Need help fast on reducing pH corals are dying

[nightOwl]

Hi all,
I am having an issue with my pH in one of my tanks and its pretty bad. I am to blame for the issue and current readings are setting at 9.73 it reaches 10.2 at some point during the day.
Here is a little background on how it started. I was having and issue with low pH (7.5) so to combat it i added some new arrogate sand and some buffering solution...lets say a lot of buffer. I was doing weekly water changes and come to find out my AC Jr pH probe needed calibrating. So once I calibrated it that’s when the problem started by this time I had overdosed with buffering solution.
So far I have tried to use seltzer water - burned my corals, pH decreaser - works for a while then shots right back up sometimes higher, and adding fresh water to lower pH. I almost at the point of doing a very large water change and hoping things can hold on. So far I have lost about 6 corals so frustration is starting to set in.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.


Thanks,

Henry

[marduc]

Until the excess buffer has been depleted, the ph will tend to revert back to a high level.

Doing a water change will help I am sure, and the PH will tend to stay higher as you remove that excess concentration of buffer. I think I personally would remove half the water from the tank, then slowly add new water starting with perhaps one chunk of 10%, then add a gallon or so an hour until I see the ph trending downward (if this does dilute the excess buffer to that point).

I think continuing the addition of CO2 (the seltzer water) to form carbonic acid is a safe bet to deplete some of this excess buffering capability as well. Another potential solution is to get dry ice and add this to your sump, let this dissolve (it is frozen CO2), however there is a serious issue about maintaining your tanks temperature through this. so go slow and have a heater on hand (this is provided you can get some dry ice).

Distilled white vinegar may also be of use (I cannot nor will not recommend how much to add though, nor suggest you do this without a more knowledgeable opinion than mine)

I would post this question in the Reef Chemistry forum as well, it is a more appropriate forum. I am just throwing suggestions out there to help you, I have no experience with such a situation so take these suggestions with a grain of salt.

[nightOwl]

Thanks Marduc,
I have added the post to the chemistry forum. Hopefully it will get better soon. I just opened the window down in my basement as I heard that may help as well. I am trying to read up more on this vinegar solution to resolve the problem. Thanks also for the othe solutions you have suggested.

Thanks,

Henry

[mbbuna]

i would do a large water change ASAP. by adding the buffer to raise your PH you also raised your Alk. in the future if you need to raise PH i would try dripping Kalk. adding buffers to raise PH is a losing battle that will end with a sky high Alk

[nightOwl]

mbbuna,
Thanks I think that is approach i will be taking. The people in the reef chemistry forum also suggested that pronto...lol. Oh like I had mentioned over in that forum normally its a two part solution I use and since I wanted to raise it up a lot I used a lot of Part B of Two Little Fishes C-Balance.

Thanks,

Henry