Thank you All for your advice.
Beverly, I read most of the articles which took longer than expected as I had to visit some chemistry night classes in order to understand them.
just kidding.
Anyhow I think reading up on the core principle of ph alkinity relationship, I think I figured out what happened. I took the reading of 8.8 pH at around 10pm. and that day I switched the lights on at around 7 am. that's way too many hours of light, I know. I do have a timer now to control the time.
Correct me if I'm wrong but the fact that I had daylight for 15 hours would cause a high pH level.
I know it can't be the salt, as I switched to Instant Ocean and had two water changes since.
Christy - the test kit is prolly to cheap too. I bought it with the old salt at petsmart. I don't know what brand that was I threw it out. I got a lecture from Allen at Creatures about that already
soo to make things short. I took another test.. in the morning, but well rinsed test tubes (
genix) and I got a pH level of 8.2.
So I guess I worried too much again.
Kinda like I dragged my puppy to the vet cause I thought he was limping and paid 60 bucks to find out that he has a blister on his paw from running around.
so thanks again for your help!
by the way if you are interested - look out for some tank pictures I will post in a new thread!
Angela