High PH?

[hebbah]

We have a 55G with 4 reef Chromis, 1 Gamma, 1 anemone, 2 corals and various crabs, hermits and snails. I did a water change yesterday and tested all my levels. Everything tested perfect except for my PH which seems very high (more than 8.8 - which is where my kit ends). I tested 4 or 5 times since last night and it remains high. My ALk is not high - just fine... I tested with 3 different kits - always the same result. I can find plenty of info on low PH but very little on high PH. Why is this happening and what should I do? Will it harm my fish/corals/invertabrates???
Please help....

Hebbah

 

[daugherty]

do you add any chemicals to the tank.

 

[yote]

The PH being that high could be bad news.
What salt are you using?
There are several ways to lower the PH,But one is pretty expensive since you'd have to have a CO2 bottle,PH controller,and stuff.
I've heard you can use vinegar to lower it.But I've tryed that and dont want to stir you in the wrong direction.

 

[hebbah]

The only thing I added before it went up was stress coat because we had just gotten the Reef Chromis...
I heard that you could add seltzer water to the tank which would add carbon dioxide and get the PH down...but I really want to figure out why this is happening before I do anything else...
I am using ocean water from Petco.

 

[hebbah]

Could I have too much water movement? I have 2 powerheads in the tank.

 

[yote]

Could I have too much water movement? I have 2 powerheads in the tank.

If your sands staying on the bottom,then you dont have to much flow.
I'm betting the problem is in the petco water.

 

[hebbah]

Ohh - you think? I am extra buying Petco ocean water thinking that real ocean water is best for the critters...
I just re-tested and it looks like it is starting to go down...probably somewhere around 8.6 now. Could it have something do with the fact that the water had no flow while I did the water change? I also had been running some carbon media and I took it out yesterday.

 

[yote]

I doubt going a little bit without flow would cause the PH to run up that high.
I could have,but I doubt it.

 

[ccCapt]

This article may help.
High pH: Causes and Cures

 

[hebbah]

Thanks for the article - I had already found and read it. Got alot of good information. We attached an air pump to the live rock rubble filter and are going to pump air through that water for a couple of hours. We also got some seltzer water and some PH down. I think I am not going to use the PH down though - I am afraid I will overshoot....

 

[sen5241b]

I realize this is kinda late but do no change the Ph suddenly! Ph shock -a sudden change- can kill fish very quickly.