Water Conditioners & pH

API Proper pH 7.0

FreshwaterCommunity tanks

API Proper pH 7.0 is the buffer for the classic mixed community aquarium — the tank of guppies, platies, tetras, corydoras and gouramis that all do well at neutral. One scoop per 38 litres sets pH 7.0 and holds it there, and the same scoop removes chlorine, neutralises chloramine, detoxifies heavy metals and adds electrolytes, so it replaces the water conditioner at every water change. Like the other phosphate-based Proper pH powders it should not be used in planted aquariums. Jungle Aquatics carries the 240 g tub.

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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 Proper pH 7.0 to use for each rate on the pack.

Aquarium volume

Measured in

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

Buffer dose1 scoops per 38 litres
Enter a volumeAt set-up and each water change; repeat if pH drifts more than 0.2

Dose the new water at a water change; no separate dechlorinator is needed.

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	Powder pH buffer and water conditioner
Sets pH at	7.0
Pack size	240 g
Dose	1 scoop per 38 litres; repeat when pH drifts more than 0.2
Also does	Removes chlorine, neutralises chloramine, detoxifies heavy metals, adds electrolytes
Best for	Tropical community aquariums
Buffer type	Phosphate buffer
Safe with	Fish and invertebrates — not for aquariums with live plants
Suitable for	Freshwater aquariums
Made by	Mars Fishcare, USA

Is pH 7.0 right for my fish?

For a mixed tropical community it usually is. Guppies, platies, mollies, most tetras and barbs, corydoras, gouramis and many small cichlids all live comfortably at neutral, which is why Proper pH 7.0 is the most versatile of the four buffers. Choose 6.5 if the tank is built around soft-water species such as discus or wild-caught tetras, 7.5 for a livebearer or goldfish tank, and 8.2 for Rift Lake cichlids or marine fish. Dose one scoop per 38 litres of new water at each water change and retest a few days later.

Neutral, and kept that way

Most community species are happiest close to 7.0, but tap water rarely sits there and a tank drifts as waste accumulates. The buffer holds the water at neutral between water changes; a pH test that moves more than 0.2 is the signal to dose again. Hard, alkaline tap water buffered above 8 may need a second dose at first.

A complete water-change conditioner

Proper pH 7.0 does more than the 6.5 and 7.5 powders: it neutralises chloramine as well as chlorine, detoxifies heavy metals and supplies electrolytes. At a water change, one scoop per 38 litres of new water is the whole treatment — there is nothing else to add.

Keep it out of planted tanks

The buffer is phosphate-based, and phosphate locks up iron and other trace nutrients that aquarium plants rely on, so API advises against using it with live plants. It is safe with shrimp and snails. For a planted community tank, condition with Stress Coat and leave the pH to settle naturally.

Frequently asked questions

Does Proper pH 7.0 replace my water conditioner?

Yes. It removes chlorine, neutralises chloramine and detoxifies heavy metals, so a scoop per 38 litres of new water is all a water change needs.

Can I use it with live plants or in a planted community tank?

No. As a phosphate buffer it binds the trace elements plants need, and API advises against using it in aquariums with live plants. It is safe with fish and invertebrates.

How often do I need to re-dose?

Test pH weekly. Dose again at each water change for the new water, and in between only if the reading has drifted by more than 0.2 from 7.0.

My tap water is very hard — will one dose set the pH?

Not always. Tap water strongly buffered at pH 8 or above can take two doses to bring to 7.0; softening the water first, for instance with the API Water Softener Pillow, makes it easier.

Is API Proper pH 7.0 available in South Africa?

Yes — Jungle Aquatics in Fourways, Johannesburg carries the 240 g tub and delivers nationwide; live pricing and stock are on jungleaquatics.com.

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