API Deluxe pH Test Kit with Liquid Adjusters

• Test and correct in one kit – the pH indicator plus both adjusters, together.
• About 250 pH tests – the same reagent as API's standard pH kit.
• Liquid reagent accuracy – a drop-count colour test, read against a printed chart.
• pH Up and pH Down included – raise or lower pH without buying adjusters separately.
• Child-resistant caps – on all three solution bottles.

Testing: fill the supplied test tube with a water sample to the marked line, add pH indicator solution as directed on the label, cap and invert to mix, then compare the colour against the printed chart in good light.

Adjusting: dose pH Up or pH Down into the aquarium following the rate printed on that bottle's label, then retest before dosing again. Move pH by no more than 0.2 units in any 24-hour period – a fast swing stresses fish far more than a slightly-off but stable reading. Wait, retest, and repeat gradually rather than dosing to the target in one go.

Included:

• pH indicator reagent bottle
• pH Up solution bottle
• pH Down solution bottle
• Glass test tube and colour comparison chart

Not included:

• Coverage above pH 7.6 – an African cichlid tank needs API's wider-range pH kit, which does not include adjusters
• A dechlorinator – pH Up and Down adjust pH only, they don't condition tap water

API's exact millilitre-per-litre dosing rate for pH Up and pH Down is printed on each bottle's label and was not independently confirmed for this specific pack, so we haven't reproduced a number here rather than risk a wrong one – dose to the rate printed on your bottle. As a general guide, third-party dosing references put API pH Up at roughly 0.1 mL per US gallon (about 0.03 mL per litre) per dose, which is consistent with a gradual, retest-before-redosing approach rather than a single large correction.

Suitable for:

• Freshwater community and planted tanks needing pH testing and correction in the 6.0–7.6 band
• Gradual pH correction with fish present, dosed carefully against the 0.2-unit daily limit

Not suitable for:

• African cichlid or other tanks running above pH 7.6
• Large, fast pH corrections – always move gradually and retest

• Keep out of reach of children – all three bottles have child-resistant caps.
• Avoid eye and skin contact; rinse well with water if contact occurs.
• Do not exceed a 0.2 pH unit change per 24 hours with fish present.
• Store bottles capped tightly, away from direct sunlight.

• API Freshwater Mini pH Test Kit – a compact tester to keep on hand once your pH is dialled in.
• API Freshwater Master Multi Test Kit 5 in 1 – covers ammonia, nitrite and nitrate alongside pH.
• API GH and KH Test Kit – low KH lets pH swing more easily, so it's worth checking alongside a pH correction.
• API Stress Coat – condition any fresh water added during a water change made alongside a pH correction.

This is a consumable test and treatment kit, 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.

How fast can I safely change my aquarium's pH?

No more than 0.2 pH units in 24 hours with fish present. Dose a small amount, wait, retest, and repeat gradually – a slow correction over several days is safer than one large dose.

Will this kit suit an African cichlid tank?

Not reliably – its range tops out at 7.6, and cichlids are often kept at 8.2 or higher. Use API's wider-range Freshwater pH Test Kit for those tanks, and a separate high-range adjuster if correction is needed.

Do I need to dechlorinate water before adjusting pH?

Yes, in the sense that pH Up and pH Down don't replace a dechlorinator – they only move pH. Condition any new water with a product like API Stress Coat as normal.

Can I use pH Up and pH Down in a planted tank?

Live plants are generally tolerant of these adjusters when dosed at the gradual rate on the label, but a large or fast correction can still stress soft-water plant species. Move slowly and watch the tank's response.

What if my pH keeps drifting back after I correct it?

That's usually a sign your KH (carbonate hardness) is low and not buffering the water, so pH swings with every water change or CO2 fluctuation. Test KH with a kit such as API's GH and KH Test Kit before repeatedly dosing pH adjusters.