Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

excuse my dumbness....

but how do you reduce the ph with endangering the fish and kids??

There is a good description here:

http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_adjusting_pH.php

Mark

Slowly... I suggest the use of Hydrochloric acid.... in very small doses...

What size is your tank...

A small adjustment to your pH, might be appropriate at this stage... and will benefit your plants...

But an AP system will change pH, sometimes dramatically... over time as it matures...

With regard to the aquarium article above.... about the only worthwhile part of the article is...

hey rupe..

i have about 950 lts in an ibc.. as the fish tank.. which remains constant...the sump however changes depending on how hot it is... i seem to lose a significant amount of water when it is hot...
presently i am replacing 300ish lts a week..

yesterday... i did a ph test with both high and normal tests..

and got 8.2 and 7.6....

so i figure i will get someone with younger eyes to have a look...and or head to the optometrist....

Then the pH is probably 8.2 LostHippy... the low range test wont vary in colour once it's at the end of scale... which is why it's important to do the high range test if the colour is at the end of scale...

ohh dear...

i have a sinking feeling here...................

i have had no real luck dropping my ph...after close to 50ml of hcl it dropped it to 8.... but also we have had some rain..

i placed some drainage gravel i had left over from the gb's into a cup with some rain water that registered a ph of 6.4 last night.....

this morning it is 8.....

when searching for the gravel i was assured it had no limestone or the like in it.. guess they were wrong!!

new update...

have been grazing through the beds enjoying the salads and watching the fish grow..

growing well...

two of my gb's siphons were problematic and causing grief...so i replaced them with new beds..

i picked up an old spring double bed base which with an angle grinder has become a trellis..

even though i like to grow stuff... i have not been able to grow ANYTHING here ... apparently when the trees were removed to build the house..the soil was sterile... in 7 yrs i have been here(ish) there is still ground that is bare from when the trees where removed..

so.. to actually grow FOOD is a new experience..

these next photo are of some of my plants that may or may not be normal..

the basil shot up recently and the leaves were almost verigated and much paler...the leaves are strongly scented still... and taste good!!

the bean leaves are yellowish..but this was the first plant that grew in the beds...the purple beans were prolific..so the plant could just be dying off...

but as i still have a ph of 8 - 8.2 i was concerned of nutrient blockout..

my tests are..

ammo 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 10-20

there still is only the 17 or so silvers in the 1000ltr fish tank..

I love all the recycled and reused stuff! Nice work!

Yep, love the trellis.

The yellowing leaves with the green veins are a pretty good sign of Iron deficiency. chelated iron is what you probably need. You will likely have to add it regularly in small amounts with the high pH you are dealing with.

thanks quachy...

and tclynx as always your input is greatly appriciated...

will get some chelated iron today.. could be handy in dropping the ph too??

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL...

i worked new years eve and it sucked... but i digress,.....


appologies as i have just finished another night shift..and i am wallby teds brother... but i need an answer to a problem..''


i have just got some chelated iron and i am not sure how to apply it.. do i throw it into the fish tank or onto the grow beds????

also the instuctions are a little vague for ap...

what would be an approx dose for a 1000ltr + sump with a ph of 8ish????

thanks ..

I just dump it directly into the fish tank/sump... just a level measure of the scoop provided... then repeat weekly if the plants indicate they need more...

Your pH is going to inhibit the uptake to some extent... so perhaps a double "scoop" might be warranted...

AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.........deep breath..........AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH......

well today went well.....

i decided to aquire some more town water to top up the ap system...but before this i though i would also suck some of the gunge from the bottom of my tank... which i did..and doing so sucked two silvers out into the great dry waste land...but the tank looks cleaner now...

AND after getting some water i thought i would do a ph test... it came in a 8.5!!!! so i have been topping up water worse than from my concrete tank....

should have stayed in bed....