Easy to use
Accurate results
Suitable for freshwater use only
40 liquid test kits, test tube, and a colour chart

What is pH?

pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the water in your aquarium. The pH scale runs from 1 to 14. Very acid water is pH 1 and very alkaline water is pH 14. Neutral water that is neither acid nor alkaline is pH 7.

Why test for pH?

Different species of aquarium fish require different pH levels. Fluctuations outside these preferred values can cause stress to the fish. If the water becomes too acid or alkaline the fish soon die. It is important to regularly test the pH, as pH can occasionally rise in new ponds, and older aquaria tend to acidify over time. Also regularly check the pH in a heavily planted aquarium, ideally in the morning and evening and especially when using a CO2 dosing system as the natural daily process of plants can affect the pH of your aquarium water by day and night.

What is the correct level in my aquarium?

There is no definitive correct pH for all aquariums. Different species of aquarium fish require different pH levels. Generally, the ideal pH value will lie between 7 and 8. However, African Cichlids from Lakes Malawi or Tanganyika require a pH higher than 8 whereas certain species from the Amazonian basin like Discus may prefer a much lower pH of around 6.2. When purchasing fish from your local aquatic retailer, always inquire as to the specific water requirements of the fish you are buying. It is important to ensure the pH remains constant. Fish in water with an unstable pH can rapidly become very ill.

What do I do if the level is wrong?

If you do need to adjust the pH of your aquarium, it is vital to do this slowly so as not to shock the fish. Change no more than 0.5 pH units per 2 days. Providing your tap water is of suitable pH, substantial water changes can correct a dangerous pH level. It is also important to check the KH of your aquarium water. For fishes from soft, acidic water, bogwood or a CO2 dosing system can be used to gently lower the pH and hardness.

How do I do the test?

Ensure the test tube is clean. Take a 5 ml sample of aquarium water into the test tube. Add 5 drops of the pH reagent, replace the test tube cap and mix. Compare the colour of your sample to the colour scale provided.

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Delivery & Returns

Delivery

Delivery costs for your order will be calculated during the checkout process based on your delivery address and the contents of your basket. You will only pay one delivery charge for your order. Express delivery is FREE for online orders OVER £39 unless any of the points below become a factor.

Some large items like aquariums, ponds and pond liners will have an additional charge of £45.00 to help offset the cost of a pallet delivery.
Orders containing a physical gift card will have an additional charge of £2.45 to cover the cost of materials and delivery (digital gift cards are a free alternative).
Orders to highlands, islands and Northern Ireland may incur an additional delivery charge displayed at checkout this is based on the postal code provided. DPD provides a list of postal codes which have additional surcharges. Some of these post codes may also take 2 working days to arrive, even on express. Pallet deliveries cannot be sent to these post codes.

We only ship to the UK and cannot ship internationally.

We aim to dispatch items that are currently in stock on the same working day if they are ordered before 2.45 pm (excluding Bank Holidays). Orders after 3pm will be dispatched the following working day, unless it fits any of the below criteria:

Orders containing live plants will take up to 2 weeks to arrive. We take a week's worth of customer orders and then inform the plant farms of the specific quantities we need to fulfil that week's order to avoid wastage.
Pallet orders containing large items like big aquariums will take additional time to arrive as they are sent by a third party. These orders will NOT be dispatched until we have been in touch to arrange a delivery date, this is to ensure someone is available at your address to sign for the delivery. Deliveries will generally be delivered ‘curb side’ within the terms of the agreement we have with our couriers so you will need to make arrangements to transfer larger items into your home yourself. Unfortunately, our drivers are not insured to transfer the aquarium into your home.
Physical gift cards and items from the gift shop (such as clothes, towels etc) are sent with 1^st Class Royal Mail. Delivery usually takes 1-2 working days, though in rare cases and orders placed closer to public holidays (Christmas, Father’s day, Mother’s day etc.) may be longer.

Returns

If you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase online from our website, you can return the product and get a full refund or exchange the product for another one, for up to 21 days from the date you purchased it.

We strongly suggest signing up for an account with fishkeeper.co.uk as this will allow for some additional returns options like return to your local store.

If you checkout as a guest you will need to return the product to Maidenhead Aquatics, PO Box 619, Egham, Surrey, TW20 2BS, please package the order (along with a packing slip or a note including your name, address and order number).

Large pallet items like aquariums are deemed delivered successfully with no damage once the the driver has left the property. If a report of damage is submitted after the driver has left we may be unable to assist with replacements. We recommend refusing a damaged delivery, this is the fastest resolution.

Our full terms and conditions can be found here. When you place an order with us online you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.