The pH of your water, as determined by a pH test, indicates whether it is acidic or alkaline. Some fish require a lower pH, and some fish require a higher pH. For example, African Cichlids like a pH near 8, and typically tropical and cold-water fish prefer a pH around about 7.

At Waterlife Aquarium, we stock a few different types of pH Test Kits. The Aqua One brand offers the best value for money, whereas the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Brand offers the NO 1 seller on the market that has been trusted for years.
These test kits are EASY to use by simply putting three drops into a vial, giving it a shake, and comparing the color in the vial to the color chart. The colour chart will show you what your pH level is then you can make adjustments.

Commonly people make changes to pH levels by using products such as pH up. We don’t recommend these products as they contain phosphate, which is the primary cause of algae and these products are also unstable. We recommend using a ‘Booster’ which will keep your pH at the correct level. Our in-store Booster product is called ‘Tropical Balance,’ which will set your pH at 7.0, perfect for most Tropical and Coldwater fish species.

We also have a ‘Booster’ suitable for fish that require a high pH of around 8.0. This product is called ‘African balance.’
We have stores located in Hoppers Crossing and Ferntree Gully.