Help! My new adventure in gardening.

[Tom Parsons]

I have decided to convert my store into aquaponics.  It looked so easy.  The plants start to grow so fast.  Then they wilt.  LOL.  I would really be happy if i could get some good info.  We got the ph down from about 9 to 6.8 on average.  Am i to have a filter on these systems?  Please send lots of advice. 

 

Can you grow in a building with lots of windows?

 

Thanks

 

 

Tom

[Tom Parsons]

New problems.  My PH is going up even though i have been adding ph down to the water.  The one system that doesn't have the rocks for a bio filter is dropping, but the other three the ph is at 7.6.  My ammonia is also up to 5 in two tanks.

 

[Converse]

An acquaintance of mine said that when she was little her dad had a huge commercial worm operation...and her dad would cook the worms into cookies for the kids!    Knowing her dad, I am sure she is not telling a tale.  Ugh!  Oatmeal cookies..and that was NOT coconut in them.

[TCLynx]

There are a few things that can cause pH to rise.

If the rocks have calcium carbonate in them, they will buffer the pH up.  This could be the case if the rocks are limestone or marble.  You can test this by putting a rinsed hand full of the rocks into a glass of vinegar and see if they Fiz, limestone will fiz and bubble in vinegar.

Algae can cause pH swings.  If there is a heavy algae bloom it can cause the pH to be low before dawn and high in the late afternoon.

The source water can also cause high pH.  If your tap water or well water is hard, it can cause a high pH.

An anaerobic area in the system could also cause an elevated pH.

[Tom Parsons]

They are fizing.  Now What. 

 TCLynx said:

There are a few things that can cause pH to rise.

If the rocks have calcium carbonate in them, they will buffer the pH up.  This could be the case if the rocks are limestone or marble.  You can test this by putting a rinsed hand full of the rocks into a glass of vinegar and see if they Fiz, limestone will fiz and bubble in vinegar.

Algae can cause pH swings.  If there is a heavy algae bloom it can cause the pH to be low before dawn and high in the late afternoon.

The source water can also cause high pH.  If your tap water or well water is hard, it can cause a high pH.

An anaerobic area in the system could also cause an elevated pH.

[TCLynx]

Bad sign.  Most likely it means you need different rocks.

Sometimes you might get lucky and the fizzing is just from dust on the rocks so you might leave the sample soak a while and then rinse them and put em in a fresh cup of vinegar to see if they don't fizz the second time but getting lucky that way is kinda rare.  But if it works, it means that perhaps you would be able to acid wash all the rocks and then still use them but good chance you will need to find a different kind of rock for the media bed.

[Tom Parsons]

I purchased granite today.  It costs three times as much but no fiz.  I replaced 600 gal of rock or about 6 ton today.   I have the one back in the corner to get now.  That will take a day to carry out by hand and back in.
 
TCLynx said:

Bad sign.  Most likely it means you need different rocks.

Sometimes you might get lucky and the fizzing is just from dust on the rocks so you might leave the sample soak a while and then rinse them and put em in a fresh cup of vinegar to see if they don't fizz the second time but getting lucky that way is kinda rare.  But if it works, it means that perhaps you would be able to acid wash all the rocks and then still use them but good chance you will need to find a different kind of rock for the media bed.

[TCLynx]

What you have a spare back over in the corner, (that was what I thought when I read this)  Moved 6 ton today, you may need a spare back.  I'm impressed.

Tom Parsons said:

I purchased granite today.  It costs three times as much but no fiz.  I replaced 600 gal of rock or about 6 ton today.   I have the one back in the corner to get now.  That will take a day to carry out by hand and back in.

[Tom Parsons]

Todays update.  Check out the PH down idea.

 

[TCLynx]

Just beware the yellow snow.

[Vlad Jovanovic]

Yipee! Free ammonia and you didn't even have to feed the dog to get it!

TCLynx said:

Just beware the yellow snow.

[Tom Parsons]

I got three 950 gal tanks of snow.  I thought it would help get the ph down.  Or start my next system with a lower ph.

[Tom Parsons]

I got rid of all of the bricks in the system.  I don't know why but my ammonia levels dropped two points when i did.  We also are draining the fish tanks from the bottom instead of the top.  In additon got in the worms and added extra air to the fish tanks.
 
Vlad Jovanovic said:

Yipee! Free ammonia and you didn't even have to feed the dog to get it!

TCLynx said:

Just beware the yellow snow.