What's the fastest way to lower PH? Opinions?

Ken-21 · 06/19/2009, 09:00 AM

I've heard a few of ways to lower the Ph over the past couple of years but I'm always keeping my eyes and ears open for new methods. Anyone have a quick way to lower the PH in a tank?

Percula9 · 06/19/2009, 09:25 AM

Vinegar is probably the safest. How high a pH are we talking about?

Ken-21 · 06/19/2009, 09:32 AM

I'm just saying in general if your PH went up on you what method would you use to lower it. Vinegar, I heard of that before. I also had a guy say he used soda water. I thought that club soda (I think that's what he meant) Has some kind of phosphate, I could be wrong. Thanks Percula9.
Anyone else?

kgross · 06/19/2009, 01:27 PM

Soda water is great. It should just be carbonated water and the CO2 will drop the pH.

Or if you have a co2 tank, you can inject some co2 to drop the pH as well.

Kim

Tylt33 · 06/19/2009, 04:44 PM

I've had elevated Ph problems, and unfortunately, the methods I have tried have only worked for only a day or so. My Ph has been getting dangerously high (8.80, as measured by my pinpoint monitor). I've tried vinegar, seltzer water, and baking soda. All have worked to one degree or another, but have not lowered Ph for more than a one day period.

I think water changes might be the only way to go.

Tylt33 · 06/19/2009, 04:45 PM

p.s. You want seltzer water not club soda.

kgross · 06/19/2009, 04:48 PM

A chronic high pH is not a common problem so the solutions you have been given are for short term problem.

If you have a reef tank, unless you are dosing lots of kalk, it is almost impossible to have a pH of 8.8.

Have you calibrated your pH probe? Have you tried measuring the pH outside of the main tank? I would be willing to bet you have a measurement error, not a real pH of 8.8 unless you are dosing something into the tank, or have uncured cement rock in the tank.

Kim

Tylt33 · 06/19/2009, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kgross
A chronic high pH is not a common problem so the solutions you have been given are for short term problem.

If you have a reef tank, unless you are dosing lots of kalk, it is almost impossible to have a pH of 8.8.

Have you calibrated your pH probe? Have you tried measuring the pH outside of the main tank? I would be willing to bet you have a measurement error, not a real pH of 8.8 unless you are dosing something into the tank, or have uncured cement rock in the tank.

Kim

I was wondering about that. I'm going to order a new probe (mine is over a year old) and also some calibration liquid, and go from there. I haven't dosed kalk... only magnesium (lots, to deal with bryopsis)...

Boomer · 06/19/2009, 10:51 PM

The only kind of tanks that can get to 8.8 or even higher are Marco-Algae Planted aquairums and is why they often use CO2 injection to lower the pH as the plants suck it all out and then kill the Alk. It is also easy to get them to 8.6 with kalk, as that is a method of trying to rid a tank of Dino's, by killing the CO2 with Kalk.

If one has pH is 8.4 - 8. 6 just leave it alone it will drop fast enough on its own and will hurt nothing. And most high pH's are testing errors 95 % of the time. Probes often get algae on them also, which remove CO2 at the algae probe interface, which raises the pH.

GTR · 06/20/2009, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Boomer
Probes often get algae on them also, which remove CO2 at the algae probe interface, which raises the pH.

Finally an explanation I get. I've used pH probes on and off for 25 years and never once had one that drifted downward, always up.

SteveU

Boomer · 06/20/2009, 09:28 AM

Same issue Steve with ORP probes, they raise the REDOX

luther1200 · 06/20/2009, 01:50 PM

Is there a good way to clean the probes?

Boomer · 06/20/2009, 10:36 PM

Yah there are probe cleaning solutions or just use a pH Buffer 4

Tylt33 · 06/21/2009, 12:21 AM

Turns out... mine was a probe error. Replaced the battery and my Ph magically changed from 8.8 to 8.33. That sure seemed a lot easier than dosing vinegar and seltzer water like I had been doing

06/19/2009, 09:00 AM	#1
Ken-21 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: On the edge of sanity Posts: 140	What's the fastest way to lower PH? Opinions? I've heard a few of ways to lower the Ph over the past couple of years but I'm always keeping my eyes and ears open for new methods. Anyone have a quick way to lower the PH in a tank?

06/19/2009, 01:27 PM	#4
kgross Premium Member Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Nampa, ID Posts: 5,870	Soda water is great. It should just be carbonated water and the CO2 will drop the pH. Or if you have a co2 tank, you can inject some co2 to drop the pH as well. Kim __________________ Proud Member of the Idaho Marine Aquarium Society America will only be the Land of the Free as long as it is the Home of the Brave. Current Tank Info: AGA 180gallon tank, VHO/MH lighting, DSB, calcium reactor, Also a 7 Gallon Nano softy tank, and a 32 gallon cube

06/19/2009, 04:48 PM	#7
kgross Premium Member Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Nampa, ID Posts: 5,870	A chronic high pH is not a common problem so the solutions you have been given are for short term problem. If you have a reef tank, unless you are dosing lots of kalk, it is almost impossible to have a pH of 8.8. Have you calibrated your pH probe? Have you tried measuring the pH outside of the main tank? I would be willing to bet you have a measurement error, not a real pH of 8.8 unless you are dosing something into the tank, or have uncured cement rock in the tank. Kim __________________ Proud Member of the Idaho Marine Aquarium Society America will only be the Land of the Free as long as it is the Home of the Brave. Current Tank Info: AGA 180gallon tank, VHO/MH lighting, DSB, calcium reactor, Also a 7 Gallon Nano softy tank, and a 32 gallon cube

06/19/2009, 10:51 PM	#9
Boomer Bomb Technician (EOD) Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Duluth, Minnesota Posts: 11,842	The only kind of tanks that can get to 8.8 or even higher are Marco-Algae Planted aquairums and is why they often use CO2 injection to lower the pH as the plants suck it all out and then kill the Alk. It is also easy to get them to 8.6 with kalk, as that is a method of trying to rid a tank of Dino's, by killing the CO2 with Kalk. If one has pH is 8.4 - 8. 6 just leave it alone it will drop fast enough on its own and will hurt nothing. And most high pH's are testing errors 95 % of the time. Probes often get algae on them also, which remove CO2 at the algae probe interface, which raises the pH. __________________ If you See Me Running You Better Catch-Up Seawater Chemistry, Geology, ID Marine Life, Collecting Science Books, Explosives Technology, Audiophile An explosion can be defined as a loud noise, accompanied by the sudden going away of things, from a place where they use to be.

06/20/2009, 09:28 AM	#11
Boomer Bomb Technician (EOD) Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Duluth, Minnesota Posts: 11,842	Same issue Steve with ORP probes, they raise the REDOX __________________ If you See Me Running You Better Catch-Up Seawater Chemistry, Geology, ID Marine Life, Collecting Science Books, Explosives Technology, Audiophile An explosion can be defined as a loud noise, accompanied by the sudden going away of things, from a place where they use to be.

06/19/2009, 09:25 AM	#2
Percula9 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County CA Posts: 3,819	Vinegar is probably the safest. How high a pH are we talking about?

06/19/2009, 09:32 AM	#3
Ken-21 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: On the edge of sanity Posts: 140	I'm just saying in general if your PH went up on you what method would you use to lower it. Vinegar, I heard of that before. I also had a guy say he used soda water. I thought that club soda (I think that's what he meant) Has some kind of phosphate, I could be wrong. Thanks Percula9. Anyone else?

06/19/2009, 04:44 PM	#5
Tylt33 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chico, California Posts: 1,755	I've had elevated Ph problems, and unfortunately, the methods I have tried have only worked for only a day or so. My Ph has been getting dangerously high (8.80, as measured by my pinpoint monitor). I've tried vinegar, seltzer water, and baking soda. All have worked to one degree or another, but have not lowered Ph for more than a one day period. I think water changes might be the only way to go.

06/19/2009, 04:45 PM	#6
Tylt33 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chico, California Posts: 1,755	p.s. You want seltzer water not club soda.

06/20/2009, 01:50 PM	#12
luther1200 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NJ, shore Posts: 4,376	Is there a good way to clean the probes? __________________ Matt, 65G reef tank Current Tank Info: 65g reef, mix of sps, lps, few softies. Hoping to upgrade within the year.

06/20/2009, 10:36 PM	#13
Boomer Bomb Technician (EOD) Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Duluth, Minnesota Posts: 11,842	Yah there are probe cleaning solutions or just use a pH Buffer 4 __________________ If you See Me Running You Better Catch-Up Seawater Chemistry, Geology, ID Marine Life, Collecting Science Books, Explosives Technology, Audiophile An explosion can be defined as a loud noise, accompanied by the sudden going away of things, from a place where they use to be.

06/21/2009, 12:21 AM	#14
Tylt33 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chico, California Posts: 1,755	Turns out... mine was a probe error. Replaced the battery and my Ph magically changed from 8.8 to 8.33. That sure seemed a lot easier than dosing vinegar and seltzer water like I had been doing