Randy Holmes-Farley or anyone please help

[rljlll]

hi set up a new tank three weeks back my ph is at 8.7 which is high i know but it has been stabalized there and has not changed much i use instant ocean salt and water and ice water

the tank just has rock nothing else how can i lower my ph safely

 

[smoknreefrs]

heinz distilled white vinegar...i would dose about 5mL per gallon of water you have, then wait a few hours..then add as needed to lower where you need/want it

 

[rljlll]

i have a bottle of white vinegar down stair does the brand mater and how would i measure 5 ml what is 450ml in cups or onces

 

[Billybeau1]

I would check your test kit before adding anything yet. Usually ph that high is either test kit error or operator error. Maybe take a sample of your water to your LFS. Try taking a cup of your water and airating it for awhile and take a reading.

 

[PatMayo]

Yes, I would do what Billybeau1 says. I doubt the test is right. If you are using a test strip or the color match chances are it's wrong.

What are you using ice water for?

Regards,

Pat

 

[rljlll]

ithink i figured it out i have a piece of cement rock in my tank and was told it is over six months old and wouldn'y leak anymore alk but i guess the guy could be wrong the test is acurate what do you say

 

[bertoni]

You could test some freshly-mixed water that's not in the tank. If that tests okay, then I suspect it's the cement rock.

 

[rljlll]

i tested my ro water from water and ice it tested 6.7

 

[Sk8r]

If you need metric to English measurement conversion tables, just google the phrase, and you'll get any number of choices online.

 

[jjmg]

What is the ice used for?

 

[rljlll]

there is no ice read the whole post the water is from Water&Ice

 

[rljlll]

did twenty gallon water change and brought the ph down .o5 now its at 8.65

still really high

 

[bertoni]

You might want to test some freshly-mixed saltwater. Sorry, I should have been more clear. The pH of RO-DI water doesn't mean much.

 

[rrome]

How are you measuring the pH? I also suspect th pH is fine and our readings are off.

I assume you use a pH meter since you can measure to 0.05 units. Are the calibrating solutions fresh? What pH are you using to calibrate the meter?

At what time of the day is this measurement? does it change in the morning?

 

[rljlll]

yes i used a test strip my ph probe from a controller and i took it to the LFS three tests the measurement on the level is correct my alk was really high to so i am thinking the cement rock leached alk raising the ph in the process i dosed some vinegar and it brought it down to 8.47 or so when i last looked I'm getting there i took out the rock by the way any have any other suggestions

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Can you remove the cement?

What is the alkalinity?

More aeration, lower alkalinikty (if it is excessively high), carbon dioxide /soda water, and vinegar are the ways to reduce pH.

This article has more:

High pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/index.htm

 

[rljlll]

i took the rock out and will start adding i few air pumps tonight i hope i have dosed about 120ml of vinegar yesterday and again today because it was creaping back up slowly can i do anything else ill try to get a reading on the alk asap

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If that rock was the only cause of elevated pH, it should drop fairly fast. Within 2 days it would be back to normal.

So it it goes back up, I'd suspect a measurement error.

 

[rljlll]

but how can three tests be wrong?

and does vinegar lower only the ph and if so....

if the ph is lowered but the alk is still high won't the ph just go back up of no?

 

[bertoni]

Vinegar lowers pH and alkalinity temporarily. As the bacteria consume the vinegar, eventually the pH and alkalinity rise, assuming CO2 can be outgassed. This article talks about the process in some detail:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php

Increasing the alkalinity will increase the pH somewhat, but the effect is usually small enough not to cause severe problems in most systems, within the alkalinity levels I've seen. This article gives some sample graphs of pH vs alkalinity:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php

I suspect that if you wait a bit, the tank will settle down, although some water changes might be useful if the animals are showing problems. Well, also assuming all the concrete is out.