAce]

The tap water has a very high PH. What could I use to gradually lower the ph?? Somebody told me to raise the alkalinity before I did this I wantd some suggestions.

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

The tap water has a very high PH. What could I use to gradually lower the ph?? Somebody told me to raise the alkalinity before I did this I wantd some suggestions.

Hi Anthony
To know what to do you must first understand what is pH ...some more here. Then you should read about solutions for your problem written by a specialist like Randy Holmes Farley, High pH: Causes and Cures.
After reading the suggested articles, you should be able to better act. Do not promote pH change in a short period of time. You must act like if you were defusing a land mine, very slowly and very very gradually or you can detonate it in your hands, so remember what KathyC mentioned

**The one thing you do NOT want to do is bring the PH down quickly - it will be instant death for your fish!!** Do not use a product that lowers PH.

If your newly made SW has a lower PH, you can do SMALL water changes over the course of several days to get the PH to come down on it's own. Technically it is suggested NOT to lower the PH by more than .2 per day (8.8 --> 8.6 --> 8.4 )

I hope this helps you to both determine the causes of such high pH as well as finding the solutions and actions to correct it and keep it within the good limits.

BTW, to help you to have a more complete information about pH here goes information about the opposite situation you have Low pH: Causes and Cures

Cheers
Pedro Nuno;-)

 

[reefman]

great info source as usual pedro
whats your low ph range(assuming 8.8 is high range)? check your ca and alk.
how realible is your ph readings?

 

[qy7400]

I'd try another test kit or have a fellow reefer test before you do anything, better safe and know your pH is truly 8.8 then lower it only to find out the kit was off.

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Will adding a Air Pump help?

 

[LongIslandAndy]

Iwould be willing to bet your PH kit is shot,try a different ph kit. If you have been adding nothing, that's not an easy ph number to reach

 

[KathyC]

Anthony - can you post what your tap water PH level reads? What kit are you using specifically? Is it a 'high range' PH kit??

 

[Bob 1000]

Will adding a Air Pump help?

Only if it's pumping C02,,lol.. Gotcha..

 

[AnthonyAce]

sorry for the late rely - krazy workload - the kit is red sea - the tap water measures at 8.4.

I tried the kit against a friends kit and it was comparable...so I believe the kit is good -

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

sorry for the late rely - krazy workload - the kit is red sea - the tap water measures at 8.4.

I tried the kit against a friends kit and it was comparable...so I believe the kit is good -

Hi
If the RO water that you obtain from the tap water has also and high pH (almost certainly has), then I suggest you lower the pH of that RO water before preparing the SW mix you use for water changes. This will help to gradually lower the pH of your system water.

Cheers
Pedro Nuno;-)

 

[AnthonyAce]

Thanks pedro - what is the best way to lower the RO water's PH? I heard vinegar, is that true? if so, would have a suggestion of how much vinegar to add per gallon of RO???

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

Thanks pedro - what is the best way to lower the RO water's PH? I heard vinegar, is that true? if so, would have a suggestion of how much vinegar to add per gallon of RO???

Hi
Before anything, let's make sure about your RO pH, so please measure it so that we know before hand what are we dealing with. Potable water is regulated in many countries but it can vary, so in some countries the pH can be between 6 and 9, and in some areas to decrease pipe corrosion some liming material is used in order to adjust pH to values between 6 and 8, or so to meet potable water specifications. So not knowing exactly what the water plant is doing to meet potable water regulations in your area, as suggested above, please let's test your RO effluent pH before anything.

Cheers
Pedro Nuno;-)