Aquaponic Gardening

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I really value the opinion of this group.  I have a simple system. 14 cubic foot gravel filled grow bed --> 162 gallon fish tank --> 5 gallon swirl filter --> collection tank --> pumped back to grow bed w/ diversions to FT and collection tank. Flood and drain via bell siphon. Fill time - 15 minutes  Drain time - 3 minutes.

Here's a link to my test results so for. Any input would be much appreciated. :)

I'll get pictures of my system up real soon.

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No fish right now fishless cycling, but it'll be Hybrid Coppernose Bluegill in a couple of weeks...... hopefully. 

Randall Wimbish said:

Sound like an awesome setup. I started a new system recently and am seeing similar readings and I am changing water a lot. I saw nitrates at 160 yesterday before a water change with nitrites as high as 4 or more. What are you using for fish?

Since you have no fish, I'd say your cycling is going well.  Any idea why your PH went up?

No George, I have no idea. Nearest I can figure I have about 260 gallons in my system. You think I should start trying to lower it now? If so, how much muriatic acid should I add? Thanks.

George said:

Since you have no fish, I'd say your cycling is going well.  Any idea why your PH went up?

That first PH test could have been a bogus result for some reason.  Again, since you are fishless, I'd say take it down to about neutral for cycling.  I haven't used muriatic acid but there should be info in the water topics.  You're going about it the right way, in my opinion - take your time and good luck.

Tracy Langlinais said:

If so, how much muriatic acid should I add? Thanks.

George could you please explain why you would "take it down to neutral" if you were fish-less cycling? What would be the benefit of a neutral pH over a pH of 8 while trying to establish a bio-filter/bacterial colony? Seems counter productive to be neutralizing carbonate alkalinity and lowering pH at this point in the game IMO.

Tracy, did you let the water that you filled your system up with sit out over night before you tested the pH? This may be why you got an unrealistically low reading with that first one. Take a glass of water out of the tap and test the pH. You'll probably get a reading of 7pointwhatever. Let that same glass of tap water sit out over night (or 24 hours) and test again. You'll probably get a reading much higher than the day before. This higher reading is the 'real deal'. (This occurs because water going through all those pipes contains much trapped CO2, once that has a chance to off-gas, only then can you confidently measure it's pH). 

Also, adding acid and messing with pH at this point can do absolutely no good IMO...Until someone can explain otherwise. Bacteria thrive and should establish themselves easier/quicker at your pH of 8.(rather than  or lower)... For every 1mg of ammonia they oxidize into nitrates they consume roughly 8mg of carbonate alkalinity (the thing that makes your water 'hard' and have a high-ish pH) and about 4.5mg of oxygen. And right now the bacteria should be your main concern...later on when you bio-filter is up and running strong, and you switch focus to plants, you can lower it slowly then. But you probably wont even need to, because as the bacteria consume that carbonate alkalinity pH falls on it's own and will actually need to be raised son a regular basis. (This can be done either by adding 'hard' top up water, or a base such as shell grit, builders lime, or potassium bicarbonate...again, all this usually comes later when bacteria, fish, and plants are all 'doing there thing' together)...

No, can't do it.  I was parroting either what I was told early on or what I misunderstood early on, probably the latter.  Possibly what I was thinking about was a general vegetable preference of a more neutral or slightly lower than neutral PH.  In any case, please disregard.

Vlad Jovanovic said:

George could you please explain why you would "take it down to neutral" if you were fish-less cycling?

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