Water Conditioners & pH

API Proper pH 7.5

FreshwaterLivebearers & goldfish

API Proper pH 7.5 holds freshwater at the slightly alkaline 7.5 that goldfish, guppies, mollies, swordtails, platies, barbs and Central American cichlids prefer. A scoop per 38 litres sets the value and keeps it there between water changes, and the powder removes chlorine, detoxifies heavy metals and adds electrolytes at the same time. It is a phosphate buffer, so it belongs in fish-only tanks rather than planted ones. The tub holds 260 g.

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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 7.5 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	7.5
Pack size	260 g
Dose	1 scoop per 38 litres; repeat when pH drifts more than 0.2
Also does	Removes chlorine, detoxifies heavy metals, adds electrolytes
Best for	Goldfish, guppies, mollies, platies, swordtails, barbs, Central American cichlids
Buffer type	Phosphate buffer
Safe with	Fish and invertebrates — not for aquariums with live plants
Suitable for	Freshwater aquariums
Made by	Mars Fishcare, USA

How do I use Proper pH 7.5 for a goldfish tank?

Work out the water volume, then add one scoop for every 38 litres — a 100-litre goldfish tank takes just under three scoops when you first set it up. At each water change dose only the new water you add. Test weekly with a pH kit and dose again if the reading has drifted by more than 0.2 from 7.5. Goldfish are heavy feeders and their waste pulls pH down over time, so the buffer earns its keep between changes. If the water goes hazy for a day or two after dosing, that is hardness minerals settling out and it clears on its own.

The livebearer and goldfish setting

Guppies, mollies, platies and swordtails come from hard, alkaline water and fade in soft, acidic tanks; goldfish and many barbs and Central American cichlids sit in the same band. Holding the tank at 7.5 gives them the conditions they are built for, and a buffer does it far more steadily than repeated liquid doses.

Conditioner and electrolytes in the scoop

One scoop per 38 litres of new water removes chlorine and detoxifies heavy metals, so there is no separate dechlorinator to add at a water change. The electrolytes in the mix help reduce the stress of handling and new water, which goldfish and livebearers show quickly as clamped fins.

Expect a KH reading, and keep plants out

Because the buffer resists acid the way carbonate does, a KH kit will report it as extra carbonate hardness — that is the buffer working, not a fault. As a phosphate buffer it also ties up the iron plants need, so API does not recommend it in planted aquariums. Shrimp and snails are fine.

Frequently asked questions

Which fish suit pH 7.5?

Goldfish, guppies, mollies, platies, swordtails, most barbs and Central American cichlids such as convicts and firemouths all do well at 7.5. Soft-water species like discus and cardinal tetras do not.

Can I use Proper pH 7.5 in a planted tank?

No. It is a phosphate buffer that binds iron and other trace nutrients, so API does not recommend it with live plants. It is safe with invertebrates.

Do I need a separate dechlorinator?

No. The powder removes chlorine and detoxifies heavy metals as it buffers, so one scoop per 38 litres of new water is a complete water-change treatment.

Why is the water cloudy after dosing?

In hard water the buffer can drop hardness minerals out of solution for 24 – 48 hours. It is harmless, settles by itself, and can be cleared faster with API Accu-Clear.

Is API Proper pH 7.5 available in South Africa?

Yes — the 260 g tub is available from Jungle Aquatics in Fourways, Johannesburg, shipped anywhere in the country; current pricing and stock are on jungleaquatics.com.

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