PH help
Question:
Hi! Nothing I seem to do lowers the PH balance of our pond. I have tried several PH decreasers (purchased through you) and the PH barely comes down at all. Please advise!! Thanks! Gary
Answer:
Hello Gary, I understand how frustrating pH can be. Here are a couple of facts:
1. pH fluctuates throughout the day from photosynthesis.
2. Most fish safe acids (pH down, pH reducer, pH minus, pH salts down) are designed to safely lower the pH of pond water. This means that most will only lower pH 2 tenths of a point per application.
3. Most off the shelf pH test kits for pools and ponds read in 1/2 points. This means that if your pH is 9.5, it may take 10 treatments to see a difference on the average test kit.
Given the above statements, if your pH is higher than 9.0, most ponds are, you would have to treat your pond at least 5 times to see a noticeable difference on a tester provided that you were testing in the morning. I can promise you that all the pH reducers we offer work because I have used them. The first step to getting an accurate reading is to start testing your pH in the morning. If you have treated your pond several times, more than 10, then your pH is probably between 6 and 8. The most probable cause for pH increasing on the scale is adding tap water. Once your pH is between 6 and 7, you should only have to treat it once a month. The other important thing to remember is the buffering capacity of the water. Some test strips measure this. The higher the buffering capacity, the harder it is to adjust pH. Since fish safe acids only lower UP TO 2 tenths of a point per application, you could be up against 10-20 treatments before it comes down. Again, once it’s down – it’s down.