Sky rocketed PH

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Somehow my sodium hydroxide switched on. Maybe wet hands and my phone. I dumped about 1100 mil. Big system, 525, I go through almost more than that in a day right now. Alk only went to 11.3, that’s only 1.4-1.7 where I live. PH went above 9, topped off at 9.3. I brought it right down with vinegar. What can I expect? I’ve got some SPS sliming right now.

I’ve hit 8.8-8.9 in the past. But never over 9.0. Thoughts? The entire event was less than 45 minutes. I’m making 300g of water right now. But, I am not thinking a water change is needed. I guess we will see if all these swings I’ve put my tank through have toughened it up.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

@Miami Reef thoughts? I have it down to 8.69. Km not sure if I should continue to push it down or just let it ride from here. My halides and T5s still have 90 minutes. I’m thinking of shutting them down and going low light blue?

 

[Uncle99]

@Miami Reef thoughts? I have it down to 8.69. Km not sure if I should continue to push it down or just let it ride from here. My halides and T5s still have 90 minutes. I’m thinking of shutting them down and going low light blue?

I’d leave it now and let everything else continue as normal.
When lights go it it will fall a bit again.
Lucky it’s 45 minutes!

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Yeah, f-me. Interestingly, while I was processing what was happening I heard my frozen fish food feeder go off. I noticed none of the fish would come out and eat. The second it hit 8.8, they are back to their normal gig.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Thanks @Uncle99

 

[rishma]

I have my own history of overdosing all manner of things. I do tend to turn lights off based on the feeling that it’s less stressful.

I’d do nothing else. I don’t use sodium hydroxide so I have not done this particular experiment but my instinct is not to force any more change.

Curation using vinegar due to the carbon dosing effect to lower both pH. If it were me, I’d just let it ride at this point.

 

[Miami Reef]

@Miami Reef thoughts? I have it down to 8.69. Km not sure if I should continue to push it down or just let it ride from here. My halides and T5s still have 90 minutes. I’m thinking of shutting them down and going low light blue?

Let me see. One second. I thought I was tagged in a different thread.

 

[Miami Reef]

What’s the alkalinity at?

Increasing surface agitation is the easiest method: it will bring in CO2 that will decrease the pH back down.

The more aeration, the better.

If the pH is very high, pouring carbonated water (Seltzer) can be very effective. It’s directly adding CO2 instead of waiting for it to get gassed in.

Mineral acids like muriatic and sodium bisulfate will reduce the pH and alkalinity permanently, rather than vinegar, which will bring the alk right back when once bacteria metabolize it.

You will need to be very careful and not overdose mineral acids because you might have the opposite problem. You need to know the proper dose required. Don’t try it unless you know for certain it’s effects and dose required.

 

[Miami Reef]

pH 8.69 is OK. Increase surface agitation.

 

[rishma]

Mineral acids like muriatic and sodium bisulfate will reduce the pH and alkalinity permanently, rather than vinegar, which will bring the alk right back when once bacteria metabolize it.

I ‘d say the most of the immediate pH reduction from these acids is temporary, right? except as a result of the alkalinity reduction. Aeration will reverse much of the pH drop.

If alkalinity reduction is not the goal, I wouldn’t mess with HCl. More downside than upside in my opinion.

 

[Miami Reef]

The pH drop isn’t temporary. It will eventually find its equilibrium with CO₂, yes. But nothing can bring the pH back up unless you redose the alk or if it’s below your tank’s baseline, which aeration will do if it’s the latter, but will never bring it back up those unnaturally attainable levels.

Using mineral acids directly in a tank is doable, you just need to know when and how much to use. Go very, very slow. Only do it if the pH and alk are both extraordinarily elevated.

If pH is the only issue (above 8.8 or so) then using carbonated water is a fine plan.

 

[rishma]

The pH drop isn’t temporary. It will eventually find its equilibrium with CO₂, yes. But nothing can bring the pH back up unless you redose the alk or if it’s below your tank’s baseline, which aeration will do if it’s the latter, but will never bring it back up those unnaturally attainable levels.

Of course, got it. If pH is 8.8, it won’t go back to 8.8 after the addition of HCl. Sorry, I for the confusion.

What I was thinking of was using HCl to lower alkalinity in freshly mixed saltwater. pH drops a lot, but gradually increases back to equilibrium (as you noted) with heavy aeration to drive off extra CO2. I’ve done it in a bucket, never in a tank. The swing was pretty big from my memory. I’ve also never tried it with super high pH so I wasn’t really thinking about it the right way.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

@Miami Reef @rishma
Here is where I am -
- Coral started slimming as I started to bring the Ph down.
- it hit 9.3, ouch.
- the only thing I had was vinegar. I am not sure how much to use, so over 30 minutes I went through 1.5L
- eventually that brought the PH down to where I wrote above. Currently at 8.53
- Alk is currently at 10.5
- I just ordered 20 bottles of soda water, should be here in 45 minutes.

Right now, the tank is acting normal.

Thoughts?

(Thank you so much for taking time to share your thoughts with me)

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I did mix 300 gallons of water. It’s been mixing over an hour. I need to check salinity. It should be within 1 pot right now (I’d go as is if emergency).

 

[rishma]

I think Miami’s the soda water idea really smart. Seems very safe.

8.53 seems like a fine pH all things considered. I’ve gotten close to that. Alk 10.5 seems fine too.

I’m a bit concerned what 1.5L of vinegar might do. Look for cloudiness, bacterial bloom. Aeration is your friend.

I don’t see a need for further action right now.

Corals still sliming?

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

My tank runs 8.45-8.55 on a daily basis for PH. 8.58 is very very common. I run my sky at 9.4/9.5. But often after a heavy night kalk, I will see a 10.0 from time to time. My DKh swings 1.5 up and down on a daily basis. all the time.

No slime. Only 4 coral were sliming out of about 140 in my display. My frag tanks were fine. 8.89 was a magic switch for the tank, ph wise.

As you can see, my Soda water is arriving.

How do I figure out what 1.5L of vinegar is going to do to my tank? No bloom, no anything currently. But I kinda want to do like a 150g water change.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I have a big air stone going. I may pop the lid to my bubble king, or just add a second skimmer with out the cup to bubble up. I also have an 80w UV on one of my closed loops I can resort to if I get a bad bloom.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Well, I kind of blew this out of the water:

 

[rishma]

Airstone, skimmer, etc all good things. I don’t feel you can have too much aeration.

I’m conflicted on the big water change. A 30% water change is not super stressful. I just don’t think it’s needed at the moment.

do you test nitrate regularly? If you run low, the vinegar could potentially lower it more.
.

 

[Miami Reef]

The pH is low enough to no longer be a cause for concern. Ensure your skimmer is working and the surface agitation is strong to remove the free bacteria and increase oxygen, respectively.

Changing water doesn’t seem necessary to me.