Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

hello guys how are you all doing

I have found some local gravel mix for my grow beds and some 89% silica sand cor the iavs bed, when I went and picked up the samples I did two tests as follows

first test: after washing the gravel and the sand I put each one on a transparent glass cup and filled it with pure wight viniger (they fizzed like crazy)

the second test, I tock another sample is separate glass and filled it up with plain drinking water (ph 7.4) and kept it for 3 days


I assumed that since they fizzed like crazy that they must contain carbonate so they will be usable for my aquaponics since they will raise my ph.

however 3 days later the sample with viniger developed so many wight lumps above the stone and around the interior of the glass as a result of the fizzing HOWEVER when I tested the water ph level where the sample was in the ph did not go up it remained 7.4 ???!!! how come?? since there are carbonate in the stone why it did not raise the ph ???? I assume the sample is not safe to use yeah?

if anyone had experience please advise
thank you

please check the video

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vbPeVoFmn6JkgTzZA

Yep, that doesn't look good. I'm not sure why the pH isn't elevated after a few days of sitting but I wouldn't use that batch of stone or sand. CaCO3 is pretty slow release so it might just be timing .

thank you scotty,

plus my water I tested is already 7.4 ph, so maybe if I test with 6 ph water it will go up faster

do you think there are another chemical in the stone not including caco3 that is causing the fizz

I don't know, I kind of doubt it's something else though.