Seachem Alkaline Regulator

Seachem makes two ways to push a freshwater tank alkaline and they are not interchangeable. This is the decision worth getting right before you open either container.

The short version: if the tank has plants or an algae history, choose the buffer. If pH stability in a fish-only hard-water tank matters more than phosphate, choose the regulator.

• Sets and holds 7.1 to 7.6 – an alkaline range without pushing a tank up towards the 8.5 a carbonate buffer can reach
• Phosphate-buffered – Seachem's own comparison is that phosphate buffers lock pH in well, where non-phosphate buffers see more movement as CO2 comes and goes
• Contains conditioning agents – alongside the buffer salts
• Targets a specific pH with Neutral Regulator – the two blend to land between 7.1 and 7.5, using the ratio chart printed on the container
• Maintenance dosing is monthly – once at target, dose monthly or with water changes rather than continuously

• Use 1 level teaspoon for every 40 to 80 litres, daily, until the intended pH is reached
• Once there, dose once a month, or with water changes, to hold it
• The wider 40 to 80 litre range exists because tap water varies. Start at the weaker end, test, and work up
• Dissolve the dose in a cup of tank water before adding it
• To land on a specific pH between 7.1 and 7.5, run it against Seachem Neutral Regulator at the ratio printed on the container

Suitable for: African cichlid tanks · livebearer and rainbowfish setups · hard-water fish-only aquariums · tanks where pH will not stay put with a carbonate buffer alone · fish already acclimated to alkaline water.

Not suitable for: planted tanks and any tank with an algae problem, because the phosphate it adds is an algae nutrient · marine and reef aquariums · soft, acidic-water species such as discus, wild-caught tetras and most Apistogramma · use as a dechlorinator – it does not remove chlorine or chloramine · tanks where you monitor phosphate to a target, since this will move that reading.

• Keep the container sealed and dry; caked powder makes teaspoon dosing unreliable
• Test pH before each dose rather than counting doses – phosphate buffers hold firmly, so an overshoot is slow to walk back
• Expect your phosphate test to read higher after dosing. That is the buffer, not a nutrient problem in the tank
• Dechlorinate tap water separately before every water change

• Seachem Neutral Regulator – blend with this to land on a specific pH between 7.1 and 7.5
• Seachem Acid Regulator – the other end of the same system, for pulling pH down
• Seachem pH & Alkalinity Kit – dosing to a target pH means testing before each dose
• Seachem MultiTest: Phosphate – worth having if you dose a phosphate buffer and also fight algae
• Seachem Alkaline Buffer – the non-phosphate alternative for planted tanks
• The full Seachem range – water care, media and test kits

Sold with the manufacturer's shelf life; no separate warranty term is published for a dry regulator. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply regardless and cannot be excluded. A safety data sheet is published by Seachem at sds.seachem.com. Ships as a standard parcel – a dry powder, not a dangerous good.

What pH does Seachem Alkaline Regulator set?

It adjusts freshwater pH into the alkaline range of 7.1 to 7.6 and holds it there. Blended with Neutral Regulator it can be aimed at a specific figure between 7.1 and 7.5.

Does Alkaline Regulator contain phosphate?

Yes. It is a phosphate-buffered product. That is what gives it its firm grip on pH, and it is also why it is the wrong choice for a planted tank or a tank fighting algae.

Does it remove chlorine or ammonia?

No. Alkaline Regulator is a pH product only. Seachem's guidance is to dechlorinate tap water separately before a water change.

Should I use Alkaline Regulator or Alkaline Buffer?

Choose the regulator for a fish-only hard-water or African cichlid tank where pH stability is the priority. Choose the buffer for a planted or display tank, because it adds no phosphate for algae to use.

How long before the pH settles?

Dose daily until the target is reached, then monthly to hold it. Raising pH over several days is far easier on fish than doing it in one go.

Will it work in a marine tank?

No. It is a freshwater product. Saltwater aquariums need a marine-specific buffer instead.