Lowering pH

Anyone know how to effectively and safely reduce pH??? It's at about 8.5 but everything's still going fine. I need to lower it though so that I can do a water change.... I really need to do one but can't at the moment because it will only raise the pH further. Any ideas are appreciated!

 

I would not do an intervention for a pH of 8.6. If you are using a probe I would calibrate it.

If you are topping off with a buffer I would reduce dose.

If corals look fine that is really all that matters. Can you post an ALK level?

Some light reading:

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
High pH: Causes and Cures by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

I keep my Alk at 8.2 - 8.4, and my pH is always around 8.3 - 8.5. I agree, calibrate with calibration fluid, and retest. Get a handheld pH tester to double check. IME, the liquid pH test kits are not very accurate.

PS - thanks for reminding me to order a new pH probe. Arghh! The never ending cylce!

 

If a water change will raise the pH further than 8.5, something is wrong. How are you testing? What salt are you using?. How are you testing specific gravity and what is it at? Do you dose kalk or anything? What is your alkalinity at?
Keeping pH that hi is difficult even if you try, if your not trying, something is wrong, either measurement or something your doing is inadvertently raising it.

 

Just re-calibrated the pH probe and it turned out being 8.2, so it was good all along. I guess it does pay to double check things! Thanks for the advice