Just got my master test kit this is what I found

[Chris McMahon]

Hi Everyone,

Lets see my system has been running for three weeks on regular hose water. We have a high calcium content here in the desert. Anyway the system has a bit of algae in it, which I assume is a good thing.

I busted out the Master Test Kit and here is where I am right now.

 

Tests                                                      Results

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PH                                                          < 7.6

High Range PH                                           8.1

Ammonia                                                   0.0

Nitrite                                                        .25 PPM

Nitrate                                                       10 PPM

 

I did get some seaweed extract yesterday and added a cup. It turned the water dark. I will be adding a small (cap full each day)

I have some lettuce growing and doing well. I also have some Watermellon plants coming up.  I expect I will want to grow some Tilapia. Any advice on what should I do next to get the system cycled?

 

 

 

[TCLynx]

You might do a check of pH at dawn and then check again in the late afternoon.  If the pH is lower at dawn than it is in the afternoon, then it could be algae causing the high pH.

[Chris McMahon]

Here are the tests today. Ammonia has dropped. PH is also coming down a bit

PH > 7.6

High PH = 8.2

Ammonia .25

Nitrite = 5.0

Nitrate = between 0 and 5 ppm I would say 1.0

[TCLynx]

hang in there, just gotta wait for the nitrite spike to pass now.

[Chris McMahon]

Do I bring the ammonia up or leave it alone?

[TCLynx]

if the ammonia gets to 0 you might dose again but otherwise I would wait till the nitrite gets down to 1 before dosing the ammonia again.

[Chris McMahon]

It's the 16th here are the results... I am using hose water. I plan to setup a water holding tank and an auto fill to the sump using gravity. I want to prevent chlorine that may be in the city water from going directly into the Aquaponics system.

 

High PH = 8.2

Amm = Between 0 and .25 only the slightest hint of green in the yellow.

Nitrite = 5

Nitrate = 20 ppm

[TCLynx]

Hang in there just gotta get past that nitrite spike.

[Chris McMahon]

The nitrite spike passed and I added ammonia. This time the ammonia didn't hit the 4.0 mark at all. I added it Friday night June 24 and tested today. Here are the numbers June 26

PH = 8.2 (it dropped after the ammonia) it has been running at 8.4 for a long time

Amm = .5 ppm

Nitrite = 5 PPM

Nitrate = 3 PPM

Last time I added ammonia it went to 4.0 ppm so I am thinking this somehow shows some progress?

 

[TCLynx]

Yep, still looks like you have a little way to go since you want to be able to dose to at least 1 ppm ammonia and within 24 hours have both ammonia and nitrite get to 0.

[Chris McMahon]

I added ammonia yesterday and made the mistake of bringing the system to 8.0ppm. Opps that was stupid. Anyway the system ate all the ammonia as it's back to 0ppm the nitrite is at 5ppm. I am going to wait until the nitrite comes back to 0 and then slowly bring it up to 1ppm ammonia and see what happens over night.

 

 

[TCLynx]

Well if you went from 8 ppm ammonia down to 0 in a day, I expect your system will get the nitrites down fairly quickly too.

You probably don't have to wait till the nitrites are 0 to dose again but I would at least wait till the nitrites get down below 1 ppm before you dose again.

Oh and if your system was able to bring the ammonia from 8 ppm down to 0 in a day, you won't be able to slowly bring the ammonia up to 1 ppm because the system will eat the ammonia as fast as you put it in.  You will need to try to dose the 1 ppm of ammonia all at once and then check both the ammonia and nitrite 24 hours later to see if the system has taken care of it yet or not.

[Chris McMahon]

Looks like the system is cycled up today. I added the ammonia yesterday and tested it and today it's gone and there are no Nitrites. 

Now the next issue is my PH. I have been running an 8.2 - 8.3 PH. I think it may be the hardness of the water in my area. Should I try to adjust it or just get fish that like a high PH? Maybe I should say don't mind a high PH.

I also have the water report for my area it says the PH last year was at 7.9 distribution system, 7.8 groundwater and 7.6 surface water sources. There are a lot of things in the water so I am not sure how to calculate what my water should be.

I am using 3/4 inch gravel for the grow beds.