A.N.N. test of "plan B" fishless system on Saturday, 26 Nov 2011. Have a few seedlings in the bed. Have been occasionally adding capful of seaweed extract. Shifted to Maxicrop with Iron (2%). Added 50 ML yesterday.  Noted that after over dosing with Muriatic Acid (75 ml) pH dropped to 5 range and water seemed to clear. Prior it was slightly murky in appearance. As pH…

Photo below is of pea gravel in small laundry detergent bucket with holes drilled in bottom and around lower edges. Gravel came from AP community member Kip Edmond's system.  Rather than mix the pea gravel with the Hydroton, I thought I'd see if this approach might work to inoculate my grow bed.  

Also noticing wide swings in pH from a 6.5 at 9AM this morning to 8.0 at 5 PM. Will forego muriatic dosing this evening and take new samples tomorrow.  Photos of each test are on…

Recently uploaded photo of our tap water showing the results of a test my tap water and the API test kit.  Dark blue green test tube is the tap water.  The light yellow green is a 10:1 dilution with lemon juice.  Conclusion: tap water is slightly alkaline and API test kit is working.

On the advice of TCLynx, added 5ml of muriatic acid this morning (Thrs 11 Nov 2011) and when I tested this afternoon, it was in the 7.0-to-7.5 range (photo to follow).  Also added capful of…

Added washed red lava rock to grow bed this afternoon. Also ran first pH test of the water.  Looks to be in the 8 range.  Will monitor this week to see if adding the lava changes the level.  

I am pleased to report that the CHOP2 system using the Rubbermaid Ag tanks is now working as I write.  Glued everything together (boy it's hard to keep the purple solvent from running everywhere!).   Started water test with sump filling grow bed to see if the siphon worked.  Immediately discovered leak around 1" tank flange. let most of water drain and then siliconed the flange.  Discovered same problem as I next filled the 100 gal. fish tank.  It too leaked, so I bailout some of the water,…

Phase one now almost ready to run. All of the PVC plumbing fittings in place, metal halide light rewired back to 240V for lower current drain, new circuit box installed, power outlets for pump and bubbler GFCI wired. Will begin water tests this weekend.

QUESTION:  What is recommended lighting cycle? Run 24 hrs a day or should there be some X hrs of dark?