API pH Proper 7.5 Powder Jar 260gm

• Sets and holds pH at 7.5 – a buffer resists the tank's natural drift, unlike a one-shot pH adjuster that moves the reading once and lets it wander again.
• Also conditions the water – the same dose removes chlorine, neutralises chloramine and detoxifies heavy metals, and adds electrolytes.
• Phosphate buffer – API states the formula is non-toxic to fish, but it is not compatible with live plants (see below).
• Safe with invertebrates, per API's label.
• 260 g jar, dosed with the enclosed scoop.

API's label rate is 2 level teaspoons for every 10 US gallons (38 L) of aquarium water. Repeat only when a pH test shows the reading has drifted by more than 0.2 from 7.5.

Pre-dissolve the dose in a cup of aquarium water before adding it, so undissolved powder does not sit on the substrate or against a fish. Test weekly rather than dosing on a schedule – dose again only when the number on the test kit tells you to.

Suitable for:

• Goldfish, barbs, Central American cichlids and livebearers (mollies, platies, swordtails, guppies)
• Freshwater community tanks running at a neutral-to-mildly-alkaline pH
• Invertebrates – API states the formula is safe with them

Not suitable for:

• Planted aquariums – the phosphate buffer ties up trace elements live plants need
• Marine, reef or African cichlid tanks needing pH 8.2 – use API Proper pH 8.2 instead
• A single large correction – shift pH gradually and re-test rather than chasing a big swing in one dose

Test pH weekly with a liquid test kit rather than dosing to a schedule. In hard tap water, Proper pH powders can cause temporary cloudiness that clears on its own within 24–48 hours; it does not indicate the product has failed.

• Keep out of reach of children.
• Store the jar sealed and dry.
• Pre-dissolve in a cup of tank water before adding, rather than pouring powder directly into the aquarium.

• API Freshwater Master Multi Test Kit 5 in 1 – to confirm the reading before and after dosing.
• API Stress Coat – for conditioning the fresh tap water a water change brings in.
• API pH Up – for a smaller day-to-day nudge between full re-doses of Proper pH.

This is a consumable, so no manufacturer warranty period applies. That does not affect your rights under the Australian Consumer Law: if the product is faulty, unsafe or not as described, you are entitled to a remedy. Ships as standard freight.

Will Proper pH 7.5 work in a planted tank?

API does not recommend it. The phosphate buffer binds trace elements that live plants need, so a planted display is better managed with a pH-neutral conditioner and, if needed, treating fish separately in a hospital tank.

My water went cloudy after dosing – is that normal?

Yes, in hard tap water. API states the cloudiness is harmless and typically clears within 24 to 48 hours.

How often do I need to re-dose?

Only when a pH test shows a drift of more than 0.2 from 7.5 – not on a fixed schedule. Test weekly to know when that is.

Can I use this with invertebrates?

Yes. API states the formula is safe with invertebrates, though it is not recommended for planted tanks that also hold live plants.

What's the difference between Proper pH 7.5 and API pH Up?

Proper pH 7.5 is a buffer – it sets the reading and resists drift back down. API pH Up is a liquid adjuster for a smaller, one-off upward nudge, and does not hold the pH there on its own.