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Re: pH reduction



> From: MarkyTkd at aol_com
> Subject: Hydrochloric Acid or Another way of Lowering pH
> 
> I remembered that someone had mentioned using Muratic (Hydrochloric Acid) to
> lower pH. I believe it was Wright. Where do I get this acid and how to I add
> it? I have tried peat, pH down, CO2 injection, adding about 10 gallons of RO
> water to my 100 gallon tank (making it 90 gallons of tap water and 10 gallons
> of RO water), and none have worked. I might see a drop of .1 or so but by the
> next day, it is gone. I have a pH of 7.4 and I need it around 6.8. My fish
> start losing color when the water is alkaline. Does anyone have a way of
> lowering pH? 

	If you want to reduce the pH by 0.6 without changing the CO2
concentration in the water, you will have to lower the KH by a factor
of 10^0.6, or about 4.  You can do this by diluting the water with RO water,
using 75% RO and 25% tap water.

	You can also do the job by adding a strong acid - hydrochloric
will do - but it will be a long business, and you will have to be careful,
because the pH will drop when you add a bit of HCl and then rise again
as the CO2 you have just generated from the HCO3- leaves the solution.
You will eventually get there when you have reduced the KH by a factor
of 4 (as above) and the CO2 has reached equilibrium with the atmosphere
again.

	I run several tanks, and use RO dilution (2:1 or 3:1) to get the
KH (and thus pH) I want.

-- 
Paul Sears        Ottawa, Canada