Ph is too high!

[Rose]

I finally bought a test kit after three weeks of setting up my system. all the plants are green and seem healthy but they won't grow. except for my tomato plant which was turning yellow and had to be taken out of the system. it's doing Much better in dirt.  Everything i tested for came back at 0 except for my PH which is at 8.2. I'm new to this, I know the ammonia should be at 0 and my PH somewhere around 7, as for the nitrate and nitrite i have no clue. also i've been battling with algae so i don't know if the algae is the problem or would the PH be the reason my plants aren't growing? 

[Rose]

how have you been covering your tank? because i've run out of ideas lol i even put the shelf with all my gardening things where the sun hits and it helped a bit.

[TCLynx]

Shade cloth or Fabric will work wrapped around to block the sun.  Make sure you have extra aeration since algae die off can use up lots of dissolved oxygen.

As your system cycles you will probably see a rise in ammonia and then a rise in nitrite finally a rise in nitrates as hopefully your ammonia and nitrite fall back to 0.  Ideally once the system is cycled your ammonia and nitrite will stay at 0 while you will have a little nitrate and your plants will be happier and the pH will just occasionally need to be buffered back up unless your source water is hard, in which case adding top up water will keep the pH high enough.

A little splash of seaweed extract might help the plants a little but they are likely to struggle until the system gets cycled up and the pH comes down.

[Rose]

Thank you for the very helpful information!  =D  

[Jason Yahner]

Try removing some of your media and replacing it with granite chips 1/2 inch or bigger. That is what I did and its working great.

[Tom Parsons]

Rose

 

I have a new system.  I spray iron right on the plants.  I am doing this as i get the system up and going.  When your ph is to high it stops the plants from taking in the nutrients.  So i foliate until i get the rest of the system in check.