pH Down?

[dwculp]

I drip kalk into my 40 gallon tank via a gravity feed. Somehow the valve I use to control the drip rate was open more than usual yesterday and I dripped about 1.5 gallons of kalk overnight and my pH is at around 8.8 right now. Normally I would just do a water change or two to lower it but I have no prepared water as I emptied and cleaned my trash can I use to store prepared water. I will pick up clean water on the way home from work tonight and prepare some water change water when I get back in to school tomorrow. I had planned a large water change in preparating for winter break.

Anyways, I want to knock the pH down just a bit today. I have a product called "pH Down" which I use on my freshwater tank. Our tap water can come out with a pH of 8.0 - 8.8 during some parts of the year and I use this to knock the pH down to 7.0.

The product is actually 10% or less Sulfuric Acid, here is the MSDS sheet: http://cms.aquariumpharm.com/resources/assets//P/pHDown_2451.pdf

Can I use this product on my reef tank, I would like to knock the pH to 8.6 over the course of today and back to 8.4 tomorrow.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No, I would not use that. It willd rop alkalintiy quite a bit. I'd use seltzer (soda water) or vinegar:

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

FWIW, aeration alone may bring it back in line before you get a chance to do anything else. :)

[dwculp]

Thanks, I have LOTS of vinegar in the clasroom because I use it for cleaning.

I will watch the pH over the day and see if it drops without intervention.

[dwculp]

pH slowly dropped to 8.4 throughout the day without me doing a thing to it.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:thumbsup:

Happy Reefing. :)