It's worthwhile being patient to see if that hardness is consumed by nitrification. Nitrification is by far the best way to bring down pH - acid additions are really a short term solution to a long term problem. You're on the right track. Once the weather warms up a bit, you'll have a better understanding of your problem and whether its an issue or not. Hope that helps!
Hi Brendan, You can do it on weight, but that's pretty inexact. I would recommend going by molar weight, which requires a little chemistry. Basically look at the purity and figure out how much of the relatively impure lime is the equivalent of the very pure KOH. Or, you can add by weight, but will have to supplement additional Calcium over time (I recommend doing this foliarly)
Potassium hydroxide is a naturally occurring compound found in wood ash (this is why a lot of people use wood ash as a potassium supplement). Hydrated lime or agricultural lime is another commonly used ag supplement that has been used for centuries. Since they're both natural substances, we don't have too many problems putting them in our system.
Hi Peegee, High pH is a really common problem. As you build a fast, efficient community of nitrifying bacteria, handling pH will usually become a lot easier. Glad we could help and Good Luck!
Hey there, it could be another basic substance (e.g. crushed granite) or it could be just basic hard water going into the system. If it is hard water, the only way to beat the pH problem is to install an RO filter.
6 is usually about as low as you want to go with Tilapia. It might be they are more stressed due to nitrification or lack therof, more than the pH. That's only if you're dropping your pH to that range pretty quickly.
You want to add it directly to the water in your system, although it helps to mix it with some system water in a bucket first, then add it slowly to your system. If you mix it like this, you can dump it all in at once, but the best way is to drill a small hole in a bucket over your system and pour the solution into the bucket so that it drips into your system slowly over the course of an hour or two.
Hey there, thanks for the comments today. The idea that you have to keep your pH high for nitrification is a misunderstanding that has been perpetuated. You can (and we do) run your pH down into the high fives with fine nitrification rates. Now, you must bring your pH down slowly over the course of a couple months, but once you are in that range the system should be perfectly stable, and nutrient availability high.
Once you have carbonates in your system, it's tough to get them out. The problem is that they buffer pH instead of directly raising it, which typically takes control over lowering your pH away from you. Don't use dolomitic lime unless you need to supplement Mg. KOH can be bought online as caustic lye.
High ph will encourage the growth of mildew and other fungus especially the ones that contribute to root rot. It's very important to keep both temperature and ph balanced during low light periods in particular.
It depends entirely on system volume, system design and the pH swing you're trying to achieve, as well as the purity of the lime and the lye. For small systems, we recommend starting with a flake or two of lye and a very tiny equivalent amount of lime (especially when it's at high purity). As the system matures, you'll get a better idea of how much it will require on a regular basis. Just be careful not to swing your pH too quickly.
Yes, shell grit will raise your pH, because shell grit is calcium carbonate. Remember though, carbonates buffer pH usually up around 8, which causes nutrient lockout. They cause your pH to run high, higher than you want for nutrient availability.
Thanks for the high quality videos you create, they are extremely helpful. Can you please clarify when you say 50/50 of potassium hydroxide to calcium hydroxide how is this measured? I have a 6000L system and frequently put in a 1/3 to 1/2 a cup of calcium hydroxide and I've now ordered a bottle of flaked potassium hydroxide but I can't see my putting in anywhere near that much if its as potent as it sounds. Thanks
It's great to hear that the pH is going to drop over time once the nitrification kicks in. I was worried that I was doomed from the get go b/c I have water with a pH of like 7.6. I over fed, so I have some sludge build up. I am adding stress-zyme to get rid of that, and clear the water for new bacteria to get the nitrification going. I am glad we have a resource that explains what's happening.
I used a drain pipe in my first system and it will cause a build up of fish waste and other gunk on the bottom of your grow beds. The Bell siphon works with suction and it will literally pull up all of the fish waste and dead plant matter from the bottom of your grow beds and run it through the system.
Do you use bell siphons in your grow beds? What is the point of the bell siphon? Whats wrong with having a drain pipe in the bed set at certain height say an inch below media surface and circulating water continuously? Thanks for the great videos btw!
Have you ever tried bonemeal? Bones are Calcium phosphate, so would this allow the plants to uptake the needed calcium and phosphate? I have not tried it in aquaponics yet, but it does work for growing green water.
Hi Nate....my pH is high and I would like to lower it. I live in southern California and the pH of the tap water is around 8 which is the pH of my pond. My pond is 1000 gal with half a dozen koi in it and no plants and I want to add some grow beds. I have a bakki type filter/waterfall now so the nitrites and ammonia are very low but the pH is too high. I was thinking of adding KH2PO4 to help bring the pH down. I figured the potassium might be useful too. Thanks for your advice!
Why are Carbonates Bad? How do you lose control if you use carbonates? My PH is 4.5. Should I use the Dolomitic Lime in small bag you showed us? I cannot find Potassium Hydroxide anywhere in Fort Lauderdale..
Hello. Awesome videos! Should the pH mix be added to the water or added to the media in the towers? Is it in powder/pellet form or should it be liquefied first? At the moment my system is composed of 1 large media bed. Thanks for all your hard work!
Hi, i have a question about calcium. is it safe to use chelated calcium instead of the calcium hydroxide? cause i'm problems in finding the calcium hydroxide, if i do find one the cost is quite a bit high and they don't sell them in small bag (per kilo).
.if its built up carbonates from the media in the bottom of the beds, I've read that they eventually get eaten up over time. i am getting pretty impressive growth at the moment though, my fish are not even in it at the moment....you certainly have a bad ass system. very light weight and manageable. wayyyy more than mine.
Hi Mate, interesting video. Maybe you can help me out. I built a fish pond 1200 gallons. Have some koi, shubunkins and some plain gold fish. Since construction the ph has been steadily rising. At the moment it is currently at 8.3. The fish seem fine. I think it has something to do with me using cement to build our waterfall (lime leeching) Do you have any suggestions? I know drastic ph changes can be fatal to fish especially koi
Hey Nate, Thanks for taking the time to put these video clips together! I have an issue with high PH. Small aquaponics system, 20 gal tank with gold fish and using "Grow Stones" (recycled glass) for my growbed media. When my water comes out of the tap it's 6.8 - 7.0, but after sitting for a while the PH increases up to about 8. Any idea why and what's the best way to lower it in such a small system? It's city water.
Hello there, thanks for your grate videos I am a big fan. This video about PH confused me a bit - as far as I know potassium hydroxide and hydrated lime are chemicals additions mainly used for hydrophonics. So how is those things go along with aquaponics that is an organic system? thanks!
my system is turning 1 years old, and im having the same thing. it rises by itself, and i always have to buffer down. i don't have any cement anywhere in my system. since its always rising naturally i cant get the benefits of buffering up with magnesium and calcium, which im constantly spoon feeding my system.
Dr Nate Story please explain to me, how much KOH and Hydrated Lime you put in your system everyday. you said 50:50, but how much gram per gallon. thank you
That all depends on the starting pH and size of the system... you're basically adding a little at a time and waiting then adding more the next day until the desired pH is achieved... without increasing more than .3 pH points at a time to avoid stressing the fish... but there are online calculators you can use for this purpose if your pH measurements are really accurate. Otherwise I'm sure it won't work a tinkus damn.
Hi Nate, I have been having some troubles keeping my PH above 6 and i have been using a 50/50 ratio of potassium and hydrated lime but it still falls atleast 2 - 3 points over a 24 hour period. My system is still going through the initial fishless cycle so i am guessing it is to do with the colonization. I will try dolomitic lime tomorrow, I am really greatful for the valuable information you share. Thanks!
ive acid tested my media and it didnt react. i think your right. it might be the rain water, or maybe some run off water thats making its way into the tank. its also pretty cold here and my system is outside so i dont think the bacteria will really be doing much work untill it reaches high temperatures, so ill guess ill have to wait.....
Bright Agrotech Hi Nate, please can you clarify this: carbonates / carbonic acid / sugars / carbon in general is needed as a food source for the bacteria that mineralise the fish waste. Why would it not be beneficial to add carbonates as a pH booster if it would also act as a food source & help the nitrification process? Also I heard elsewhere that pH6-7.5 is optimal for nitrifying bacteria, is this not true or is it somehow best to keep these bacteria at 50% of their max rate? Sorry if its naive questions - I'm a newbie with aspirations (& inspirations from you guys, thanks by the way)
From Nate's answer on a comment below: "adding a couple of dry ounces of a 50-50 mix should be enough to bring the system pH up a couple of points. Start with 1 oz and see how much it comes up after 1-2 hr.s Then repeat with appropriate increases or decreases in the amount you add depending on the results. "
Awesome, thanks for the reply! Another question, have you ever considered using gypsum in an aquaponics system as a quicker method of calcium boosting? Also, would a small amount of black strap molasses boost bacterial colonies in my beds and provide potassium/cal/mag/iron? I didn't know if the nutrients were available to the plants or if people ONLY use it for the sugar catalyst.
Hi Bacon Le, That's a relly high pH. I would stay away from plaster of paris, as there are several types, some of which contain lime (which would raise your pH) or gypsum (which you don't want in your system). Your pH is high enough that it indicates that you have some diurnal cycling (algae blooms causing pH swings) and probably some carbonates in your system or entering your system. Try and find any cement or other basic or carbonate based products in your system and remove them. Good luck
Nate, You mention in this video about pH that one can get calcium hydroxide in any garden store...evidently this is not so in urban spots like Miami...BUT... I did find a product called Mrs. Wages Pickling lime (100% calcium hydroxide) at Walmart...wanted to share this with you and your followers. Just another simple solution..1 lb $2.75
Dear bright i have 50 liters NFT aquaponic system and because of Evaporation i must add for 5 liters of tap water but the PH for it 8 ,how will the PH go down naturally with that 5 liters DAILY. BR
hello agrotech guy. im wondering: what is the nitrates level that should be maintained to keep the plants healthy and growing in an aquaponic environment? also is it ok to plant legumes in aquaponics?? because legumes fix their own N, so they may upset the system by not removing fish created nitrates?
How long does it take for a pH change to move through a system? I have 10 IBC's connected with 2" siphons that keep the water at the same level in all of my tanks. If I added a pH up substance to my first tank, how long would it take to measure a pH change in my 10th tank? I guess I could avoid any worries about this by adding equal amounts to each tank, but I ask because I would like to add chemical like this as far away from my fish as possible so that the impact upon them is lessoned.
Awesome Video I've been using both Potassium Hydroxide and Hydrated lime in my aquaponics and keep the PH right above 6. I'm thinking about building some automation logic to add this automatically. Is there an issue with mixing Hydrated Lime and Potassium hydroxide into one container? #notachemist Thank you.
Hi Nate, I am extremely rusty in my chemistry.. How do you compute raising PH by molar weight? (if you have the time to discuss this.. so sorry to ask!!)
Hi Nate, Will it still be safe to add potassium hydroxide, if I have 8ppm of ammonia? not sure why but my ammonia has been constantly high and will not come down. Current Ph is at 5.8
What do I do if i cant find that brand (Soil Doctor) of hydrated lime with those percentages you read on video Bringing up pH in Aquaponics systems? I have found other brands with much higher percentages.
how do you store the PH Pen between measures? i have a cheap one from ebay and in the manual it said to just rinse in distilled water and put the cap on but i read that the sensor must be kept wet all times on a 3mol/l kci solution...
Dr Nate, Lets say or should I say admit i put too much magnesium in my system, showing a little sign of calcium def. when i know there isnt a calcium def because my flowering plants have no blossom end rot. is the solution simply to add more calcium to balance the mag up take, since they compete? or reverse situation i added too much calcium... ?
Hey +Feeding Frenzy! I wouldn't worry about it unless your plants start showing a calcium deficiency. If they start showing a deficiency in calcium then you should just do a water change and start from scratch. Best of luck!
the question is.... how much and how much time i had to wait until test pH again? there is something like a formula for calculate how much hydroxide (50 calcium 50 potassium) i had to add? or is just add a little and test? how much i had to wait until test after i had add it? Thank you so much
Hi Nate - I've tried everything to raise my pH in my aquaponics system. I have a 100 gallon tube and right now only 1 gold fish (all the other fish have died). My pH stays close to a 5. I tried adding egg shells in the grow beds, sea shells in the tube, used products from the fish store etc. I saw your video and would like to try the 50/50 blend that you speak of. When I call Essential Depot to get more info on how to use it...do I remove my one and only fish first, can I mix the 50/50 blend (Potassim hydroxide and Hydrated Lime) into the tank, how much do I use etc. They shared they didn't have any info on it for aquaponics. Would you shed some light on how much, how often and do I need to remove my fish, can I dump the blend right into the tank? Also any info you can provide to me about why my pH doesn't budge would be great.
First off, you don't have to remove your fish to dose your system with a base. You shouldn't be adding so much that there's a problem. For a system your size adding a couple of dry ounces of a 50-50 mix should be enough to bring the system pH up a couple of points. Start with 1 oz and see how much it comes up after 1-2 hr.s Then repeat with appropriate increases or decreases in the amount you add depending on the results. Once you figure out your system, you might be able your base mix to a bucket with a hole in it and let it slowly drip into your system over the course of the day. You might consider using a carbonate in your system as well- especially if your pH is always that low.
Hi Dr. Nate, Can I use chalk powder (Crushed chalk) as a source of calcium carbonate to raise the pH as well as alkalinity in my AP? Some documents say chalk contains calcium carbonate. Thanks in advance Dara
You'll find these answers in our blog articles on nutrient mgmt. - brightagrotech.com/potassium-in-aquaponics/ - brightagrotech.com/calcium-in-aquaponics/ - brightagrotech.com/magnesium-in-aquaponics/
No. If you allow your tilapia to adjust slowly, they don't mind the lower pH at all. We actually have tilapia breeding right now in the low 6's. They don't really seem to care what the pH is these days. We've taken them into the high 5s without any stress. I think it's really just an issue of doing it slowly and maintaining strong nitrification all the while. If you're dropping pH fast enough that you lose nitrification efficiency then you'll see stress from ammonia.
so Dr Nate... are you saying you dont care about testing KH? do you guys at BA test for it at all? i know everyones system is different. also could you answer, with a new system or a system with carbonates, how long typically does it take for any certain system to eat them up? are there multiple factors in it? such as water source obviously but what about plants/number of plants in the system? and certain fish/densities? i know thats a big question. make a video if you have to! lol
Hey DRUMofTRUTH - 90% of the time KH doesn’t matter once you have nitrification cracking along. Unless you’re in one of those places with extremely hard water, nitrification eventually consumes those carbonates. It can be 3-6 months in really high KH systems. The more plants you have in the system, the more fish you can have and the faster you can drive nitrification. It’s a big question and a complicated problem, but all said, higher stocking densities (per gallon) combined with more biofiltration will allow you to churn through your carbonates a lot faster on a newly started system. Hope that helps!
I purchased some hydrated lime, haven't added it to my system yet because I'm also ordering some potassium hydroxide. The hydrated lime I got has only 0.45% magnesium. But I wanted to get your opinion on this hydrated lime since I'm very new to this: Calcium 51% Calcium Oxide 72.50% Calcium Carbonate Equivalent 131% Calcium Hydroxide 95% E.N.P 130% E.N.V 130% I have no idea what ENP and ENV is, is this safe for my Aquaponics? It's Hi-Yield Horticultural Hydrated Lime. Thanks!
exeseven hat hydrated lime is very Calcium rich. You may want to look around for a brand with more Magnesium in it to maintain a balanced system. Hope that helps!
With all the nutrients being manually added one by one, wouldn't this make the system hydroponics (with some fish swimming around) rather than aquaponics?
I THINK it's because they stick around in the system too long and lessen the control you have. I've already made that mistake apparently using garden lime in that case. But I'm sure a little calcium and magnesium won't hurt a newer system.
I feel like it's unnecessary for me to even verify this, but seriously - 6 - 6.4 pH? I trust you fully, but that shocks me. Everything I've ever read has said 6.8 - 7 or else it will supposedly shut down the nitrification process. You're saying that there's more leeway than that? I would love a lower pH.
No we don't own one. We don't do a whole lot of fruits and fruiting vegetables, so BRIX contents aren't as worthwhile for us. As we begin to grow more fruits/fruiting veggies, it will be something we measure down the road.
I mean what's the use of fishes in the aquaponic system if it's slowly started to look like hydroponic system. Soooo many chemicals. Maybe eventually aquaponic systems gonna touture all the fishes. Are they even safe for human consumption after all these chemicals in the system?
Hi Nate. My aquaponic system is 5 years old; I have a 300 gallon stock tank where my koi live and four 50 gallon stock bed grow beds. Lately I can't keep the pH over 6 and am not only losing plants but fish as well. I've used a combination of potassium bicarbonate and calcium bicarbonate which I had purchased from an Aquaponic online store; it seemed to relief the fish but only temporarily. I'm looking to buy the Doctor Soil Hydrated Lime and can only find the pelletized- is that what you use? Can I use this since it's all I can find from Doctor Soil? Also, I'm hesitant to use the Potassium Hydroxide- it would be my luck to 'burn off my fingernails' as you mention in the video. Can you recommend an alternative to use with the Doctor Soil Pelletized Hydrated Lime?
Why is carbonate bad?? I thought that calcium carbonate is a naturaly occuring in eggshells and rocks and is good for bringing the ph of your water up in an organic and natural way.
He basically said that the more carbon one has in their system, the more intense a buffer system, the less control of pH the farmer has. Intense buffer systems can be good or bad, but mostly bad, if you know what you're doing.
hey adro, sorry about that- it's just a boondoggle to make sure you're a real person and not a spambot. If we didn't have it we'd get spammed by robots all day long and never have a chance to answer and respond to real email from real people like you.
I'm curious how this dude disposes of his spend testing reagents after he tests. Don't want to just dump that crap down the drain or in the grass! Especially the nesslers reagent. That stuff is BAD. I seen Rob's aquaponics and he tested the ammonia right over his system :O I don't think people know just how dangerous those reagents actually are. Mercury(II) iodide is nothing to play around with. Those test should be done on a counter top well away from your system. And Rob's a professional - not bashing him or anything... it's just a little concerning to me. I think I'm going to dispose of my spent reagents for all eternity in a small steel drum labeled "RADIOACTIVE WASTE" - just for a bit of extra safety precaution. lol What say you Bright Agrotech? What do you do with your spent reagent? Upload a video!!!
It's worthwhile being patient to see if that hardness is consumed by nitrification. Nitrification is by far the best way to bring down pH - acid additions are really a short term solution to a long term problem. You're on the right track. Once the weather warms up a bit, you'll have a better understanding of your problem and whether its an issue or not. Hope that helps!
I have seen many videos on aquaponics but yours has been by fare the host informative by fare.
Thank you so much from Australia.
because this guy is a Phd and going by science.
Hi Brendan,
You can do it on weight, but that's pretty inexact. I would recommend going by molar weight, which requires a little chemistry. Basically look at the purity and figure out how much of the relatively impure lime is the equivalent of the very pure KOH. Or, you can add by weight, but will have to supplement additional Calcium over time (I recommend doing this foliarly)
Potassium hydroxide is a naturally occurring compound found in wood ash (this is why a lot of people use wood ash as a potassium supplement). Hydrated lime or agricultural lime is another commonly used ag supplement that has been used for centuries. Since they're both natural substances, we don't have too many problems putting them in our system.
Hi Peegee,
High pH is a really common problem. As you build a fast, efficient community of nitrifying bacteria, handling pH will usually become a lot easier. Glad we could help and Good Luck!
Hey there, it could be another basic substance (e.g. crushed granite) or it could be just basic hard water going into the system. If it is hard water, the only way to beat the pH problem is to install an RO filter.
6 is usually about as low as you want to go with Tilapia. It might be they are more stressed due to nitrification or lack therof, more than the pH. That's only if you're dropping your pH to that range pretty quickly.
You want to add it directly to the water in your system, although it helps to mix it with some system water in a bucket first, then add it slowly to your system. If you mix it like this, you can dump it all in at once, but the best way is to drill a small hole in a bucket over your system and pour the solution into the bucket so that it drips into your system slowly over the course of an hour or two.
Hey there, thanks for the comments today.
The idea that you have to keep your pH high for nitrification is a misunderstanding that has been perpetuated. You can (and we do) run your pH down into the high fives with fine nitrification rates. Now, you must bring your pH down slowly over the course of a couple months, but once you are in that range the system should be perfectly stable, and nutrient availability high.
Once you have carbonates in your system, it's tough to get them out. The problem is that they buffer pH instead of directly raising it, which typically takes control over lowering your pH away from you. Don't use dolomitic lime unless you need to supplement Mg. KOH can be bought online as caustic lye.
High ph will encourage the growth of mildew and other fungus especially the ones that contribute to root rot. It's very important to keep both temperature and ph balanced during low light periods in particular.
It depends entirely on system volume, system design and the pH swing you're trying to achieve, as well as the purity of the lime and the lye. For small systems, we recommend starting with a flake or two of lye and a very tiny equivalent amount of lime (especially when it's at high purity). As the system matures, you'll get a better idea of how much it will require on a regular basis. Just be careful not to swing your pH too quickly.
Yes, shell grit will raise your pH, because shell grit is calcium carbonate. Remember though, carbonates buffer pH usually up around 8, which causes nutrient lockout. They cause your pH to run high, higher than you want for nutrient availability.
Thanks for the high quality videos you create, they are extremely helpful.
Can you please clarify when you say 50/50 of potassium hydroxide to calcium hydroxide how is this measured? I have a 6000L system and frequently put in a 1/3 to 1/2 a cup of calcium hydroxide and I've now ordered a bottle of flaked potassium hydroxide but I can't see my putting in anywhere near that much if its as potent as it sounds.
Thanks
It's great to hear that the pH is going to drop over time once the nitrification kicks in. I was worried that I was doomed from the get go b/c I have water with a pH of like 7.6. I over fed, so I have some sludge build up. I am adding stress-zyme to get rid of that, and clear the water for new bacteria to get the nitrification going. I am glad we have a resource that explains what's happening.
In our 4000 gal system, we regularly dose with a 1/4 cup of lime and a few tablespoons of lye.
Dr. Nate Storey,
I'm using hydrated lime and potassium sulfate. Would you still recommend a 1:1 ratio? I have a 1000 gallon system. Thank you.
Thanks, Nate. I love learning the chemistry of what is going on. So important.
I used a drain pipe in my first system and it will cause a build up of fish waste and other gunk on the bottom of your grow beds. The Bell siphon works with suction and it will literally pull up all of the fish waste and dead plant matter from the bottom of your grow beds and run it through the system.
The best way to lower pH is natural nitrification. Acid additions are really a short term solution.
Glad to hear it!
Tomorrow we'll be releasing a two-part video on Iron in Aquaponics along with a VERY detailed blog post. Hope you're ready!
Would like more explanation about carbonets and why bad stuff? Also if buying the elements at a lab supply store, do you have a recommend grade?
Do you use bell siphons in your grow beds? What is the point of the bell siphon? Whats wrong with having a drain pipe in the bed set at certain height say an inch below media surface and circulating water continuously? Thanks for the great videos btw!
exactly what i need., :)old but gold.
But, is this still applicable today? especially in hydroponics non-curculating?
Couldn't agree more, guys!
Have you ever tried bonemeal? Bones are Calcium phosphate, so would this allow the plants to uptake the needed calcium and phosphate? I have not tried it in aquaponics yet, but it does work for growing green water.
Sorry Bacon, I can't get the link to work for some reason. . .
Hi Nate....my pH is high and I would like to lower it. I live in southern California and the pH of the tap water is around 8 which is the pH of my pond. My pond is 1000 gal with half a dozen koi in it and no plants and I want to add some grow beds. I have a bakki type filter/waterfall now so the nitrites and ammonia are very low but the pH is too high. I was thinking of adding KH2PO4 to help bring the pH down. I figured the potassium might be useful too. Thanks for your advice!
you should do a videos on nutrient deficiencies, and the different additives that dont affect the Ph levels.
Why are Carbonates Bad? How do you lose control if you use carbonates?
My PH is 4.5. Should I use the Dolomitic Lime in small bag you showed us?
I cannot find Potassium Hydroxide anywhere in Fort Lauderdale..
Hello. Awesome videos! Should the pH mix be added to the water or added to the media in the towers? Is it in powder/pellet form or should it be liquefied first? At the moment my system is composed of 1 large media bed. Thanks for all your hard work!
Hi, i have a question about calcium. is it safe to use chelated calcium instead of the calcium hydroxide? cause i'm problems in finding the calcium hydroxide, if i do find one the cost is quite a bit high and they don't sell them in small bag (per kilo).
Hey Nate....
My tank is 2000 litre. I Have CaCO3 powder and fresh wood ash. How i measured the both items for my systems daily requirement.
Thanks.
.if its built up carbonates from the media in the bottom of the beds, I've read that they eventually get eaten up over time. i am getting pretty impressive growth at the moment though, my fish are not even in it at the moment....you certainly have a bad ass system. very light weight and manageable. wayyyy more than mine.
Hi Mate, interesting video. Maybe you can help me out. I built a fish pond 1200 gallons. Have some koi, shubunkins and some plain gold fish. Since construction the ph has been steadily rising. At the moment it is currently at 8.3. The fish seem fine. I think it has something to do with me using cement to build our waterfall (lime leeching)
Do you have any suggestions? I know drastic ph changes can be fatal to fish especially koi
Hey Nate, Thanks for taking the time to put these video clips together! I have an issue with high PH. Small aquaponics system, 20 gal tank with gold fish and using "Grow Stones" (recycled glass) for my growbed media. When my water comes out of the tap it's 6.8 - 7.0, but after sitting for a while the PH increases up to about 8. Any idea why and what's the best way to lower it in such a small system? It's city water.
Hello there, thanks for your grate videos I am a big fan. This video about PH confused me a bit - as far as I know potassium hydroxide and hydrated lime are chemicals additions mainly used for hydrophonics. So how is those things go along with aquaponics that is an organic system? thanks!
my system is turning 1 years old, and im having the same thing. it rises by itself, and i always have to buffer down. i don't have any cement anywhere in my system. since its always rising naturally i cant get the benefits of buffering up with magnesium and calcium, which im constantly spoon feeding my system.
Dr Nate Story please explain to me, how much KOH and Hydrated Lime you put in your system everyday. you said 50:50, but how much gram per gallon. thank you
That all depends on the starting pH and size of the system... you're basically adding a little at a time and waiting then adding more the next day until the desired pH is achieved... without increasing more than .3 pH points at a time to avoid stressing the fish... but there are online calculators you can use for this purpose if your pH measurements are really accurate. Otherwise I'm sure it won't work a tinkus damn.
Hi Nate, I have been having some troubles keeping my PH above 6 and i have been using a 50/50 ratio of potassium and hydrated lime but it still falls atleast 2 - 3 points over a 24 hour period. My system is still going through the initial fishless cycle so i am guessing it is to do with the colonization. I will try dolomitic lime tomorrow, I am really greatful for the valuable information you share. Thanks!
ive acid tested my media and it didnt react. i think your right. it might be the rain water, or maybe some run off water thats making its way into the tank. its also pretty cold here and my system is outside so i dont think the bacteria will really be doing much work untill it reaches high temperatures, so ill guess ill have to wait.....
Bright Agrotech Hi Nate, please can you clarify this: carbonates / carbonic acid / sugars / carbon in general is needed as a food source for the bacteria that mineralise the fish waste. Why would it not be beneficial to add carbonates as a pH booster if it would also act as a food source & help the nitrification process? Also I heard elsewhere that pH6-7.5 is optimal for nitrifying bacteria, is this not true or is it somehow best to keep these bacteria at 50% of their max rate? Sorry if its naive questions - I'm a newbie with aspirations (& inspirations from you guys, thanks by the way)
how much of each do you add. I have a 30 gallon tank and my ph I think is below 6.0 and my water is way to accidic for fish to survive.
Great info. How does one calculate how much to add per gallon to move ph a given amount?
From Nate's answer on a comment below: "adding a couple of dry ounces of a 50-50 mix should be enough to bring the system pH up a couple of points. Start with 1 oz and see how much it comes up after 1-2 hr.s Then repeat with appropriate increases or decreases in the amount you add depending on the results. "
Hi, great vid as always. My ph has been rising steadily since inception. What can I do to lower the ph?
Awesome, thanks for the reply! Another question, have you ever considered using gypsum in an aquaponics system as a quicker method of calcium boosting? Also, would a small amount of black strap molasses boost bacterial colonies in my beds and provide potassium/cal/mag/iron? I didn't know if the nutrients were available to the plants or if people ONLY use it for the sugar catalyst.
Hi Bacon Le, That's a relly high pH. I would stay away from plaster of paris, as there are several types, some of which contain lime (which would raise your pH) or gypsum (which you don't want in your system). Your pH is high enough that it indicates that you have some diurnal cycling (algae blooms causing pH swings) and probably some carbonates in your system or entering your system. Try and find any cement or other basic or carbonate based products in your system and remove them. Good luck
Nice work bro
Thanks for the visit
@@ZipGrowInc no problem bro
Nate,
You mention in this video about pH that one can get calcium hydroxide in any garden store...evidently this is not so in urban spots like Miami...BUT... I did find a product called Mrs. Wages Pickling lime (100% calcium hydroxide) at Walmart...wanted to share this with you and your followers. Just another simple solution..1 lb $2.75
Dear bright
i have 50 liters NFT aquaponic system and because of Evaporation i must add for 5 liters of tap water but the PH for it 8 ,how will the PH go down naturally with that 5 liters DAILY.
BR
you mention using the lye and lime at 50/50, how much of that solution per gallon of water?
I'd like to meet you man, I've learned quite a lot from your videos. Raising my PH now.
If you're ever in Wyoming let us know. We'd love to have you by for a tour.
hello agrotech guy. im wondering: what is the nitrates level that should be maintained to keep the plants healthy and growing in an aquaponic environment?
also is it ok to plant legumes in aquaponics?? because legumes fix their own N, so they may upset the system by not removing fish created nitrates?
Dr Nate..thanks for this superb video...can you please advise if industrial potassium hydroxide can be used
Hi Dr. Nate Storey was just wondering how much potassium hydroxide and hydrated lime to add to a 320 gal system and how often, my ph is around 5.56
How long does it take for a pH change to move through a system? I have 10 IBC's connected with 2" siphons that keep the water at the same level in all of my tanks. If I added a pH up substance to my first tank, how long would it take to measure a pH change in my 10th tank? I guess I could avoid any worries about this by adding equal amounts to each tank, but I ask because I would like to add chemical like this as far away from my fish as possible so that the impact upon them is lessoned.
Do you see your Tilapia care much between 6.0-6.2 - and say High 6's?
Could you cultivate insects like crickets, which are high in potassium, to use as fish feed to supply sufficient amounts of potassium to the system?
In addition you could breed soldier flies larvae to provide a natural source for calcium
Awesome Video I've been using both Potassium Hydroxide and Hydrated lime in my aquaponics and keep the PH right above 6. I'm thinking about building some automation logic to add this automatically. Is there an issue with mixing Hydrated Lime and Potassium hydroxide into one container?
#notachemist Thank you.
MORE CONFUSION TO PUT ME OFF..
Hi Nate,
I am extremely rusty in my chemistry.. How do you compute raising PH by molar weight? (if you have the time to discuss this.. so sorry to ask!!)
Hi Nate,
Will it still be safe to add potassium hydroxide, if I have 8ppm of ammonia? not sure why but my ammonia has been constantly high and will not come down. Current Ph is at 5.8
I like your explanation. It s clear, detailed, and professional.
+ok reksmey Glad it was helpful!
Also, do you own a refractometer? I would love to know the BRIX of your aquaponics food products.
What do I do if i cant find that brand (Soil Doctor) of hydrated lime with those percentages you read on video Bringing up pH in Aquaponics systems? I have found other brands with much higher percentages.
Isn't sodium hydroxide caustic soda (lye)?
how do you store the PH Pen between measures? i have a cheap one from ebay and in the manual it said to just rinse in distilled water and put the cap on but i read that the sensor must be kept wet all times on a 3mol/l kci solution...
Hey +Luis Miguel Batista - yes keeping it moist is ideal. Bluelab (the pH meter company) has some great videos on this topic actually.
How does carbonate makes u lose control ?
Dr Nate,
Lets say or should I say admit i put too much magnesium in my system, showing a little sign of calcium def. when i know there isnt a calcium def because my flowering plants have no blossom end rot. is the solution simply to add more calcium to balance the mag up take, since they compete? or reverse situation i added too much calcium... ?
Hey +Feeding Frenzy! I wouldn't worry about it unless your plants start showing a calcium deficiency. If they start showing a deficiency in calcium then you should just do a water change and start from scratch. Best of luck!
the question is.... how much and how much time i had to wait until test pH again? there is something like a formula for calculate how much hydroxide (50 calcium 50 potassium) i had to add? or is just add a little and test? how much i had to wait until test after i had add it?
Thank you so much
Hi Nate - I've tried everything to raise my pH in my aquaponics system. I have a 100 gallon tube and right now only 1 gold fish (all the other fish have died). My pH stays close to a 5. I tried adding egg shells in the grow beds, sea shells in the tube, used products from the fish store etc. I saw your video and would like to try the 50/50 blend that you speak of. When I call Essential Depot to get more info on how to use it...do I remove my one and only fish first, can I mix the 50/50 blend (Potassim hydroxide and Hydrated Lime) into the tank, how much do I use etc. They shared they didn't have any info on it for aquaponics. Would you shed some light on how much, how often and do I need to remove my fish, can I dump the blend right into the tank? Also any info you can provide to me about why my pH doesn't budge would be great.
First off, you don't have to remove your fish to dose your system with a base. You shouldn't be adding so much that there's a problem. For a system your size adding a couple of dry ounces of a 50-50 mix should be enough to bring the system pH up a couple of points. Start with 1 oz and see how much it comes up after 1-2 hr.s Then repeat with appropriate increases or decreases in the amount you add depending on the results. Once you figure out your system, you might be able your base mix to a bucket with a hole in it and let it slowly drip into your system over the course of the day. You might consider using a carbonate in your system as well- especially if your pH is always that low.
Hi Dr. Nate,
Can I use chalk powder (Crushed chalk) as a source of calcium carbonate to raise the pH as well as alkalinity in my AP? Some documents say chalk contains calcium carbonate. Thanks in advance
Dara
chandara Khan Yes, chalk is calcium carbonate. You can use it- but we would recommend using agricultural lime instead.
Thank you for your quick response. Does aglime contain organic or pure mineral calcium carbonate?
Hello dr, i have Heard thAt using baking soda raises the ph, is thAt truth?, sorry for the question im a beginner, thanks a lot for your help!!
How do you measure the concentration of Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium so you know when you have too much or too little of one of them?
You'll find these answers in our blog articles on nutrient mgmt.
- brightagrotech.com/potassium-in-aquaponics/
- brightagrotech.com/calcium-in-aquaponics/
- brightagrotech.com/magnesium-in-aquaponics/
No. If you allow your tilapia to adjust slowly, they don't mind the lower pH at all. We actually have tilapia breeding right now in the low 6's. They don't really seem to care what the pH is these days. We've taken them into the high 5s without any stress. I think it's really just an issue of doing it slowly and maintaining strong nitrification all the while. If you're dropping pH fast enough that you lose nitrification efficiency then you'll see stress from ammonia.
so Dr Nate... are you saying you dont care about testing KH? do you guys at BA test for it at all? i know everyones system is different. also could you answer, with a new system or a system with carbonates, how long typically does it take for any certain system to eat them up? are there multiple factors in it? such as water source obviously but what about plants/number of plants in the system? and certain fish/densities? i know thats a big question. make a video if you have to! lol
Hey DRUMofTRUTH - 90% of the time KH doesn’t matter once you have nitrification cracking along. Unless you’re in one of those places with extremely hard water, nitrification eventually consumes those carbonates. It can be 3-6 months in really high KH systems. The more plants you have in the system, the more fish you can have and the faster you can drive nitrification. It’s a big question and a complicated problem, but all said, higher stocking densities (per gallon) combined with more biofiltration will allow you to churn through your carbonates a lot faster on a newly started system. Hope that helps!
could you use rock types in your grow beds that keep the ph above 6?
may i know what is the best PH and PPM for the aquaphoincs
exactly the info i needed thank you very much you rock !
I purchased some hydrated lime, haven't added it to my system yet because I'm also ordering some potassium hydroxide. The hydrated lime I got has only 0.45% magnesium. But I wanted to get your opinion on this hydrated lime since I'm very new to this:
Calcium 51%
Calcium Oxide 72.50%
Calcium Carbonate Equivalent 131%
Calcium Hydroxide 95%
E.N.P 130%
E.N.V 130%
I have no idea what ENP and ENV is, is this safe for my Aquaponics? It's Hi-Yield Horticultural Hydrated Lime. Thanks!
exeseven hat hydrated lime is very Calcium rich. You may want to look around for a brand with more Magnesium in it to maintain a balanced system. Hope that helps!
With all the nutrients being manually added one by one, wouldn't this make the system hydroponics (with some fish swimming around) rather than aquaponics?
I THINK it's because they stick around in the system too long and lessen the control you have. I've already made that mistake apparently using garden lime in that case. But I'm sure a little calcium and magnesium won't hurt a newer system.
I feel like it's unnecessary for me to even verify this, but seriously - 6 - 6.4 pH? I trust you fully, but that shocks me. Everything I've ever read has said 6.8 - 7 or else it will supposedly shut down the nitrification process. You're saying that there's more leeway than that? I would love a lower pH.
that's a huge swisschard plant, what size container was that thing planted in?
ImMADasAMeatAxe That was planted in a 5' #ZipGrow tower!
GRATITUDE 💥🐟🐟💥
what if im ph uping with naoh?
so how do i lower pH in my system?
Well, you can always send us a message on TH-cam...?
You don't really explain why carbonates are "bad stuff". Could you elaborate on that?
No we don't own one. We don't do a whole lot of fruits and fruiting vegetables, so BRIX contents aren't as worthwhile for us. As we begin to grow more fruits/fruiting veggies, it will be something we measure down the road.
I mean what's the use of fishes in the aquaponic system if it's slowly started to look like hydroponic system. Soooo many chemicals. Maybe eventually aquaponic systems gonna touture all the fishes. Are they even safe for human consumption after all these chemicals in the system?
My Tilapia act stressed if the PH gets 6 or below.
Hi Nate. My aquaponic system is 5 years old; I have a 300 gallon stock tank where my koi live and four 50 gallon stock bed grow beds. Lately I can't keep the pH over 6 and am not only losing plants but fish as well. I've used a combination of potassium bicarbonate and calcium bicarbonate which I had purchased from an Aquaponic online store; it seemed to relief the fish but only temporarily.
I'm looking to buy the Doctor Soil Hydrated Lime and can only find the pelletized- is that what you use? Can I use this since it's all I can find from Doctor Soil?
Also, I'm hesitant to use the Potassium Hydroxide- it would be my luck to 'burn off my fingernails' as you mention in the video. Can you recommend an alternative to use with the Doctor Soil Pelletized Hydrated Lime?
Why is carbonate bad?? I thought that calcium carbonate is a naturaly occuring in eggshells and rocks and is good for bringing the ph of your water up in an organic and natural way.
He basically said that the more carbon one has in their system, the more intense a buffer system, the less control of pH the farmer has. Intense buffer systems can be good or bad, but mostly bad, if you know what you're doing.
hey adro, sorry about that- it's just a boondoggle to make sure you're a real person and not a spambot. If we didn't have it we'd get spammed by robots all day long and never have a chance to answer and respond to real email from real people like you.
This guy looks like the Walter White of AP
great
Silver Ajalaye Glad you found it useful!
I tried to contact you guys via your webpage. After a lengthy message I wrote it told me to enter a security code. Boooooooo
www.homedepot.com/p/TXI-50-lb-Hydrated-Lime-5195/202080968
is this good hydrated lime?
Potash not wood... 😁
I've been researching into home aquaponics and discovered a fantastic website at Keiths Ponics Site (google it if you are interested)
I'm curious how this dude disposes of his spend testing reagents after he tests. Don't want to just dump that crap down the drain or in the grass! Especially the nesslers reagent. That stuff is BAD. I seen Rob's aquaponics and he tested the ammonia right over his system :O I don't think people know just how dangerous those reagents actually are. Mercury(II) iodide is nothing to play around with. Those test should be done on a counter top well away from your system. And Rob's a professional - not bashing him or anything... it's just a little concerning to me.
I think I'm going to dispose of my spent reagents for all eternity in a small steel drum labeled "RADIOACTIVE WASTE" - just for a bit of extra safety precaution. lol
What say you Bright Agrotech? What do you do with your spent reagent? Upload a video!!!