Raising PH

[sherrie p cockram]

I am at my wits end trying to raise my PH. My system has been setup for 10 weeks. I have two media beds and 2 floating raft beds and a 300 gallon fish tank. The PH reading from our tap water is 4.0.The PH level in my system is the same. I have tried Potassium Hydroxide and Hydrated lime. That temporarily brings it up. I have added 2 1/2 lbs. of crushed oyster shell to each media bed under the water flow pipe and dug it down into the clay pebble. That was 2 weeks ago. The PH went up to 5.0 and stayed there for 2 days and went back to 4.0. So I added 2 1/2 lbs of crushed oyster shell to each media bed again this morning. I added ammonia weeks ago, Can't get that reading down below 8...My grow is strictly indoors in my basement lake storage room. I have lettuce, spinach, strawberries and some other veggies growing and of course I have not incorporated my fish yet. The veggies are doing ok..i have added some Foxfarm ferts a few times just to keep them fro dying...Any suggestions?

 

[sherrie p cockram]

Yes, I know...Am having water tested Monday..Thank you..sherrie
David - WI said:

Water with a pH that low can actually be "dangerous" because it dissolves toxic metals... you should really consider having your water tested; you don't want to put a bunch of lead or zinc or something into your system (or yourselves).

 

In general, water with a pH < 6.5 could be acidic, soft, and corrosive. Acidic water could contain metal ions such as iron, manganese, copper, lead, and zinc. In other words, acidic water contains elevated levels of toxic metals. Acidic water can cause premature damage to metal piping, and have associated aesthetic problems such as a metallic or sour taste. It can also stain laundry and cause "blue-green" color staining on sinks and drains. More importantly, there are health risks associated with these toxins.

PH Values Of Water

[Jon Parr]

Wow, Sherrie. I'm very curious what the test comes back at, and if it really is 4.0, then why? My guess is the aquifer has high sulphur, and coming out of the tap as sulphuric acid? I hope your entire plumbing system is plastic, as any metal would dissolve quickly at 4.0

It doesn't make sense to me that your pH wouldn't come up easily and hold. Are the oyster shells disappearing? If not, then I suspect your test kits are wrong? Any hdroxide should easily raise the pH, and hold it, until other factors influence it (like nitrification and top-up). I don't know at any latent acids that would cause a rebound down-swing. I'll look into it.

Meanwhile, ammonia at 8 and pH of 4 is a double whammy for nitrification, so you can consider you system sterilized. Bring pH to 7 or so, KH to 100 or so, and ammonia to 2 ppm and kick back for a bit. Nitrifying bacteria die below pH 5.5, and pH swings stress everything, so pre-stabilize your top-up water before adding. Good luck.

[sherrie p cockram]

I've talked to alot of people on Lake Wylie. the ones who have lived on the lake for a long time say all the well on the lake are PH low. I drained the entire system Saturday and The Clover, S.C. Fire Dept. is coming today to refill it with good water...I am installing a rain barrel so I will have access to good water for replacing evaporated water. 

[sherrie p cockram]

O.K. Saturday we drained the entire system. Tired of fighting with it and wasting time. W cleaned the fish tank, the floating raft beds and the sumo tanks. Yesterday the Clover, S.C. Fire Department brought us 800 gallons of water. It is beautiful, fresh, clean water with a PH value of 7.0!!! Happiness in the Cockram household. I am staring over. My ammonia level was at .50 this morning. Will test it again on Friday. Thanks for all the helpful posts guys...I will keep you posted. I am open to any suggestions!

[Alex Veidel]

Lol, careful with the ammonia ;) As precious as those miraculous 7.0pH, 800 gallons are, I'd avoid a water change at all costs!

sherrie p cockram said:

O.K. Saturday we drained the entire system. Tired of fighting with it and wasting time. W cleaned the fish tank, the floating raft beds and the sumo tanks. Yesterday the Clover, S.C. Fire Department brought us 800 gallons of water. It is beautiful, fresh, clean water with a PH value of 7.0!!! Happiness in the Cockram household. I am staring over. My ammonia level was at .50 this morning. Will test it again on Friday. Thanks for all the helpful posts guys...I will keep you posted. I am open to any suggestions!