API Proper pH 7.0 - 250g

• Removes chlorine and detoxifies heavy metals.
• Great for tetras, discus, and angels.
• Contains Aloe vera and electrolytes.

Use when setting up an aquarium or changing water.

Instructions - Add 1 scoop for every 10 gallons of aquarium water. Repeat dose when pH test indicates a pH change of more than 0.2.

What do the Proper pH powders do?

The Proper pH powders are pH buffers. They set the pH of the aquarium water at a certain level, and then help to keep it there. They also function as a dechlorinator, meaning no extra dechlorinator is needed when using these products to treat water. I used Proper pH and my water has gone very cloudy.

What is happening and is this harmful?

The cloudiness that can be caused by Proper pH powders is harmless. It usually settles by itself in 24-48 hours, but the use of Accu-Clear will improve it. This cloudiness happens when Proper pH is used in water that is quite hard and is caused by the hardness minerals coming out of solution. To avoid hazy water, we recommend reducing water hardness to 100 ppm CaCO3. I am trying to lower my pH with Proper pH, but it remains high.

Why is this?

Normally one dose will set the pH. However, some tap water sources used in freshwater aquariums are very hard or alkaline and are strongly buffered at pH 8.0 and above. In this case it may require two doses of Proper pH to overcome the natural buffers and set the pH to a desirable level. In this situation, it might be advisable to soften the water first.

Is Proper pH safe with invertebrates and plants?

Proper pH is safe with invertebrates, but the powders in Proper pH 6.5, 7.0, and 7.5 bind to some trace elements which are needed as nutrients by live plants. Therefore we do not recommend using these Proper pH powders with live aquarium plants.

Is Proper pH a phosphate buffer?

Proper pH 8.2 is a bicarbonate and carbonate buffer and contains no phosphate. Proper pH 6.5, 7.0, and 7.5 are phosphate buffers. Phosphate buffers are the most reliable buffers for freshwater aquariums. They are non-toxic to fish and easily “lock-in” the pH for extended periods of time.

Do phosphate buffers stimulate algal growth?

No. Phosphate buffers combine with essential trace elements, like iron, causing nutrient deficiencies. Proper pH 6.5, 7.0, and 7.5 should not be used in aquariums where algal growth is desirable.

Will Proper pH increase carbonate hardness?

Carbonate hardness, also known as “alkalinity” and “KH”, is the level of bicarbonate and carbonate ions in water. The KH level is also a measurement of water’s ability to resist pH change. Proper pH 8.2 contains bicarbonate and carbonate buffers and will directly increase carbonate hardness. Proper pH 6.5, 7.0, and 7.5 contain no carbonate hardness but will cause an increase in carbonate hardness as it is measured with KH test kits. KH test kits work by acidifying the water in the test tube, drop by drop, with a test reagent. When the water sample is adequately acidified a color change occurs in the test tube. This is called the “end point.” The number of drops of test reagent required to acidify the sample (causing a color change) indicates the level of KH. Phosphate buffers strongly resist pH change and will be measured just like bicarbonate and carbonate buffers. Therefore Proper pH (6.5, 7.0, and 7.5) will cause an increase in KH measurements.

Will phosphate buffers affect carbon dioxide test kits?

Yes. Carbon dioxide test kits work much like carbonate hardness test kits. A water sample heavily buffered with phosphate buffers will resist the pH change required to reach the end point color change. This in turn causes a “false high” carbon dioxide level test result. You will not be able to accurately measure carbon dioxide levels when phosphate buffers are added to aquarium water.