3 Ways to Adjust the pH of Water

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3 Ways to Adjust the pH of Water
3 Ways to Adjust the pH of Water

Video: 3 Ways to Adjust the pH of Water

Video: 3 Ways to Adjust the pH of Water
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pH measures the acidity or alkalinity of a liquid. If you need to adjust the pH level of water - whether for a science experiment, for the garden, for drinking or for the aquarium - you need to measure it first. If it is necessary to reduce the acidity of the water, add a basic substance such as baking soda. To increase the acidity of the water, add an acidic substance such as lemon juice.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Adjusting the pH for Fish, Plants, Swimming Pools and Drinking

Adjust Water pH Step 1
Adjust Water pH Step 1

Step 1. Add peat to the aquarium to adjust the pH

Fish are very sensitive to the pH of water and can die if it becomes too acidic or too basic. Most species live well in an environment with a relatively neutral pH, close to 7. If the water starts to get too acidic, add peat to reduce the pH. If the water is basic, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda every 20 L inside the aquarium to increase the pH.

  • Take a look on the internet or visit a pet shop to find out what the ideal pH is for the species of fish you have. The Nishikigoi, for example, prefer basic water with a pH between 7, 5 and 8, 2.
  • Buy peat at any pet store. Put a handful of peat in a mesh cloth bag and place it inside the aquarium's water filter. Peat will gradually lower the acidity of the water.
  • Changing the pH of water drastically can be detrimental to fish health. Before adjusting the acidity of the aquarium, remove the fish from inside it.
  • Test the aquarium's pH level before and after making any adjustments. The same goes for drinking water and swimming pool water.
Adjust Water pH Step 2
Adjust Water pH Step 2

Step 2. Change the pH of tap water for watering house and garden plants

Most houseplants need slightly acidic water, with a pH between 5, 5 and 6, 5. If you test tap water and find it too basic or too acidic for the plants, you will need to adjust its pH first. to use it. You can put limestone or wood in a container with 4 L of water to increase the pH. If it is necessary to reduce it, add phosphoric acid or a bar suitable for this.

  • If you're not sure what the ideal pH is for the type of plant you have at home, do an Internet search or ask someone who works at a specialty store. Some plants are very sensitive to pH and need the water to be at an exact level. The onion, for example, needs the level to be between 6, 5 and 7, 0.
  • Consult a gardening house to find out exactly what substance and how much to add to the water. Buy limestone, wood, ash or phosphoric acid to change the pH.
  • If you keep watering a plant with water outside its required pH, it will weaken and die.
Adjust Water pH Step 3
Adjust Water pH Step 3

Step 3. Adjust the pool pH

Keep the pool pH slightly basic, between 7, 2 and 7, 8. The tendency is for the pool's pH to rise on its own and you may need to lower it from time to time with substances created by the manufacturers. The two most common are sodium bisulfate and muriatic acid, also known as hydrochloric acid. Just add the substance directly following the manufacturer's directions.

  • For more detailed instructions on how to raise or lower the pool's pH level, read the manufacturer's guidelines for your specific model.
  • Sodium bisulfate and muriatic acid can be purchased at any pool store.
Adjust Water pH Step 4
Adjust Water pH Step 4

Step 4. Treat the water before drinking it

To drink, the water must have a pH neutral or very close to it, which is 7. If you test the pH of the water and find that it is acidic or basic, make some adjustments. If it is acidic (low pH), drop a few drops of pH regulator or dissolve a regulator tablet in it. Similarly, add a few drops of lemon if the water is basic.

  • If you want the pH level to be always within the ideal, install a fixed water filtration system. If water is basic, install a neutralizing filter or an ash or caustic soda injection system.
  • If the water is acidic, have a professional install a regulated acid injection system in line with your home's water supply system.

Method 2 of 3: Experimenting with pH at Home

Adjust Water pH Step 5
Adjust Water pH Step 5

Step 1. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of 240ml of water

The pH of the baking soda is 9. Add 1 teaspoon of the product to the water and dissolve it completely with a spoon or a stirrer. Then measure the pH of the water again with litmus paper.

If you started the experiment with neutral pH water (7), it will have risen to 8

Adjust Water pH Step 6
Adjust Water pH Step 6

Step 2. Add 5ml of lemon juice to a glass of water

Mix the two with a spoon and dip a strip of sunflower paper into the cup. Wait a few seconds and notice that the pH of the water has changed.

As lemon juice is acidic (pH 2), it reduces the pH of water to 6 or 5

Adjust Water pH Step 7
Adjust Water pH Step 7

Step 3. Experiment with other basic or acidic substances

Many liquids and soluble materials found around the home alter the pH of water. Dissolve or mix a small amount of something in a glass of water and then test it with litmus paper. If it's a scientific experiment, make a graph and note the pH levels reached by water when mixed with different substances. Try adding:

  • Coke;
  • Red wine;
  • Milk;
  • Liquid soap or shampoo.

Method 3 of 3: Measuring the pH of Water with Test Strips

Adjust Water pH Step 8
Adjust Water pH Step 8

Step 1. Buy pH test strips

pH test strips, also known as litmus paper strips, are small pieces of thin paper, about 6 cm long and 2 cm wide. They are covered in a chemical solution that changes color when exposed to acidic or basic substances. Purchase the strips at health food stores or science supply stores.

You can also find them for sale at the Mercado Livre and in pet shops

Adjust Water pH Step 9
Adjust Water pH Step 9

Step 2. Soak a strip in a water sample for 10 seconds

Place about 3 cm of the strip in the water. Either side works as the entire strip is pH sensitive. Be careful not to drop it into the water.

  • If you want, for example, to know the pH of the water you drink, fill a glass with tap water.
  • You can do the same with aquarium water.
  • An alternative is to use an eyedropper to drop a drop or two right into the middle of the litmus strip.
Adjust Water pH Step 10
Adjust Water pH Step 10

Step 3. Notice what color the strip takes on

After contact with water for 10 seconds, the strip will change color and indicate the pH of the liquid.

Wait a few seconds for the strip to change color

Adjust Water pH Step 11
Adjust Water pH Step 11

Step 4. Compare the strip color with the color chart

Along with the pH kit is a table indicating which color corresponds to each pH level. Take a look at it and compare.

Generally speaking, if the strip turns red the water is highly acidic. Yellow indicates a little acidic, green slightly basic, and finally purple indicates that the water is highly acidic

Adjust Water pH Step 12
Adjust Water pH Step 12

Step 5. For more accurate data, measure pH levels with a digital meter

Litmus paper strips are fast and effective, but not very accurate. The digital meter is much more accurate and can determine pH to two decimal places. Simply submerge the device tip in water for a few seconds and check the pH on the display.

  • pH meters are used in laboratories and can be purchased or rented from industry stores.
  • It may be necessary to recalibrate the instrument with each measurement. For best results, follow the manufacturer's guidelines.

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