Water Conditioners & pH

API Aqua Essential

Freshwater & marineBinds ammonia

API Aqua Essential does two jobs from one bottle. At 5 ml per 200 litres it conditions tap water, neutralising chlorine and chloramine and detoxifying heavy metals. At 5 ml per 40 litres it binds ammonia, nitrite and nitrate already in the aquarium into a non-toxic form that the biological filter can then process at its own pace — the dose to reach for when a test kit reads high, when a filter has been cleaned too hard, or when a tank is newly stocked. It is safe in freshwater, saltwater and planted aquariums and with shrimp and snails, and does not affect pH or protein skimmers. Sizes are 118 ml, 237 ml and 473 ml.

Size: 118 ml

View at Jungle Aquatics

Live pricing and stock on jungleaquatics.com — purchase through Jungle Aquatics, with delivery across South Africa.

Dosage calculator

Enter your aquarium volume and the calculator works out how much API Aqua Essential to use for each rate on the pack.

Aquarium volume

Measured in

Use the water the tank actually holds, less substrate and decor.

Conditioning new tap water5 ml per 200 litres
Enter a volumeEvery water change
Binding ammonia, nitrite and nitrate5 ml per 40 litres
Enter a volumeWhen a test reads high; water change 24 hours later

Use the conditioning rate for the new water, and the treatment rate across the whole tank when a test kit shows a problem.

A guide only — always follow the dosing instructions printed on the pack, and measure with the bottle's cap or a syringe rather than by eye.

Technical details

Product type	All-in-one liquid water conditioner and ammonia binder
Sizes	118 ml · 237 ml · 473 ml
Dose	5 ml per 200 litres to treat tap water; 5 ml per 40 litres to bind ammonia, nitrite and nitrate
Treats	118 ml → 4 484 litres · 237 ml → 9 006 litres · 473 ml → 17 974 litres (tap-water dose)
Removes	Chlorine, chloramine, heavy metals; binds ammonia, nitrite, nitrate
Suitable for	Freshwater, saltwater and planted aquariums
Safe with	Fish, plants, shrimp and snails; does not affect protein skimmers or pH
Water change needed	Recommended 24 hours after a treatment dose
Made by	Mars Fishcare, USA

When do I use the higher dose?

Use the tap-water dose of 5 ml per 200 litres for routine water changes — it covers chlorine, chloramine and metals. Switch to the treatment dose of 5 ml per 40 litres of tank water when a test shows ammonia or nitrite above zero or nitrate climbing: a new tank in its first weeks, a filter that has just been cleaned, or a tank where a fish died unnoticed. The bound toxins stop hurting the fish immediately, and the filter bacteria clear them over the following days. Do a water change about 24 hours later, keep testing, and repeat the treatment dose if the readings return. Dosing within that 24-hour window is not harmful.

One dose for tap water, another for trouble

The conditioning dose is light: 5 ml treats 200 litres of new water, which is why the 118 ml bottle covers 4 484 litres. The treatment dose is 5 ml per 40 litres of tank water and is used when ammonia, nitrite or nitrate test high. The label suggests a water change 24 hours after a treatment dose, which is good practice after any spike.

Buys the biological filter time

Fish excrete ammonia constantly, and in a new or disturbed tank the bacteria that convert it cannot keep up. Aqua Essential binds ammonia, nitrite and nitrate so they stop harming fish while remaining available for the filter bacteria to consume. It is a bridge, not a cure: keep testing and changing water until the filter catches up.

Safe in planted, marine and invertebrate tanks

API states that Aqua Essential does not disrupt protein skimmers, does not move pH when dosed to the label, is safe with shrimp, snails and other aquatic animals, and can be combined with any other API conditioner or medication. The formulation also tolerates a modest accidental overdose.

Frequently asked questions

Is Aqua Essential safe for shrimp and snails?

Yes. API confirms it is safe to use with shrimp, snails and other aquatic animals at the label dose.

Will it affect my protein skimmer or pH?

No. It does not disrupt any type of protein skimmer, and when dosed according to the label it leaves pH unchanged.

Can I use Aqua Essential together with Stress Coat or a medication?

Yes. API recommends Stress Coat alongside it when adding, transporting or quarantining fish, and it can be used with any other API conditioner or medication.

What happens if I overdose slightly?

The formulation allows for a margin if a tank is accidentally dosed a little above the label amount. Follow the directions, but a small overdose is not an emergency.

Is API Aqua Essential available in South Africa?

Yes — Jungle Aquatics in Fourways, Johannesburg stocks the 118 ml, 237 ml and 473 ml bottles and delivers nationwide; current pricing and stock are on jungleaquatics.com.

Stocked & supported by Jungle Aquatics

South Africa's leading pet and aquarium store since 2007 — with the API range on the floor in Fourways, advice from people who test water every day, and easy ordering from anywhere in the country.

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