how to deal with high pH?

[Paul Trudeau]

by Marvin Deon 1 hour ago:

Anyone live in Elk Grove (or somewhere with hard water/high PH from the tap)?  Any advice on reducing my water's PH without harming fish? 

Hi Marvin,

Welcome to Sac AP!

pH out of the tap here in Sac is 8.4.  pH naturally comes down over time to 7.6 or less in my AP system, due to biological processes.  Most successful thing I've tried to bring it closer to 7.0 is to use rain water in winter.

Paul

PS  moving this topic from Comment section to this Discussion, because in the long run Discussions are much easier to track. 

[Marvin Deon]

Anyone live in Elk Grove (or somewhere with hard water/high PH from the tap)?  Any advice on reducing my water's PH without harming fish? 

Hi Marvin,

Welcome to Sac AP!

pH out of the tap here in Sac is 8.4.  pH naturally comes down over time to 7.6 or less in my AP system, due to biological processes.  Most successful thing I've tried to bring it closer to 7.0 is to use rain water in winter.

Paul

PS  moving this topic from Comment section to this Discussion, because in the long run Discussions are much easier to track. 

[Tom Hack]

I am in Roseville and my water's PH is 7.8 out of the tap which is nice because when I add water it helps to increase my constantly dropping PH.  If your system is established your PH will fall as that is part of the Nitrification process.  I would use a PH down purchased from a Pond store or a pet shop as we know that it is save for the fish.  I add water to a container I grow duckweed in and it flows via a U siphon to my sump so PH changes caused by any water add is really diluted.

 

[Marvin Deon]

Thank you Tom and Paul.  My system is fairly new; so, perhaps I haven't reached the lowered PH phase...or perhaps i am adding too much water on a regular basis to notice the drop.  

I am thinking the real issue I need to address is water loss from my system.  I have a couple trickles where my piping enters my IBC totes.  (I pretty much butchered my IBC hole cuts) This leak  seem to be causing my water loss issue.  Do you know of a safe silicon type sealant?  

[Marvin Deon]

Thank you Tom and Paul.  My system is fairly new; so, perhaps I haven't reached the lowered PH phase...or perhaps i am adding too much water on a regular basis to notice the drop.  

I am thinking the real issue I need to address is water loss from my system.  I have a couple trickles where my piping enters my IBC totes.  (I pretty much butchered my IBC hole cuts) This leak  seem to be causing my water loss issue.  Do you know of a safe silicon type sealant?  

[Marvin Deon]

Nevermind guys.  I searched other threads and found my answer.  3M 5200 sealant!  

Thanks.

[Paul Trudeau]

Hi Line Electric on R Street in Sacramento's Central City also sells silicone that is labeled as FDA approved, unlike everythying I find at  hardware or big-box stores around here.

[Matthew Schoen]

I am in the same situation, Sacramento tap water is chlorinated from tap.  I used an entire bottle of pH down in my 175 gallon IBC system, and it didn't drop at all.  I heard that the water is high in carbonates that resist the pH drop.  Im no chemist, and I'm at a loss.  If anyone could chime in with what they do, it would be greatly appreciated.

[Paul Trudeau]

I live with the higher pH and the chlorine.  

[Alan Barnett]

I found some phosphoric acid on the net.  I just use a capful or two to bring my PH down.  When buying an acid or PH down solution I check for the %acid.  Some companies like to thin out their product to make an extra buck.  My acid was 85%, I imagine the other 15% was distilled water.  I think a product like PH down is running around 15%.so it's mostly water.

[damian g.]

Hey marvin. I live in patterson. (South of tracy). Have system 4 grow beds and 250 gallon fish tank running for over two years. I have same problem. Ph always at 8.0. Ive tryed everything to get it down and nothing works. Even consulted with murry hellum himself. I finally just leave it alone and take what my system gives me. Everything works and fish seem happy.

[Marvin Deon]

Thanks damian. Notice slower plant growthwith higher ph?

[Alan Barnett]

I've noticed slower than advertised plant growth when my PH is above seven.

I just started using a 50 gallon drum, small pump, and  an aerator to make worm tea..  Now my PH is down to 6.6. This helped me, maybe it will help you too.  I think the way it works is the moving water releases the chlorine in a day or two.  The worm castings are in there to add nutrients to the water.  when I add the chlorine free water to my system, I don't kill any nitrifying bacteria and they are able to continue to grow and do what they are doing.