I can not get rid of high ph!

[BadFishToo]

Ive got a 10g tank that has a ph of 8.5-8.7 every night with my hagen test kit. I keep cutting back the length of time my lights are on, and the kh is ok. All other parameters are fine. First thing in th morning its at about 8.2- 8.3. Is this all attributed to the lighting? Please help me out. Ive even been doing water changes, and lots of fresh water. ***!!

[Agu]

How do your inhabitants look ? How do you check pH ? Checking pH is good but it doesn't necessarily indicate a problem. The amount of fresh air in your home will effect your pH just for example. It's not a problem unless your corals/fish indicate it's a problem.

jmo,
Agu

[straight_path]

Any decorative items in the tank ? Any uncured baserock ? Is the tank closed to the point no gas exchange can occur during it's lighting cycle? Is there a skimmer in the system?

[aurora]

Do not chase after a pH. You will do more harm than good. Check your alkalinity, calcium, and livestock. If they are fine, then you are OK. Most pH problems are from test error. If you livestock looks happy and polyps extended fully, don't mess with it. I made the mistake of chasing after a pH and nearly crashed my tank and killed all my lifestock once...after that, I removed my pH meter and check only Mg++, Ca++, alkalinity and go by the way my animals looks.

[Myladyfish]

yeah pH shouldn't be much of concern... unless the difference is very very big... if you wanna use buffer down, do it slowly... don't reduce your pH dramatically because a one pH drop means the water gets ten times more acidic... a two pH drop means the water gets one hundred times more acidic ... so it's 10^(pH change)

[bowfront]

It's not a problem unless your corals/fish indicate it's a problem.

Some of the best advise you could ask for. Watch the tank and if everthing is holding well don't chase numbers. I've maintained my tank on both pH fringes (now I'm on the low side with a sole Ca reactor) and I'm not convinced that pH is a major issue as long as other things such as Ca and alk are kept in check. JMO

[BadFishToo]

Well, my corals all look great. (Hammer, sarco, zoos, bubble, sinularia dura, pavona, all very small). Ive lost a peppermint, and a Bangaii though. All snails look fine, and isnt that one of the first to go? There is no skimmer, but I do water changes (1g/ week). The top is fully open. Ive got a 55w pc over it.

[BadFishToo]

Any other input?