Increasing/Decreasing PH

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Hi Everybody,

How do I decrease my pH? I know I can increase it safely with vinegar [well, in moderation of course!]

Tinus

PS. I'm referring to household items, eg. Bicarb of Soda? And in case, what dosage?
 
Ok, bicarbonate of soda... 1 teaspoon, mix up with RO water and add to your tank... Give it 2hours and test, sstil not happy with the reading ad another teaspoon and wait a nother 2 hours and test again... Do this until hapy with yout level... Give it 3 days and test again, then you add another teaspoon wait 2 hours test again... This way you wil work out how much to odse every day to keep your level slabel... DO NOT DOSE MORE THEN 3 TIMES PERDAY!
 
Hey Jason! Thanx very much :) At the moment, maybe it's just luck, about 10ml of vinegar causes my pH to drop by 0.1 units approximately - tho not having an electronic indication makes it difficult - stuck with a Sera test kit.
 
I mix +-15grams with +-50ml of spirit vinegar, and then top up the rest 2 litres with RO water... I add aprox 25ml everyday in my system, dont have corals at all...
 
What is your pH reading... Why not let it do down with time... I think its saver that way... just my 2c, others may differ...
 
BTW sera test kits not that bad at all...
 
To be honest Tinus, your salt should take care of your pH. I would suggest you use a good quality salt if you're not using NSW.

Make sure you alkalinity is in the region of 6dkH to 11dkH. I have to recommend you not fiddle with vinegar (which will decrease your pH not increase). You are bound to cause more harm than good.
 
ah ok, thanx guys :) Only have SERA salt here - nothing else. And yes, paid an arm and a leg for it --- live in Windhoek, Namibia ---- so yes....
 
8.0-8.5,that is a huge gap.try testing your Ph with a ph monitor or ph pen.personally i nevere found testkits to be accurate for Ph.even normal water changes will help in bringing down ph.are you dosing any supplements like kalk?
 
Hi Makaeel. Yes did dose a bit of kalk a few days ago [25ml in a 350odd liter tank], and that was about it - no other weird stuff. Yeah was thinking about getting a pH pen or something - but at R900 for one here!?!
 
Hi Everybody,

How do I decrease my pH? I know I can increase it safely with vinegar [well, in moderation of course!]

Actually, vinegar will DECREASE pH, as it is a mild acid. Slaked lime (aka Kalkwasser) is strongly alkaline, and will increase the pH... remember, LOWER pH is more acid, higher pH is more alkaline, and a pH of 7.0 is neutral.

pH seems to be SOMEWHERE between 8.0 and 8.5

That is quite safely within the prescribed range, although if the pH fluctuates by this much during 24 hours it could be an indication of a low buffer or of ventilation problems around the tank (perhaps a closed room with no ventilation during the night...).

You can increase the buffer capacity of the water (also known as alkalinity, but this is NOT the same as the water being alkaline...) by using normal koeksoda (bicarbonate of soda) sold at your local chemist or supermarket, as described by Jason. Just remember that the dosing should be varied to suit the size of your tank.

Hennie
 
Hi Makaeel. Yes did dose a bit of kalk a few days ago [25ml in a 350odd liter tank], and that was about it - no other weird stuff. Yeah was thinking about getting a pH pen or something - but at R900 for one here!?!
try out our sponsors,im sure there should be cheaper brands available.
 
Hi guys,

I've read people using vinegar to lower ph and lost saying don't use vinegar. I'm just wondering if anybody has tried using vitamen c (ascorbic acid).
Could somebody please comment.

Ted
 
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