pH

Do you know what pH is? The pH of the water in a fish tank is a measurement of the level of acidic or basic in the water. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14. The number 7 is right in the middle of the scale, so things with a pH of 7 are described as "neutral" because they are neither acidic nor basic. Drinking water has a pH of 7. Acidic items have pH values from 0-7, while basic items will have pH values from 7-14. The farther the number is from 7, the more acidic or basic the item is.

Most fish are happiest in water that has a near neutral pH level of around 7, though some require water that's more or less acidic or alkaline. A too-high pH can enhance the formulation of toxins, while a too-low pH can affect your fishes' gills. When you buy fish, always ask someone at the aquarium store about the appropriate pH level for them. They'll tell you how to adjust the water, if necessary.

ORP

Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) is a measurement that can describe the water quality of a fish tank. Both pH and ORP can be used in order to describe the water quality of a fish tank. ORP measurements can be used to tell you if the water in your fish tank needs to be cleaned.

Temperature

Fish are cold blooded animals. When an animal is cold blooded it is unable to create its own body temperature and uses the water around it to give their body heat. The heat taken from the water is used to maintain a correct metabolism for the fish, and to keep the fish happy and healthy.

There are thousands and thousands of different types of fish in the world that all come from different environments with different water temperatures. Some fish are able to survive in the arctic ocean, and some fish live in very tropical waters.

This is why it is always important to research any fish before you add them to a fish tank. It is very important to make sure that the water temperature of your fish tank will be a healthy place for the fish to live.

Conductivity

Conductivity is another measurement that can be used to better understand the quality of water in a fish tank. When salts are dissolved in water, the conductivity of the water will increase. This means electrons will be able to travel through the water more easily. Obviously it would not be safe to mix electricity with water, and this could hurt you and your fish. But being able to measure the conductivity of the water in your fish tank will allow you to understand the level of salts in the water. This is very important for both salt water and fresh water tanks. All fish have a specific level of salt that they will be able to live in happily.

Dissolved Oxygen

The air we breathe is 21 percent oxygen. It is oxygen that keeps us alive. Fish need oxygen too, but since they don't have lungs, they take oxygen from the water in which they live instead of from the air like us.

The oxygen in the water available to fish is called dissolved oxygen (oxygen that is dissolved in the water). Fish use gills to take oxygen from water just as we use our lungs to take oxygen from the air.

Because fish are dependent on dissolved oxygen, it is important that we monitor the level of dissolved oxygen in their environment. Also, it is very important that people don't put things into our rivers and streams that will decrease the amount of dissolved oxygen below the level that fish need.