Kalk reactor malfuntion! Need to lower PH fast? Help.

[sonofgaladriel]

My PH shot over 9 due to a malfunctioning kalk reactor. I've done a 30 gallon water change (all I had made), added some baking soda. I'll do another large water change as soon as its ready.
Anything else I can add to bring down the PH fast?
My fish are stressing big time, all corals are sliming big time, water is really cloudy!

 

[JazzMan]

so sorry to hear this. Sounds like you are doing everything you can..

 

[cloudancer]

Vinegar works well for lowering it as well. Just be careful with it so you don't overshoot. Airation will also bring it inline more slowly.

And a link: http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2002/chem.htm

 

[sonofgaladriel]

Thank you very much clouddancer!!!

 

[dphins]

Did you ask Randy in the chemistry forum?

 

[sonofgaladriel]

Thanks guys. I've got a few air pumps bubbling, turned up my CO2 bubble count a litte in the Calcium reactor, added a few table spoons of vinegar, and will do another 30 gallon water change before I go to bed.
I think this is all I can do for now and keep my fingers crossed that everything is okay in the morning.
Thanks again for all the help. I'm signing off now to focus on the tank and then to bed. I'm worn out

 

[Bebo77]

Sean.. whats going on over there?

edit.. good luck Sean.. let us know what happens in the morning...

 

[sonofgaladriel]

1:20 AM CST
PH is down to 8.6 and hopefully will be back to 8.3 or so by morning.
Larger fish appear to be pulling through it. I won't know how the anthias, Helfrichi and mystery wrasses handled it until I either see them swimming tomorrow afternoon or not.
Corals appear to be okay, but its hard to say with just the flashlight. I'm sure I'll have lost some acros.
I'll do another water change tomorrow afternoon but I think the worst is over.
We'll just have to see what survived tomorrow when I get home from work.
Thanks again for all the help and well wishes.

 

[NexDog]

I bet it won't be a good night's sleep. If things don't turn out well, please post some pictures to serve as a warning against such things. Best of luck though - especially the anthias. They can be so damn delicate.

 

[XeniaMania]

How does a CR run a PH up to 9???

 

[dustin Combs]

I don't think it was his Ca reactor. It was his Kalk reactor.

 

[jpfelix]

kalk reactor = ph of 12

 

[XeniaMania]

oppsies...it's late...didn't read correctly, sorry!

 

[cloudancer]

SoG,
Your timing on this was incredible. I had almost exactly the same thing happen on Sat/Sun morning. I woke up to a water alarm and a PH about 9.3 and a salinity of 42 on the pinpoint meter (don't know the exact conversion).
For future reference and people who search on things like high PH and PH disasters:
I dosed vinegar at one tablespoon per 100g every 30min till the PH was 8.8. I also started a water change with double salinity water using a 30g per day pump till I got to about 1.022/23. Normal evaporation and airation brought me back to my normal parameters (PH 8.4, salinity 35ppm) from there in about 12 hours.
I only have softies, 1 LPS and fish, but I didn't loose anything. Hope your results are as good .

 

[sonofgaladriel]

Whew! PH is down to 8.3 this morning. Turned the lights on and I can find all but my Helfrichi firefish and my Bimac anthias
I lost three long term acro frags but most others appear to be okay, a little less color but at least they're not completed bleached.
Thanks again for all the help and wellwished last night.
Darn automation!!!

 

[swannking]

So what happened to your kalk reactor that made it malfunction.

 

[sonofgaladriel]

This topic has begun to grow on two threads. Sorry about that. Here is where I explain what the problem was:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=7014178#post7014178
Thanks again for all the help and well wishes everyone!