What Do I Need To Add To The Water?

Preparing the water for your fish is not as easy as pouring tap water in. Tap water alone could kill your fish if you don't use the appropriate conditioners. First of all, you will need a tap water conditioner such as Tetra Aquasafe or Seachem Prime. These neutralize chlorine, chloramine, and other bad substances in the water.

Some fish like a little aquarium salt. This is different from the salt you find in your kitchen, as that contains substances harmful to your fish. You can ask the pet store employee if salt was added to the tank your fish came from. However, it is not advisable to use aquarium salt on a regular basis if you have any live plants in your tank as it will damage them.

Salt can also be used as a preventative measure or treatment for certain freshwater fish diseases.

What is Ph?
I'll make this short, Ph measures the acidity or alkanity of a substance, in this case water. Most 'beginner' fish desire a neutral Ph level of 7. There are products can raise, lower, or just force your Ph to a certain level, but be carful if you have and live plants, as they can be damaged by phosphate buffers.

Most of the time, it is not necessary to add these products to the water. They may create more stress for your fish, and the Ph level of your tap water may already be acceptable. If you do not already have one, purchase a Ph test kit and check the Ph level of your tap water first.