Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Aaaahhh, that explains it. Also the veins on the leaves where greener than the rest of the leaf which is another sign (I think).

I'll try measuring it early one morning and see what it is.

Nova

I have tried measuring it in the morning, and it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. I measured it again today and got 8.4, should I try and adjust it a bit? The water is still very green.

All other readings are nearly zero, ammonia is barely registering, while nitrites and nitrates are 0. I assume the algae has used up all the nutes, does that mean it will disappear soon?

I am going to make an extra bio-filter out of some 90mm stormwater pvc and some bio-balls to see if I can keep the ammonia levels down once the algae disappears.

Nova

nova, did you ever use a ph down at any stage? I had terrible problems by adding a ph down buffer that contained phosphates.......algae went NUTZ.

If you want to lower it try using hydrochloric acid or lemon juice, I've read that vinegar or acetic acid can create intermediary reactions that will eventually cause the ph to rebound.


Steve

Any moderate acid would work, other than a few obvious ones. Yes vinegar is one of the exceptions, CH3COOH has a strange neutralization in water if my chemistry serves me correctly.

Never pour chemicals of any kind directly into a tank when there is fish in there. Put some of it at a time into a clean bucket full of tank water then add it to the main tank. Stops the fish coming and taking a mouthful of it...

Tim, you're turning into as much as an info freak as me

Does beer count as an acid? Try some of that. The fish will be much happier

Dt, you are really turning into an aquaponian, you seem to have all the same habits as the rest of us!

Just want happy fish!

beer should do it!

it makes a good batter for them too

Is that an extension of my self marinating fish food that contained lemon juice? LOL

I have used pH down once, about two teaspoons, it is sodium phosphate. I will do a large water change on the weekend and then try and adjust the pH with some HCl if I need to. The strawberries are looking a bit yellow as the algae is using all the nitrogen.

Nova

If you are anything like Big Mick, just make em into fish patties

I suppose I could get fish fingers from them, I should be able to get one finger from each fillet, 2 per fish.

Nova

pH is still 8.4, ammonia is near enough to zero it doesn't matter. I think I will do a 3/4 water change on the weekend and see if I can't solve some of the algae problem. Was going to do it last weekend, but it was 43 here, so we went to the beach instead.

Nova