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I dont know what I just did but now my ph is 8.8. How do I lower it without changing my water?:d'oh:
HELPPPP!!!! My PH just shot thru the roof.
- Thread starter fraggel rock
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How much?
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I did a water change and was having a problem with my ph. I added 30 ml of brs alk. and a capfull of aquavitro buffer because I have been having a problem with my borate alk. in a solana.
The general rule of thumb is use 1 mL of distilled white vinegar per gallon of aquarium water to achieve a pH drop of about 0.3 pH units. You should wait 3 hours to allow the pH to stabilize before adding additional vinegar. You do not want to add too much and drive the pH too low. Just get it below 8.5 and everything should be OK.
You definitely want to make sure that you know why the pH spiked (i.e. accidental overdose) and you are not seeing a false reading from a pH probe out of calibration or a bad test kit.
You definitely want to make sure that you know why the pH spiked (i.e. accidental overdose) and you are not seeing a false reading from a pH probe out of calibration or a bad test kit.
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I probably did it way too soon. I added a few ml of vinegar right after I posted this and it is at 8.71 right now. The whole problem is when I got in to the hobby a few years ago I went all out and got the 35gpd ro unit so it will take me a few hours until I can do another water change.
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my reefkeeper...Which was calibrated a few days ago.
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I am going to go test with my seachem test real quick.....brb
FYI-
Advice from Randy Holmes Farley (reef chemistry guru) at Reef Central for response to high pH due to a kalk overdose:
The following important points should help in dealing with a limewater overdose:
1. Don't panic! These overdoses do not usually cause a tank to crash.
2. The primary concern is pH. If the pH is 8.6 or lower, you need not do anything. If the pH is above 8.6, then reducing the pH is the priority. Direct addition of vinegar or soda water is a good way to accomplish this goal. Either one mL of distilled white vinegar, or six mL of soda water, per gallon of tank water will give an initial pH drop of about 0.3 pH units. Add either to a high flow area that is away from organisms (e.g., a sump).
3. Do not bother to measure calcium or alkalinity while the tank is cloudy. The solid calcium carbonate particles will dissolve in an alkalinity test, and all of the carbonate in them will be counted as if it were in solution and part of "alkalinity." The same may happen to some extent with calcium tests. Wait until the water clears, and at that point, alkalinity is more likely to be low than high. Calcium will likely be mostly unchanged.
4. The particles themselves will typically settle out and disappear from view over a period of 1-4 days. They do not appear to cause long term detrimental effects to tank organisms.
5. Water changes are not necessarily beneficial or needed in response to a limewater overdose.
Advice from Randy Holmes Farley (reef chemistry guru) at Reef Central for response to high pH due to a kalk overdose:
The following important points should help in dealing with a limewater overdose:
1. Don't panic! These overdoses do not usually cause a tank to crash.
2. The primary concern is pH. If the pH is 8.6 or lower, you need not do anything. If the pH is above 8.6, then reducing the pH is the priority. Direct addition of vinegar or soda water is a good way to accomplish this goal. Either one mL of distilled white vinegar, or six mL of soda water, per gallon of tank water will give an initial pH drop of about 0.3 pH units. Add either to a high flow area that is away from organisms (e.g., a sump).
3. Do not bother to measure calcium or alkalinity while the tank is cloudy. The solid calcium carbonate particles will dissolve in an alkalinity test, and all of the carbonate in them will be counted as if it were in solution and part of "alkalinity." The same may happen to some extent with calcium tests. Wait until the water clears, and at that point, alkalinity is more likely to be low than high. Calcium will likely be mostly unchanged.
4. The particles themselves will typically settle out and disappear from view over a period of 1-4 days. They do not appear to cause long term detrimental effects to tank organisms.
5. Water changes are not necessarily beneficial or needed in response to a limewater overdose.
my ph probe was suspect...
I posted a thread about the ph bouncing all around a couple weeks ago while my chemical tests showed constant levels of ph.
it was a neptune systems standard ph probe..
i replace it with the one I bought for my calcium reactor.
I posted a thread about the ph bouncing all around a couple weeks ago while my chemical tests showed constant levels of ph.
it was a neptune systems standard ph probe..
i replace it with the one I bought for my calcium reactor.
Depending on what your tank volume is, you might find that you need to spread out your alk dosing. As you found out, large dosings of most alk solutions will increase your pH too rapidly. There are some formula's of alk supplements that won't increase your pH as much..but I'm guessing you just added to much all at once.
Try adding reduced volumes, more frequently.
As long as the pH isn't critically high, just let it come down on it's own. Almost always, the pH of your tank will depend on the CO2 level in the room it is in. Buffer's will have almost no effect in the long run, and are a waste of money IMO. The tank will always reestablish equilibrium with the room shortly after they are added. Worry about the alk level and just let the pH do it's thing.
Now if you are going to run a calcium reactor or constantly add kalk, you will start having a continued effect on the pH of the tank.
Try adding reduced volumes, more frequently.
As long as the pH isn't critically high, just let it come down on it's own. Almost always, the pH of your tank will depend on the CO2 level in the room it is in. Buffer's will have almost no effect in the long run, and are a waste of money IMO. The tank will always reestablish equilibrium with the room shortly after they are added. Worry about the alk level and just let the pH do it's thing.
Now if you are going to run a calcium reactor or constantly add kalk, you will start having a continued effect on the pH of the tank.
If you added 30ml of BRS Alkalinty into what I think is a 30G Solana then that is what caused the spike and it will come back down so if you didn't take any other action last night it should be ok this morning. You will need to really dilute the mixture before adding it in manually spread over several dosings or add a doser to add just a few mls at a time.
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+ extra surface agitation
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Thanks for the help everyone, I am doing another water change tonight.
