Freshwater Aquariums Application Note

Benefits of the miniLab Pocket-sized pH meter:

	Rugged- no glass to break and waterproof
	Portable- can directly monitor your aquarium’s pH levels
	Easy to use- no maintenance easy calibration
	Easy to clean- simply rinse sensor with toothbrush and detergent
	Long-lasting- 15,000-20,000 tests typically

pH is one of the most important factors in fish survival. Knowing this, we have designed a pH meter that will make your pH testing process easy and affordable. In general, fish can live in pH ranges from 6.0 to 9.0, but their quality of life is best between a pH range of 7.0 and 8.0. Changing the pH suddenly, even by a small amount, is a chemical change that can be more stressful to fish than one would think. To an aquarium keeper, two aspects of pH are important. First of all, providing stability is a must. Rapid changes in pH do cause stress to fish and should be avoided. If pH changes more than 0.3 units per day, it can send the fish into pH shock. This means one must keep the pH of their tank constant and stable. Second, fish have adapted to surviving in a certain pH range. Be sure that the tank’s pH matches the requirements of the fish being kept. Don’t worry, though. Generally, most fish can adjust to a pH that is outside their optimal range.

Freshwater fish are very adaptable as a rule. Many of them are from environments in which the pH and hardness of the water fluctuate from time to time so they have to adapt in order to survive those changes. If the water’s pH has a natural range of 6.5 to 7.5, most species of fish will do fine in it and there will be no need to adjust it up or down. Remember, the time to make major changes in the pH of the tank water is before one adds the fish. If adjustment is necessary, make sure it is done slowly- usually no more than 0.2 units within a 24-hour period- and accurately, using the miniLab pH meter.

There are two main factors that can influence pH and make adjustments to the tank’s pH levels necessary:

The first is the process of biological filtration. This filtration is necessary to the processing of fish wastes and lowers pH by releasing carbon dioxide into the aquarium’s water supply. It’s a gradual process, but in a heavily stocked tank, the pH may drop by a whole point, from 7.6 to 6.6, in a period of a few months. The drop is gradual, so the fish usually survive, but weekly pH tests with the miniLab pH meter are recommended just in case. They are vital if the tank holds many fish or if it’s over 1 year old.

The other test that is necessary in maintaining pH is KH, or carbonate hardness. Carbonates in the water are known to buffer pH by tying up the hydrogen ions released by the carbon dioxide. One must manually add buffers to the water, but they must be used sparingly to avoid pH shock.

We realize maintaining a stable environment for your fish is important, so we have designed a pH meter that will best fit your needs. The compact, waterproof miniLab pocket-sized pH meter has a durable silicon chip sensor which eliminates the risk of fragile glass sensors. It’s pH monitoring made simple and accurate. Why entrust your fish with anything less than the best? Check out the miniLab pH meter now.

Fish and their respective pH ranges:

Fish family pH ranges: