Things You'll Need
- Mesh bag
- 1 handful of crushed coral
- 1 handful of peat chips
- 1 bottle of dechlorinator
Instructions
Adjusting pH
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.
Rinse the bag under a faucet to clear away any excess dust or debris.
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
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.
Dispense the dechlorinator into the aquarium water by gently squeezing he bottle.
Let the water in the tank cycle for 24 hours, then repeat Steps 1 and 2.