lowering my ph in SW tank

[magnaflow]

hey guys. Took a water sample today and my tank PH was way way to high.. Color wasnt even on the chart lol. I did it 3 times and the same thign everytime. All other test seems fine but PH is high. What do I do to lower this? Also keep in mind I have crush coral as my substrate. I am thinking thi sis the problem and of so whats the best way to change it. I will go sand but Theres alot of things living inside the substate I dont wanna lose. Or move around the live rock but if I have to I have too.
thoughts?

 

[malkore]

Very first thing I would do is have your LFS test your pH, but you'll need to take a sample and immediately go to the LFS and have it tested.

I don't see the substrate as the problem. All SW tansk should have a substrate that buffers the water. The only usual problem with CC is that it's a detris trap, which turns it into a nitrate factory.

What is your circulation like? Size of tank? Skimmer? is the water surface being agitated thoroughly?

 

[HoopsGuru]

What is the highest reading on your chart? Having a unusually high PH is rare, it is normally the opposite so I would also have your local LFS verify before doing anything. The CC would not be the cause anyway, because it actually needs a lower PH than sand to dissolve and buffer the water (hence why people run CO2 into their calcium reactors to drive down the PH). Also, if you have livestock in the tank, they most likely would already not be doing well if the PH was off the chart of a saltwater PH test kit.

 

[magnaflow]

I think it might be the test kit. I friend of mine used the same name brand and he said he got the excat same reading as I did then it took it to the LFS and it OH was fine and they told him those test kits were "poop" So I will get them to test it and get a new kit I guess.

 

[MT79]

kits were "poop" So I will get them to test it and get a new kit I guess

You can't go wrong w/ either Seachem or Salifert brand test kits.