Ph of tea is 8.1 now what?

Ive heard it is not recommended to ph tea in an organic grow as this kills microbes ect. What is a safe ph range for tea? Should i use my GH ph down to lower ph to a more suitable level?

It is more pH UP that is the concern; potassium hydroxide and potassium carbonate. Those chemicals themselves (used as components of detergents) reduce biological activity, but the soil microbes that we want to thrive also prefer slightly acidic soil that is in roughly the same range as our plants enjoy.

To lower the pH you can use citric acid, an acidic fertilizer, or even a small amount of pH Down if it is really necessary.

This provides a good overview of what pH is, chemicals that raise soil pH and what other impact(s) they have as well as countermeasures: http://blog.calciumproducts.com/posts/you-have-high-soil-ph-now-what.cfm

you could also use some vinegar or lemon/lime juice if you want to stay natural.

Adjust it a little more acidic and then water. Let it soak into the soil for a day, squeeze some water out of a handful of dirt and test it. This will give you a soil Ph reading in addition to your fertilizer reading. If you have a soil Ph tester that you know is accurate, by all means use that. If the soil reading is off, make a note of it and the next time you water, adjust it extra in the direction the soil needs. From then on, you have a previous soil reading every time you water or fertilize that you can base your Ph adjustments on. For example, if you want 6.5 soil and it tested as 7.0 last time you checked, the next time you water set the liquid at 6.0. It will mix with the 7.0 soil and yield something close to 6.5.

Some ferts are acidic and others are alkaline. Most are acidic but depending on the mix, you can end up in a wide range of Ph values.

Thanks everyone for the reply. I do have a lemon tree out back with some fruit still intact from last season. I will give this a try. I measure ph of soil and adjust accordingly.