pH is low. Help

[Aeb1419]

Im cycling my tank and would like some help. Here is my info

22 AIO tank
Abount 18 lbs of dead rock
Used API to start cycling and dropped food pellets to introduce ammonia.
Running for a month and 2 weeks now, I measured every week and at the 3 week period ammonia skyrocketed and then a week later nitrites skyrocketed and finally the week after nitrates skyrocketed.

I measured yesterday and the params are as follows.
Ammonia -0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - 0
pH -7.0 to 7.8

My tank has brown algae all over so I ordered a clean up crew. I am worried about the pH. Not sure why it hasnt gone up yet. Do I need to give it more time??

I am using an API test kit.

I want to get my first fish but I am worried about the pH. Any thoughts?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The kit isn’t accurate and precise enough to be useful. It is highly unlikely the pH is dropping to 7.

For now at least, just maintain alkalinity at 7-11 dKH and ignore pH

 

[Aeb1419]

Understood. Thanks for the advice. What is the most accurate pH test out there?