Really High Ph Update

[sneezy]

I am on day 30 of my fishless cycle.

My Ph has shot up to 8.8

It has been sporadic throughout but this is the highest that it has been and I don't know what to do.

I added a coconut cave 2 days ago. Could this be the problem?

FYI
Ammonia proccessing in less than 12hrs. Nitrite still not dropped to zero and Nitrates are sitting at about 40ppm.

Lowest ph has been 7.4, highest 8.8 and tap water ph is about 7.4.

Many Thanks

 

[orange shark]

do a water change

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yes it could well be the cave, i would remove it.

you do need to get the pH down a bit, while a cycle will be quicker at a higher pH, it is speculated that the species of bacteria who live at a pH as high as yours is, is a different species to the ones we are trying to culture. Remove the cave and do a large water change

 

[sneezy]

ok thanks

 

[waterdrop]

agreed with MW. What's the cave actually made of?

 

[sneezy]

How Bizarre!! I just checked it again before doing the water change and it has dropped to 7.4. Its not the first time this has happened. Is it possible I have a dodgy high ph test. Whenever I do the normal ph test it sits at 7.6.

I'm very confused. It is an API kit

 

[waterdrop]

Well, I've found the values around the top of the regular pH test and the bottom of the High pH test to be a bit difficult sometimes too -- maybe means 8.0.

 

[sneezy]

My p.h was def showing 8.8 earlier though and has at various points been showing at 8.4 and 8.6. Then within a few hrs it does back in the normal range then up again to high. Tis very strange.

The high ph test was bright purple earlier - twice