Ph is a term most often seen in chemistry which stands for “power of hydrogen.” On a scale of 1-14, 7 is neutral, any number below 7 indicates that the substance is acidic, and any number above 7 indicates that the substance is alkaline, also known as basic. Plants must have a pH of around 5-7.5 for the hardier plants, and can become more specific depending on the needs of a specific plant. If the pH is not kept at a good level, many of the nutrients will separate from the water and “precipitate”, making them unusable for the plants, who need them to be dissolved in the water. Also, water that is too far away from the neutral mark can be harmful to the fish. While this may be a bit more than a beginner might understand, understand that the water quality has a direct influence on the health of the plants.
