Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Salt to 1ppt and halt feeding till nitrite and amm are at 0.

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~2010/2011~
~2012/2013~
~My Yabbie Hunting Adventures~

It will take forever to reduce the pH by adding lemon juice to the main system. If the lemon juice does drop the pH initially, it will bounce right back up to where it was within an hour or two... as the acid reacts with the carbonates in the water and dissipates.

Also, I'm not sure about on here, but there are members over on Murray's forum that have commented that after adding lemon juice to their system for a while it has become whiffy.

To rid the water in the main system of all the carbonates (which is what keeps the water pH high), you would need to add a heap of acid, enough to drop the pH down into the low 6's and maintain it there... so the acid could consume the carbonates. This would not be good for the fish or the developing bacteria colony. It will happen naturally over time once your system has cycled, because the bacteria/nitrification process continuously creates acid, which continuously eats away at the carbonates, eventually eliminating them from the system.

To get the pH in the system down a little quicker, but safely, treat any top-up water with Hydrochloric acid (from pool shop or Bunnings) to a pH in the low 6's a day before adding it into the main system. This will stop any extra carbonates being added into the system and adding to the high pH. It will also gradually drop the pH in the main system, quicker than the bacteria alone can.

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Mr Damage - a.k.a: Yabbies

Thanks guys will do...

I like Mr. Damage's use of the acid over the lemons. I plugged your data in the Aquaponics Tracker app and some of your fluctuations are bigger than I would expect. For one thing I am surprised your nitrate levels went up to 3ppm and then dropped to 1ppm. Like you, my first thought is your low water temp with your high pH is affecting your bacteria. I think you need to get the pH down slowly, but safely first. If you increase your water temperature now, with a higher pH your free ammonia levels are going to increase dramatically and you will lose some fish. Your bacteria can't handle the increase in ammonia you have introduced. The low water temp is probably saving you right now.

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http://www.iowa-aquaponics.com
Aquaponics Tracker Android App

Aquaponics Tracker app ???

_________________
~2010/2011~
~2012/2013~
~My Yabbie Hunting Adventures~