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I have to agree with everyone else, the most important thing for your fish is stability. The fish will adjust to the pH of your tap water and be very happy. It will not be happy if you are constantly trying to adjust the pH making it fluctuate. Also, good choice on the size of tank for you betta and not going with those smaller bowls. He will be happy with all that room to move around it. I just wouldn't add any other fish.
 
Stability is more important than ph levels. My bettas are in 8.2 PH. They are two years old and still doing great. I use Prime in my water changes.
 
There is no evidence that fish are sensitive to different pHs outside of the strongly acidic or alkaline ranges - they don't have to adapt to different pHs any more than humans have to adjust to different wallpaper colours. Within a wide range - say 5 to 9 - it has no effect on them. It doesn't have any physiological implications. The things fish have to adapt to are changes in TDS (total dissolved solids) because of the osmotic effects, and temperature, because as they are poikiliothermic, fish have to activate different enzymes to do a given job at different temperatures. Responding to these changes takes time, and the fish is stressed whilst it adapts, possibly fatally if the stress is great enough. Below around 4, pH starts to inhibit sodium uptake, but at normal aquarium levels, it's unimportant.
 
Alright, so if I were to continue using my tap water, will the treatment I have be satisfactory, or should I get something different (there've been a few things mentioned, but I'm not too sure what the difference is between them all; what are conditioners, etc. and why are they important? do these products just keep the pH stable so as not to disturb the fish?) Also, will pH or water treatments affect my plant life?
 
Don't use chemicals to adjust your PH. If your betta is a crowntail, veiltail, or plakat(one you bought from a chain), it will be fine in your water. I have the same PH.

Chemicals adjust the PH by raising the total dissolved solids. That's much worse than a high PH. PH will stay stable with a high KH, which harder water usually has, and tank maintenance.

Water conditioners are for taking out chloramine and chlorine from tap water, both of which are deadly toxic. Prime and Amquel+ detoxify ammonia and nitrite. I would use one of those, as do most of our members. Did you cycle your tank? If you put water full of chlorine in it will kill the plant life, too, lol.

The live rock may raise the PH-if it does, you will start to get into trouble.

Good start on the equipment.
 
The ocean rock will raise TDS, which is what is important; the pH rise is immaterial. Driftwood (as with bogwood and peat) will lower pH by releasing tannins which bind with dissolved minerals and organic acids; this will lower KH and GH (slightly) but the presence of the organic compounds is what is appreciated by fish from blackwater environments.
 
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