Aquaponic Gardening

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I have a question regarding the AquaUp, pH raising kit, details of which I was sent in a recent E Mail to be found here ; http://www.theaquaponicstore.com/AquaUp-pH-Raising-Kit-1lb-p/awcas0...

The majority of professional aquaponic practitioners, as I have found, advocate the use of Calcium Hydroxide Ca(OH)₂ and Potassium Hydroxide KOH, dosed alternately and in equal proportions to raise pH levels and further introduce Calcium and Potassium to buffer the inadequate levels provided by the fish, but the active ingredients in AquaUp are Calcium Carbonate (CaCO₃) and Potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃) would someone share the analysis of why carbonates were chosen over Hydroxides?

 

Regards

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Happy to, Tony.  When we developed this product we considered both going with the Hydroxides and the Carbonates.  Dr. Rakocy, Dr. Lennard and many others use the Hydroxides.  Green Acre Aquaponics, Friendly Aquaponics and others use the Carbonates.  They all work well as pH buffering agents.  The hydroxides tend to be stronger, and work faster, but they are more caustic than the carbonates.  Since our products are designed for home use, we have be very concerned about the safety of what we release, and the somewhat safer nature of the carbonates are what ultimately sold us on them.  

Another bit of info from Dr. Rakocy, if you are looking for growing organically using the carbonates are the way to go. You can't use Hydroxides if you are seeking a organic certification.

Which is kinda BS if you ask me...I make my own potassium hydroxide out of nothing more than the ashes of hardwood trees and rainwater...What makes that less "organic" than Gardenville's potassium Bicarbonate?

I can sprinkle the ashes in my garden, and have rainwater essentially do the same thing, (leach KOH into the ground) and that perfectly qualifies as organic...but when I do it manually (myself) in an old wooden barrel, and use it in AP it's not...that's just silly. 

Jonathan Kadish said:

Another bit of info from Dr. Rakocy, if you are looking for growing organically using the carbonates are the way to go. You can't use Hydroxides if you are seeking a organic certification.

Thank you Sylvia for that prompt response, Jonathan and Vlad for your further input, I rather like the dictum “Aquaponically grown, Better than Organic” I don’t know who coined the phrase initially so I can’t confidently credit them, I first heard it from Murray Hallam in his presentation about the fish being the organic policeman working 24/7 in aquaponic systems.

I believe the “Organic” tag should be left associated with soil growing and the aquaponic communities at regional, national and international level should develop their own set of harmonised protocols.  Anyway, that’s a subject for a different thread!

Regards

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