API Proper pH 8.2 210g

API Proper pH 8.2 210g

API Proper pH 8.2 210g is a phosphate-free pH buffer powder that automatically sets and stabilises aquarium water at pH 8.2. It is made for saltwater, brackish and African cichlid aquariums, where hobbyists need to bring the pH to the right level and keep it there.

What Is pH and Why Does It Matter?

pH measures how acidic or alkaline water is. A value of 7.0 is neutral, anything above 7.0 is alkaline and anything below 7.0 is acidic. Different fish need different pH levels to stay healthy, so test your water regularly to confirm it sits where it should. If the water does not test at the level you want, Proper pH 8.2 can be used to adjust it and hold it there.

Key Benefits

• Automatically sets and stabilises pH at 8.2, with no guesswork about how much to add to hit the target.
• Phosphate-free. It is a bicarbonate and carbonate buffer.
• Also works as a dechlorinator, so no additional dechlorinator is needed when you treat water with it.
• Directly increases carbonate hardness (KH), the water's ability to resist pH change.
• Safe with invertebrates.
• Suits saltwater, brackish and African cichlid set-ups.

How to Use

• Use it when setting up an aquarium or whenever you change water.
• Test the pH first so you know where your water starts.
• Add the powder at the dosage rate below, then re-test to check the pH.
• Keep testing regularly and top up the dose when the pH drifts.

Dosage

• Add 1 scoop for every 10 gallons of aquarium water.
• Repeat the dose when a pH test shows a change of more than 0.2.
• Normally one dose sets the pH. Some tap water is very hard or alkaline and strongly buffered at pH 8.0 or higher. In that case two doses may be needed to overcome the natural buffers and reach a suitable level, and it may be advisable to soften the water first.

Suitable For

• Saltwater aquariums.
• Brackish aquariums.
• African cichlid aquariums.

Compatibility

• Safe with invertebrates.
• The plant warning in the API Proper pH range applies to the 6.5, 7.0 and 7.5 powders. Those bind to some trace elements that live plants need as nutrients, so they are not recommended with live aquarium plants.
• Those 6.5, 7.0 and 7.5 powders are phosphate buffers. Phosphate buffers are non-toxic to fish and easily "lock in" the pH for extended periods, but they combine with essential trace elements such as iron. They should not be used where algal growth is desirable. Proper pH 8.2 is different: it contains no phosphate.

Good to Know: Cloudy Water and KH

• Cloudiness after dosing is harmless. It happens when the powder is used in water with high hardness, because hardness minerals come out of solution. It usually settles on its own within 24-48 hours, and API Accu-Clear water clarifier can be used to help clear it.
• To avoid hazy water, reduce hardness to 100 ppm CaCO3 before dosing.
• KH, also called carbonate hardness or alkalinity, is the level of bicarbonate and carbonate ions in the water. Because Proper pH 8.2 contains bicarbonate and carbonate buffers, it directly raises carbonate hardness.
• The 6.5, 7.0 and 7.5 powders contain no carbonate hardness, but they still cause a spike in KH readings. KH test kits acidify the water sample drop by drop until a colour change (the "end point"), and the number of drops indicates KH. Phosphate buffers resist pH change strongly, so they are measured just like bicarbonate and carbonate buffers.

Specifications

• Target pH: 8.2
• Buffer type: bicarbonate and carbonate, phosphate-free
• Dose: 1 scoop per 10 gallons of aquarium water
• Re-dose: when a pH test shows a change of more than 0.2
• Also acts as a dechlorinator
• Pack size: 210 g (7.4 oz)

What's Included

• One 210 g (7.4 oz) pack of pH 8.2 buffer powder

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Proper pH 8.2 do in my aquarium?
It is a pH buffer that sets the water at pH 8.2 and helps hold it there. It also works as a dechlorinator, so no additional dechlorinator is needed when you use it to treat water.

Is Proper pH 8.2 a phosphate buffer?
No. It is a bicarbonate and carbonate buffer and contains no phosphate. The 6.5, 7.0 and 7.5 powders in the range are the phosphate buffers.

My water went cloudy after dosing. Is it safe for my fish?
The cloudiness is harmless. It appears when the powder is used in water with high hardness and usually settles in 24-48 hours. A water clarifier such as API Accu-Clear can help, and reducing hardness to 100 ppm CaCO3 helps avoid it.

The pH is still not at 8.2 after one dose. Why?
Some tap water is very hard or alkaline and strongly buffered at pH 8.0 and higher. It may need two doses to overcome those natural buffers, and softening the water first may be advisable.

Will it raise my carbonate hardness (KH)?
Yes. Proper pH 8.2 contains bicarbonate and carbonate buffers, so it directly increases carbonate hardness, which is the water's ability to resist pH change.

How often should I re-dose?
Add 1 scoop for every 10 gallons when setting up or changing water. Repeat the dose when a pH test shows a change of more than 0.2.

When can I expect delivery?

• Gauteng (Jhb/Pta) - 1-3 working days
• Nationwide (Cpt/Dbn+) - 2-5 working days
• Outlying Areas - 3-7 working days

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