How to Adjust Water PH & Chlorine

The quality of your aquarium's water is the most important variable in determining the health of your fish. Two aspects you must consider are the water's pH level, which essentially measures its acidity or alkalinity, and the chlorine levels, which ideally should be at zero, and can be eliminated with various chemicals. Adjusting the pH, however, is a different manner. While most freshwater fish prefer a neutral pH, which is 7.0 on a 0-14 scale, some fish require a slightly lower pH (anything below 7.0) or a higher pH (anything above 7.0). Luckily, adjusting the pH safely and naturally is a moderately easy task.

Things You'll Need

  • Mesh bag
  • 1 handful of crushed coral
  • 1 handful of peat chips
  • 1 bottle of dechlorinator
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Instructions

  1. Adjusting pH

    • 1

      Fill the mesh bag with either the crushed coral or peat chips. The crushed coral will raise the pH while the peat chips will lower it.

    • 2

      Rinse the bag under a faucet to clear away any excess dust or debris.

    • 3

      Place the bag in the back of the tank's filter so that water runs through it. Each bag of either crushed coral or peat chips will affect the pH by about half a measure for every ten gallons of water. For example, if you have a ten gallon tank, one handful of peat chips will lower the pH from 7.0 to 6.5. For more dramatic pH fluctuations, simply use bigger portions.

    Removing Chlorine

    • 4

      Calculate the amount of dechlorinator you will need. This information should be found on the side of the chemical's packaging and is typically 1 drop per 1 gallon of water, depending on its potency.

    • 5

      Dispense the dechlorinator into the aquarium water by gently squeezing he bottle.

    • 6

      Let the water in the tank cycle for 24 hours, then repeat Steps 1 and 2.