Lowering pH

What is the fastest, safest way to lower the pH. My pH is registering at
9.01 with KH of 89.5. Go figure. Please advise...thanks.
Kathy

Bob, isn't the KH low though? I know baking soda will
raise the KH -and pH will stablize at 8.4 - but I have no
idea what baking soda will do to lower the pH. Seems
like the buffering should also be addressed.

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Bob Adkins" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 15:52:20 -0400, "Jeff & Kathy Brown"
wrote:

What is the fastest, safest way to lower the pH. My pH is registering at
9.01 with KH of 89.5. Go figure. Please advise...thanks.

HCl, (hydrochloric or muriatic acid) is fine. Follow instructions
carefully.
This stuff will kill fish and plants instantly if not diluted properly.

Bob

Bob, isn't the KH low though? I know baking soda will
raise the KH -and pH will stablize at 8.4 - but I have no
idea what baking soda will do to lower the pH. Seems
like the buffering should also be addressed.

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Bob Adkins" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 15:52:20 -0400, "Jeff & Kathy Brown"
wrote:

What is the fastest, safest way to lower the pH. My pH is registering at
9.01 with KH of 89.5. Go figure. Please advise...thanks.

HCl, (hydrochloric or muriatic acid) is fine. Follow instructions
carefully.
This stuff will kill fish and plants instantly if not diluted properly.

Bob

On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 00:58:17 GMT, "Nedra"
wrote:

Bob, isn't the KH low though? I know baking soda will
raise the KH -and pH will stablize at 8.4 - but I have no
idea what baking soda will do to lower the pH. Seems
like the buffering should also be addressed.

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Bob Adkins" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 15:52:20 -0400, "Jeff & Kathy Brown"
wrote:

What is the fastest, safest way to lower the pH. My pH is registering at
9.01 with KH of 89.5. Go figure. Please advise...thanks.

HCl, (hydrochloric or muriatic acid) is fine. Follow instructions
carefully.
This stuff will kill fish and plants instantly if not diluted properly.

Bob




Baking Soda will also lower the Ph to 8.4. Its strange but it will
raise it if its low, and lower it if its high.

Theron

On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 00:58:17 GMT, "Nedra"
wrote:

Bob, isn't the KH low though? I know baking soda will
raise the KH -and pH will stablize at 8.4 - but I have no
idea what baking soda will do to lower the pH. Seems
like the buffering should also be addressed.

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Bob Adkins" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 15:52:20 -0400, "Jeff & Kathy Brown"
wrote:

What is the fastest, safest way to lower the pH. My pH is registering at
9.01 with KH of 89.5. Go figure. Please advise...thanks.

HCl, (hydrochloric or muriatic acid) is fine. Follow instructions
carefully.
This stuff will kill fish and plants instantly if not diluted properly.

Bob




Baking Soda will also lower the Ph to 8.4. Its strange but it will
raise it if its low, and lower it if its high.

Theron

Rod told me to add 1 cup of baking soda for every 1,000
gallons of water. That is what I've been doing all year!
I add the baking soda for three days running. Then wait
until we have lots of rain. Go thru the whole process again.
I have a pond full of Koi and goldfish..... no one has been
hurt yet.

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Sue Walsh" wrote in message
om...
Theron wrote in message
. ..
On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 00:58:17 GMT, "Nedra"
wrote:

Bob, isn't the KH low though? I know baking soda will
raise the KH -and pH will stablize at 8.4 - but I have no
idea what baking soda will do to lower the pH. Seems
like the buffering should also be addressed.

Nedra

Baking Soda will also lower the Ph to 8.4. Its strange but it will
raise it if its low, and lower it if its high.

Theron

I have tried to stabilize my KH/GH/PH for a 10 day straight period I
by added baking soda and limestone every day in the amounts that Rod
recommended.
(6oz baking soda + 1 1/2 oz epsom salt + 6 oz pelletized limestone
daily to raise KH/GH each one degree daily. He recommened this slow
raise due to fish in pond).

Note: I was only able to find the one type of limestone here.

It hasn't worked. I think because of all the rain we get here in
Florida (we have had rain every afternoon for at least a month now).
I finally gave up. Any ideas on how to overcome the KH/PH flux with
all this rain?

Last reading were KH 180, GH 150, but PH bounces from 7.8 AM to 9+
late afternoon. I was not able to get either the KH or GH any higher.

Pond is in full sun so heat is also a factor as water gets to high
80's. I'm running a 22' stream into 1650 gallon pond stocked with 70
bunches of anachris, a few reed plants, a half dozen iris and dozen
water lilies which right now are covering about 1/2 the surface. Pump
is a 3600 pondmaster going thru a Savio skimmer with one filter pad in
it. Savio has only been running for the last month. Pond is stocked
with 9 Goldfish (3 are babies about 3" long, other 6 range from 6" up
to 9"). I only feed the fish occasionally (maybe once a week). Pond
has been up and running since early May and I can only see down about
10" due to brown algae. Getting ready to install my biofilter in the
next few days. Any suggestions?

Sue W

Rod told me to add 1 cup of baking soda for every 1,000
gallons of water. That is what I've been doing all year!
I add the baking soda for three days running. Then wait
until we have lots of rain. Go thru the whole process again.
I have a pond full of Koi and goldfish..... no one has been
hurt yet.

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Sue Walsh" wrote in message
om...
Theron wrote in message
. ..
On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 00:58:17 GMT, "Nedra"
wrote:

Bob, isn't the KH low though? I know baking soda will
raise the KH -and pH will stablize at 8.4 - but I have no
idea what baking soda will do to lower the pH. Seems
like the buffering should also be addressed.

Nedra

Baking Soda will also lower the Ph to 8.4. Its strange but it will
raise it if its low, and lower it if its high.

Theron

I have tried to stabilize my KH/GH/PH for a 10 day straight period I
by added baking soda and limestone every day in the amounts that Rod
recommended.
(6oz baking soda + 1 1/2 oz epsom salt + 6 oz pelletized limestone
daily to raise KH/GH each one degree daily. He recommened this slow
raise due to fish in pond).

Note: I was only able to find the one type of limestone here.

It hasn't worked. I think because of all the rain we get here in
Florida (we have had rain every afternoon for at least a month now).
I finally gave up. Any ideas on how to overcome the KH/PH flux with
all this rain?

Last reading were KH 180, GH 150, but PH bounces from 7.8 AM to 9+
late afternoon. I was not able to get either the KH or GH any higher.

Pond is in full sun so heat is also a factor as water gets to high
80's. I'm running a 22' stream into 1650 gallon pond stocked with 70
bunches of anachris, a few reed plants, a half dozen iris and dozen
water lilies which right now are covering about 1/2 the surface. Pump
is a 3600 pondmaster going thru a Savio skimmer with one filter pad in
it. Savio has only been running for the last month. Pond is stocked
with 9 Goldfish (3 are babies about 3" long, other 6 range from 6" up
to 9"). I only feed the fish occasionally (maybe once a week). Pond
has been up and running since early May and I can only see down about
10" due to brown algae. Getting ready to install my biofilter in the
next few days. Any suggestions?

Sue W

Thanks for the input Theron!

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118
"Theron" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 00:58:17 GMT, "Nedra"
wrote:

Bob, isn't the KH low though? I know baking soda will
raise the KH -and pH will stablize at 8.4 - but I have no
idea what baking soda will do to lower the pH. Seems
like the buffering should also be addressed.

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Bob Adkins" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 15:52:20 -0400, "Jeff & Kathy Brown"
wrote:

What is the fastest, safest way to lower the pH. My pH is registering
at
9.01 with KH of 89.5. Go figure. Please advise...thanks.

HCl, (hydrochloric or muriatic acid) is fine. Follow instructions
carefully.
This stuff will kill fish and plants instantly if not diluted properly.

Bob




Baking Soda will also lower the Ph to 8.4. Its strange but it will
raise it if its low, and lower it if its high.

Theron

Thanks for the input Theron!

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118
"Theron" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 00:58:17 GMT, "Nedra"
wrote:

Bob, isn't the KH low though? I know baking soda will
raise the KH -and pH will stablize at 8.4 - but I have no
idea what baking soda will do to lower the pH. Seems
like the buffering should also be addressed.

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Bob Adkins" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 15:52:20 -0400, "Jeff & Kathy Brown"
wrote:

What is the fastest, safest way to lower the pH. My pH is registering
at
9.01 with KH of 89.5. Go figure. Please advise...thanks.

HCl, (hydrochloric or muriatic acid) is fine. Follow instructions
carefully.
This stuff will kill fish and plants instantly if not diluted properly.

Bob




Baking Soda will also lower the Ph to 8.4. Its strange but it will
raise it if its low, and lower it if its high.

Theron

Thanks, Lee for the advice. No to well water. This has been frustrating
for me because I've never had a pH/KH problem with any of our other ponds.
This is a 3 month old pond in full sunlight. And when I say full.....I mean
at least 9 hours of sun. We have a living gravel filter and lots of plants.
My ongoing fights have been getting enough surface shade, using plants, and
the pH/KH. We used a different stone for couping and my guess is that it is
full of limestone (Laurel mountain stone). The pH this morning was 7.7 at
83o. Right now (3:45) it is 9.1 at 89o. The pond is 2400 gal. with a 3/4HP
pump and because of water temp., I've added an air diffuser in the farthest
corner. During the hottest time of the day, the fish either have
disappeared in the hornwort in the deepest part of the pond or are riding
the current from the waterfall. As soon as the sun gets off the pond, they
all come out to stretch their fins.
Something I don't understand is....Nedra mentioned that Rod recommended
adding the BS over a three day period. I'm assuming that is for a gradual
decrease/increase of the pH. If the fish are going thru a pH swing, like my
situation, then why hassle with a gradual change, why not get the sucker
lowered/increased over the course of a day? It couldn't be any worse then
what they are going thru, anyway. Thanks again.
Kathy
"Lee Brouillet" wrote in message
...
Kathy, as Theron stated, Baking Soda is strange inasmuch as it will both
raise and lower pH to the 8.2-8.4 range. It will also raise your KH to a
more respectable number, which will add the buffering you need to protect
against pH crashes in heavy rains.

Are you by any chance on well water?

By the way, 9 is "getting" high, but is still a safe and respectable
level.
Don't lose any sleep over it: your fish and plants will do just fine.

Lee

"Jeff & Kathy Brown" wrote in message
...
What is the fastest, safest way to lower the pH. My pH is registering
at
9.01 with KH of 89.5. Go figure. Please advise...thanks.
Kathy