PH at 8.8. Help please

[rbraunberger]

hello,

My pH has slowly been increasing over the last week. Currently it is at 8.8. I added an air pump to the sump to help add O2 to the water. I also added vinegar to the sump and that decreased the pH to normal for only about an hour. Any other ideas?! Thanks!

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'm going to be blatantly honest.....I don't believe it. You either have a bad pH probe or you pH test kit is bad. That's just too high without something nasty being added to the tank. Have your water tested by a friend or an LFS.

How do the corals and fish look?

 

[Sabellafella]

hello,

My pH has slowly been increasing over the last week. Currently it is at 8.8. I added an air pump to the sump to help add O2 to the water. I also added vinegar to the sump and that decreased the pH to normal for only about an hour. Any other ideas?! Thanks!

Do you use a probe to measure? Its unlikely it would stay stable that high. I wouldnt try adding vinegar just to combate a high ph. Has the airstone made a difference in the ph since youve added it?

 

[DeniseAndy]

Something is off. Did you poor an entire 2 gallons of baking soda to the tank? Seriously though, that seems way out of wack to not be some error. My pH will start to elevate when I realize I need re-calibration or a new probe. Never that high. What are you measuring with?

 

[jason2459]

Sounds like drifting of the probe to me. I would get a 7 and 10 pH solution and calibrate.

 

[rbraunberger]

Thanks all! I am measuring with an apex prob. I do have some 7 and 10 calibration fluids. I will try and recalibrate tomorrow

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

pH above 8.5 or so in the absence of using limewater is nearly always test error. pH 8.8 would always be an error if not in a big overdose situation.

 

[rbraunberger]

pH above 8.5 or so in the absence of using limewater is nearly always test error. pH 8.8 would always be an error if not in a big overdose situation.

Thanks. Not dosing anything currently so I will recalibrate and post results later tonight

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sounds good.