Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

my mini indoor system is still cycling through (eighth day), the wait is killing me . seeds are starting to sprout after day 3 will post pictures soon. got a single weather loach in a small tank (15-20l) and GB is about 35l that sits in the window. i used some mature aquarium water to jump start the nitrogen cycle.

through all my reading, i get a sense that some intervention is required (other than fish food) like ph adjustments (unless you use sea shells etc) and plant nutrients from time to time. so does anyone use distilled vinegar to bring the ph down? (mine is 7.8, and i anticipate it coming down naturally as the system matures), but i'm curious if this is harmful to the fish, and if it has any benefits.

also, does using baking soda (is this sodium bicarbonate?) to raise the ph have any other benefits for the fish or plants?

is there any special aquarium salt that is potassium chloride (rather than sodium...anticipating the veggies needing potassium)?

can one use rusty nails (says this with a straight face) for iron suppliments (or will this cause a health issue in the veggies when consumed by humans). or can bananas be used for potassium? (or dates?). i'm not set on using these ideas, but they crossed my mind, and i probably will end up using seasol/chelated iron when the time comes. thanks in advance...

redtail - Welcome
I see 'new' systems can require 'help'...
But beyond this a mature system should
...pretty much look after itself

so all of the above could be applied
and or have been used or suggested previously
I think, but don't know, there maybe a size limitation
due to balance, balance being chemical and thermal placed on a system
open to the elements, so to speak

Hope this helps no doubt others will make comments.
C1

Using mature aquarium water will help but cycling still takes patients. Patients is a very important ingredient in a new Aquaponics system. Don't worry too much as brand new seedlings don't need much nutrients yet, just light and water.

A pH of 7.8 is a fine starting place. Slow and steady does it with any pH adjustments as bouncing or changing the pH quickly is what kills plants, fish, and your new bacteria colony. Vinegar can be used to change pH but it's effects tend not to last long and since as the system cycles, the pH will come down anyway, there is little need to lower the pH now.

Baking soda can raise pH but it is powerful stuff so be careful with it, again you don't want to bounce the pH. Adding shell grit into the system early is often a better way to keep pH up instead of waiting till it drops too low and then needing to add something stronger to bring it back up so the shells can keep it there.

There are special aquarium salts that cost a lot and are usually a mixture of many salts. When we salt AP systems for fish health we are usually using plain solar dehydrated sea salt which is mostly sodium chloride. The sodium helps fish with maintaining proper buoyancy and slime coat as well as healing injuries or fighting off parasites. The chloride part is important during cycling if you have issues with a high Nitrite spike. 1 ppt is generally more than enough to help with the Nitrite issue during cycling and is safe for plants. 3 ppt is the amount generally used if there is a fish health problem and is still safe enough for most plants. I don't know if potassium chloride would work the same though the idea has been mentioned. I have used potassium chloride in moderation in my system to supplement potassium.

Some people do have lots of iron buried in their systems to supplement iron (seems to work for OBO) just make sure that any metal put into a system is clean of oils and free of zinc or copper or other metals that are not Iron (avoid galvanized stuff) that could be bad for the fish. How much Iron you have to supplement will probably depend much on your water supply.

Some people do bury pealed bananas in their grow beds for potassium supplementation. Others have used potassium bicarb to help keep pH up as well as adding potassium. I've used potassium chloride (murate of potash) or maxicrop. If I could find a good source of greensand, I'd try that to supplement potassium and iron. The benefit of Seasol or Maxicrop are all the other trace and micro-nutrients they can provide for your plants.

Good luck!

TCLynx.......... you have a way with words .....thanks....great explanation