pH not affected by improvements made to water quality

Help! pH is 8.8 and has been rising for a week. I have done 15% water change, cleaned skimmer, pad, etc. Doesn't seem to change. Livestock look OK but I don't seem to be in control.

Its usually highly unlikely for pH to just suddenly rise as enclosed water chemistry always wants to gravitate to a lower pH

Check your battery, this often the culprit

The electronic meters are really nice but as I say in the book, they go bad in about a year and constantly need maintenance probe etc. Plus their costly

Im sure you realize you should always double test when in doubt

I wouldn't panic. 8.8 isn't *really* a reason for major concern.

Have you changed test kits recently?
possibly a new kit (same brand)??
Possibly new salt?
If you're doing water changes.. with the same salinity, that will in fact maintain/elevate the pH.
Its better to have a pH that's slightly high then always trying to elevate/maintain a reasonable level.

In my opinion its not going to do any harm as its elevating slowly thereby your livestock is going to adjust to it.

Your livestock is always the best indicator. I would venture a guess that something has changed whether its a test kit salt mix or something outside of the tank.

Remember its inherent for the pH level to degrade due to waste products in the tank. My hunch is your tank is doing *excellent*

I looked at the pH meter today and it was blank(dead battery). Put a new one in and it now reads 8.3. I wouldn't have believed that it would progressively give a false reading as the battery was dying. Learn something new everyday. Thanks for listening.

No Problem, hope that helps
Robert