TJ called me and gave me a pep talk last week, so last Friday I went out and bought a bag of hydrated lime and a PH test kit from Menards. They already had Christmas decorations out, so I felt lucky to find the test kits which are usually found in pool supplies still out. However, in my bliss I failed to notice that the test kit only went to a PH of 8.5.
I went out anyway and dutifully filled my fish hauling tank with 50 gallons of lake water. The untreated pond water tested about 7.5 PH. Adding one tablespoon of lime to the 50 gallons changed the color on the test strip significantly to what I would assume was somewhere beyond 8.
From what I read a reading of 8 is actually ten times as alkaline as 7, so I have no idea if one tablespoon raises it from 7 to 8, if four tablespoons raises it from 7 to 11.
So I ordered a PH test kit that goes to 14 and I am awaiting its arrival.
More news as it becomes available.
