Comment

Comment by John Malone on January 4, 2014 at 1:57pm

@DJ Wambach

Copper pipes:   I looked at building a solar heat exchanger using copper pipe and then found out that copper is toxic to fish.  In fact any sort of metal (high grade stainless steel excepted) is a no-no for long term exposure to fish water.

AquaDown pH: This would no doubt work seeing as it's simply phosphoric acid, but at $1 per oz it's super pricey.  I'll stick to the pool acid (muriatic / hydrochloric) which is about $1 a quart.   

Comment by DJ Wambach on January 4, 2014 at 11:58am

I was thinking about heating green house and water and was looking into small wood  stove to wrap copper tube around it to pump warm water back to sump. I then noticed I have not viewed anyone doing this. I do not think I came up with a new idea so is there a reason we do not use copper line with our fish?

Comment by DJ Wambach on January 4, 2014 at 11:49am

http://www.theaquaponicstore.com/pH-Adjusting-s/184.htm

Kim check out this page from the store.

Comment by Bob Campbell on January 4, 2014 at 11:49am

Don't use pH down. 

Comment by Kim Romen on January 4, 2014 at 11:02am

DJ, I missed your reply until now.  Thankyou for your response as well!  I'm going to google the pH down to take a look.  Kim

Comment by Kim Romen on January 3, 2014 at 11:21pm

thankyou much gentlemen!  Puts me more at ease.

Comment by Jim Troyer on January 3, 2014 at 7:44pm

Kitchen gloves work just fine to handle pool acid.  The glasses are a good idea too.

Diluting the acid in the top up water is a good method of reducing the possibility of shocking the fish and bacteria when introducing the PA.  A cap full of PA in 15 gallons is very safe around your kids.  If you are interested in proving that Kim, test the top up water's pH against the white cooking vinegar in your kitchen cabinet with your test kit.  I'm sure the vinegar will be more acidic than the top up water.

all the best,

Jim

Comment by Dr. George B. Brooks, Jr. on January 3, 2014 at 5:44pm

What Bob said and I use very thick acid proof rubber gloves ;-) Well stated. 

Comment by Bob Campbell on January 3, 2014 at 5:12pm

Last time I bought HCL it came 36%.  This is a bit difficult to use so I dilute it.  It's not bad for the fish when used slowly. 

Here is an excerpt from my aquaponic handbook.

pH and water chemistry and nutrients:
If the pH gets too high you will need to lower with acid.  Buffing from the carbonates in your grow media, and local water supply may make the pH difficult to adjust.

http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/acidbaseeqia/phcurves.html

At the point at where the buffer is overcome any further amount of acid will cause a drastic pH change

GO SLOW.  As you add Hydrochloric acid the pH will drop, and then bounce back.  Don't get frustrated and dump extra in.  You will reach a point where it kicks in and then a little goes a long way. It is possible to kill your nitrifying bacteria if you go too low.
I've never had a problem with low pH, but the same applies.  Add a threshold level of HCl (Hydrochloric Acid) or KOH (Potassium Hydroxide) and then test pH a day later and adjust with a smaller adjustment dose.  This is actually safer than calculating because it allows other variables to impact pH over the course of 24 hrs.

Some people like to keep pH adjusted water on hand.  Rain water can also be used to avoid adding calcium bicarbonate when topping off the system. 

A Reverse Osmosis (RO) system removes calcium bicarbonate from the water.  They are expensive but they eliminate the constant struggle many find when striving to maintain a perfect pH. 

Comment by Kim Romen on January 3, 2014 at 3:50pm

Dr. Brooks, I've handled the muriatic acid twice now and I knew it could burn but didn't realize how dangerous it can be.  If it can etch a hole in cement, what kind of gloves do u use for protection?  (I imagine it would take a while of sitting on the cement before etching a hole in it)?  

I have small children and chickens.  If they get into the off-gas water that has the acid added to it (one cap to 15 gallons water), do u know if that could be potentially dangerous for them?  I add one capful of muriatic acid to the barrel and let it sit until next time I need to add water.  I've only added the acid to the system once so far.

Also, Do you think this effects the fish or plants in a negative way (and ultimately us, the consumers) at all?   My garden seems fine so it's about weighing the pluses and minuses of having the pH right and using the acid.

Miriam, I will be interested to hear what folks have to say about your situation.  Sounds unique to AZ from what I've been reading.

thankyou!

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