Anyone using hydrochloric/muriatic acid for PH down?

spiff44

spiff44

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MFK Member
Dec 20, 2007
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Has anyone had any issues using hydrochloric/muriatic acid for PH down? It seems like a better buy than the hydroponic PH down, which I believe is phosphoric acid. I go through about a gallon a month so I like the fact that I can get hydrochloric acid at much higher concentrations and cheaper.

I always pre-mix first so that I’m not adding pure acid to the tanks.

Does anyone have any facts on this?
 
T

Tech

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 7, 2014
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Canada
May as well dredge this one up as I have the same question.

I'm starting with well water.

GH is low
KH is over 450ppm/mL
Ph 8.8 ish

Tried vinegar, Ph bounced from 6.5 right back to 8.8 in a day, KH seemed largely uneffected by it so I'm assuming the KH simply buffered the water back up to the starting point.
Tried Muriatic, Ph is now 6.5, KH 140ppm/mL after two days of messing about trying to get the ratios right and one more of being left alone to circulate.

Both are now in an acceptable range but will they stay there? Is it a direct relationship between KH and PH when GH is very low?

Does anyone have real world experience keeping fish in this kind of water?
 
spiff44

spiff44

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MFK Member
Dec 20, 2007
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Midwest
There seems to be no issues doing this. If anything, the much higher concentrations of hyrdochloric I use probably translates to a lot less contaminants. I have also used the sulphuric based solutions for hydroponic use with no issues. Been doing this for years now, buying this stuff by the gallon.
 
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