Just got my master test kit this is what I found

[Chris McMahon]

Hi Everyone,

Lets see my system has been running for three weeks on regular hose water. We have a high calcium content here in the desert. Anyway the system has a bit of algae in it, which I assume is a good thing.

I busted out the Master Test Kit and here is where I am right now.

 

Tests                                                      Results

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PH                                                          < 7.6

High Range PH                                           8.1

Ammonia                                                   0.0

Nitrite                                                        .25 PPM

Nitrate                                                       10 PPM

 

I did get some seaweed extract yesterday and added a cup. It turned the water dark. I will be adding a small (cap full each day)

I have some lettuce growing and doing well. I also have some Watermellon plants coming up.  I expect I will want to grow some Tilapia. Any advice on what should I do next to get the system cycled?

 

 

 

[TCLynx]

Most fish won't mind the hard water.  However, plants would usually like a lower pH to allow them easy access to the nutrients they need.

 

You should be able to go ahead and get fish.

 

I would recommend adjusting the pH of your top up water before you use it for the system.  This is easiest if you have a large bucket or barrel that you use to age/air out your water before using it in the system.  You can add pH adjustment to your water prep duties.  It may take a few doses of acid to adjust the hard top up water and you want to make sure the pH has stabilized before you put it in the system.  Also, adding pH adjusted top up water is gentler to your system than using acid directly in the system to adjust the pH which can often result in pH bouncing which is even worse than the high pH in the beginning.  If you can get your top up water pH adjusted down to say 6-6.5 and stable before you use it, your system pH should slowly come down and once you get down to say 6.8 you could alternate between using pH adjusted water and the hard water for the system to keep the pH from dropping too low.