Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello everybody, my name is Jonathan and I currently live in New Jersey. I've been reading about aquaponics for a little over a year now and I finally was able this spring to setup my own system. I've been on this forum reading for awhile now doing my research, but now that I am having my first problem with my system I felt it was time to join. So thank you!!

I'm not sure if this is the proper place to post my first problem so I apologize if it's not.

My system consists of a 300 gallon stock tank (2) 6' by 4' grow beds each with a bell siphon and gravel with a continuous running pump. I started fishless cycling exactly 2 weeks ago today. I planted my plants the first day added my ammonia everyday until I was consistantly between 1 and 2ppm and on the 3rd day I put a quart of maxi crop liquid seaweed in the water. The plants look great and are already showing much new growth. The nitrites are consistantly around .5 to 1 and just 2 days ago my nitrates were around 20ppm. My problem is my ph is at 8.2 and for the first week I didn't know why. I tested the gravel with vinegar and no fizzing occurred. The source of the gravel assured me there was no limestone mixed in with what I bought. After the first week I rememebered that when I purchased my house the well water was tested as being acidic, so we purchased a neutralizer as well as a softener because it was hard as well. I always thought the neutralizer brought the water more toward neutral but instead it comes out of the tap at 8.2. I believe the media used is calcite. So I believe that is 100% my problem. I waited two weeks thinking the nitrification process would gradually bring the ph down but there has been zero change. What can I do? With more patience will it come down, or is a massive water change needed or is there a product that can remove/counter the calcite? As I said the plants are doing well, but would probably do better with a correct ph. I'm just more concerned about adding the fish until it's fixed.

Thank You,
Jonathan

Jonathan,

I´m newer to this site and to aquaponics than you, so new that I don´t even know (yet) what would be the correct pH for your system. In any event, I´ve adjusted pH in other applications without harmful influence using distilled white vinegar. The trick is to put in a little at a time, letting it thouroughly mix before testing and adjusting. Otherwise, you´re likely to overshoot.

If there are any bad side-effects to using vinegar, I´m sure someone will pipe up. But truthfully, I cannot think of anything...

HTH.

you can spend a lot of time and money chasing your ph.. one thing to note.. many "ph up" or "ph down" aquarium products are not meant to be used in systems that have fish or plants that you plan on eating..
your ph is perfect for the cycling process, and will eventually drop over time.. imho, leave the ph alone.. just monitor your water parameters and be ready to buffer it back up when it drops (from nitrification), if the ph falls below 6, it can kill your "cycling" bacteria..

Thanks billj I have read that using vinegar isn't the best option, I think I will just be more patient and it will work itself out.



Keith once my ammonia and nitrites drop off over the next couple weeks I plan to add my tilapia. Will this be ok if the ph is still high?

yes, and if your plants show any "nutrient deficincies" then dose with a little maxicrop with iron.. in a 110 gallon system (1:1) i used about a capful, every 3 or 4 weeks for the first 6 months.. a liter of maxicrop lasted me well over a year
it took my first system 9 months to drop from low 8's to the low 6's, when i found the ph dropping, i started buffering up to about 7.2ish.. i made sure my bigger system has some limestone in the gravel

Thanks Keith I will buy some more maxicrop. I put a quart in 2 weeks ago when I started the system because that's Murray Hallam's technique. I believe it helped the plants a lot but I thought the water would have cleared up by now.