Missing nutrients high ph

white distilled vinegar (acetic acid) will do fine, and usually around the house. much easier to use a pipette unless you got somethign tht can dole out 1-3mL at most per gallon. My water was 8.4 but changed on my a year or two ago... so i don't quite remember how much i had to add.. think 2mL brought it down to 6.5 range? So, you may want less if in soil. 6.5-6.8 is good target Anyway, also pick up some pH strips with at least a 0.5 resulotion with 4 colors to make it easier to discern. ballpark is good enough, as your 30 years of not seeing this plainly show. Once you got the mesurement down, as long as pH from tap doesn't change you are good to go.. Spot checking is a good idea too. This is why i think strips are more economical and less hassle relative to the few times you'll need to do this per year. but, pH pens are cheap and will give a much better 0.1 resolution. need to buy stock solutions to callibrate.. if diode goes bad it's done, so you have to store it carefully etc