Ph Crash - Aquaponic Gardening2024-03-28T12:50:19Zhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topics/ph-crash?commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A530345&feed=yes&xn_auth=noAmmonia that high will inhibi…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-11-18:4778851:Comment:5305782013-11-18T14:37:23.987ZKeith Rowanhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KeithRowan
<p>Ammonia that high will inhibit cycling.. i'd try to get it under 4 with a couple of partial water changes</p>
<p>12oz of the maxicrop is a bit much, but it won't lower your ph.. i used 1 capful for each 55 gallon growbed, 1x every 3 or 4 weeks in the early stages of my system..</p>
<p>now, with a ph of around 7.4, in the 3 gb system (each gb is 1/2 of an IBC) i put maybe a cup of maxicrop with iron, every couple months</p>
<p>Ammonia that high will inhibit cycling.. i'd try to get it under 4 with a couple of partial water changes</p>
<p>12oz of the maxicrop is a bit much, but it won't lower your ph.. i used 1 capful for each 55 gallon growbed, 1x every 3 or 4 weeks in the early stages of my system..</p>
<p>now, with a ph of around 7.4, in the 3 gb system (each gb is 1/2 of an IBC) i put maybe a cup of maxicrop with iron, every couple months</p> I'm using expanded clay so th…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-11-16:4778851:Comment:5303452013-11-16T22:53:57.047ZSuzanne Hayeshttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/SuzanneHayes
<p>I'm using expanded clay so that should be an issue. I've started buffering with crushed shells and adding lye potassium bicarb as needed. Everything seems to have stablized</p>
<p>I'm using expanded clay so that should be an issue. I've started buffering with crushed shells and adding lye potassium bicarb as needed. Everything seems to have stablized</p> On a further note Suzanne, I…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-11-16:4778851:Comment:5303302013-11-16T17:23:58.173ZMatt T.https://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/MatthewAllenTanking
<p>On a further note Suzanne, I read the back of my MaxiCrop w/iron liquid, and it stated something about acid loving plants. I am assuming that this could lower your PH. I used to spray this stuff on the leaves, but found it left brown spots that eventually ate through the leaves, so now I just spray around the base of the plants. I ordered some of the chileated iron to add to the water, as I don't need the extra ingredients in my year old system anymore. I would suggest adding some PH up in…</p>
<p>On a further note Suzanne, I read the back of my MaxiCrop w/iron liquid, and it stated something about acid loving plants. I am assuming that this could lower your PH. I used to spray this stuff on the leaves, but found it left brown spots that eventually ate through the leaves, so now I just spray around the base of the plants. I ordered some of the chileated iron to add to the water, as I don't need the extra ingredients in my year old system anymore. I would suggest adding some PH up in lower doses until you get to where it needs to be. GL.<br/> <br/> <cite>Matt T. said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/forum/topics/ph-crash?xg_source=activity#4778851Comment530231"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>What are you using for grow media? I had the same problem when I started up, and it turned out that after trying to lower my PH, nothing was happening until one day it just crashed down to the lower sixes. It turned out that I had finally broke the Natural PH buffer from the water source I was using, which was municipal water from Lake Michigan. It runs about a PH of 7.2 to sometime 7.8. Municipalities often keep it higher so it doesn't damage the pipes in their system. Just adjust it back up slowly, and don't over do it. It may swing up and down a bit, but eventually, it'll settle in.</p>
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</blockquote> What are you using for grow m…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-11-16:4778851:Comment:5302312013-11-16T16:40:31.180ZMatt T.https://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/MatthewAllenTanking
<p>What are you using for grow media? I had the same problem when I started up, and it turned out that after trying to lower my PH, nothing was happening until one day it just crashed down to the lower sixes. It turned out that I had finally broke the Natural PH buffer from the water source I was using, which was municipal water from Lake Michigan. It runs about a PH of 7.2 to sometime 7.8. Municipalities often keep it higher so it doesn't damage the pipes in their system. Just adjust it back…</p>
<p>What are you using for grow media? I had the same problem when I started up, and it turned out that after trying to lower my PH, nothing was happening until one day it just crashed down to the lower sixes. It turned out that I had finally broke the Natural PH buffer from the water source I was using, which was municipal water from Lake Michigan. It runs about a PH of 7.2 to sometime 7.8. Municipalities often keep it higher so it doesn't damage the pipes in their system. Just adjust it back up slowly, and don't over do it. It may swing up and down a bit, but eventually, it'll settle in.</p> Your PH at 6.4 is where I try…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-11-16:4778851:Comment:5302262013-11-16T13:41:10.061ZRoss Williamshttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/RossWilliams
<p>Your PH at 6.4 is where I try to keep mine. Below 6 and you will be in danger of harming your bacteria and above 7 your Iron will become locked and unavailable to your plants. I try to keep my 15,000 gal system around 6.4 ph</p>
<p>Jonathan and Robert have both given you good advice.</p>
<p>Your PH at 6.4 is where I try to keep mine. Below 6 and you will be in danger of harming your bacteria and above 7 your Iron will become locked and unavailable to your plants. I try to keep my 15,000 gal system around 6.4 ph</p>
<p>Jonathan and Robert have both given you good advice.</p> For what its worth, your lett…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-11-02:4778851:Comment:5275192013-11-02T04:39:33.282ZRobert Jhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/RobertAJohnson
<p>For what its worth, your lettuce and greens like a ph of about 5.5 (I'm also a hydro grower), but our fish don't like that... All works pretty well between 6 and 6.5. As jonathan pointed out, don't try to compensate while cycling... Left to its own, your system will find its center. Since I posted to your other post, I won't repeat that here but you might want to consider some of teh ecological labs products I use (on my home page). I'm thinking Nourish L and Photosyntesis Plus. Once…</p>
<p>For what its worth, your lettuce and greens like a ph of about 5.5 (I'm also a hydro grower), but our fish don't like that... All works pretty well between 6 and 6.5. As jonathan pointed out, don't try to compensate while cycling... Left to its own, your system will find its center. Since I posted to your other post, I won't repeat that here but you might want to consider some of teh ecological labs products I use (on my home page). I'm thinking Nourish L and Photosyntesis Plus. Once your system is stable you might want to consider Nightout II on a monthly baisis--but I would not interject it until you're stable.</p> As part of the nitrification…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2013-11-02:4778851:Comment:5276012013-11-02T03:57:07.663ZJonathan Kadish NYC AA Chairhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/JonathanKadish
<p>As part of the nitrification process the bacteria will acidify the water (lower the PH) so that is a good sign. Your ammonia should ideally be at 4 but now you should just wait until it reaches zero. Then take the ammonia to 4ppm again and if it drops to zero with in a day or two you are probably ready for fish. Try not to over compensate to have drastic PH swings as that is bad for living things. The shell grit should be all you need to buffer your PH. If it gets lower than 6.0 then you may…</p>
<p>As part of the nitrification process the bacteria will acidify the water (lower the PH) so that is a good sign. Your ammonia should ideally be at 4 but now you should just wait until it reaches zero. Then take the ammonia to 4ppm again and if it drops to zero with in a day or two you are probably ready for fish. Try not to over compensate to have drastic PH swings as that is bad for living things. The shell grit should be all you need to buffer your PH. If it gets lower than 6.0 then you may want add some potassium hydroxide or potassium carbonate</p>