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