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Thread: Dropping PH

  1. #1
    Members wh33t's Avatar
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    Dropping PH

    Hey guys,

    My tank today dropped quite drastically in PH all of a sudden. It was moving slowly downwards yesterday but today it's obviously accelerating. I attribute this to the huge ammonia boost the system was given the other day via some human urine, about 4 days ago. The ammonia levels were immediately 8ppm or past 8ppm (I'm not sure how high the meter only goes to 8) after peeing in the Aquarium. The nitrites slowly came up over the past few days and now it too is also at the max level the test kit measures or higher (5ppm) and my Nitrates are at about 40ppm I figure, definitely not higher than 80ppm.

    So I presume all of the nitrites are responsible for the downward PH spike. I presume I can do a 50% water change but I'm now also brewing some of that egg shell calcium fertilizer (the egg is dissolving as we speak). Am I correct in understanding that I can use this calcium fertilizer freely as an organic PH UP solution? Ex. I can't harm the fishies or plants by pouring too much in?
    Current Aquaponics System


    11 Gold Fish
    Aquarium = Custom 90 Gallon Raised Pond on casters
    Flower bed = Custom 4' x 8' Flood Table (Bell Siphon)
    Bio Filter = 6 Gallon Polypropylene Tote with Hydroton (Bell Siphon)

  2. #2
    Members cedarswamp's Avatar
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    Re: Dropping PH

    Quote Originally Posted by wh33t
    Hey guys,

    My tank today dropped quite drastically in PH all of a sudden. It was moving slowly downwards yesterday but today it's obviously accelerating. I attribute this to the huge ammonia boost the system was given the other day via some human urine, about 4 days ago. The ammonia levels were immediately 8ppm or past 8ppm (I'm not sure how high the meter only goes to 8) after peeing in the Aquarium. The nitrites slowly came up over the past few days and now it too is also at the max level the test kit measures or higher (5ppm) and my Nitrates are at about 40ppm I figure, definitely not higher than 80ppm.

    So I presume all of the nitrites are responsible for the downward PH spike. I presume I can do a 50% water change but I'm now also brewing some of that egg shell calcium fertilizer (the egg is dissolving as we speak). Am I correct in understanding that I can use this calcium fertilizer freely as an organic PH UP solution? Ex. I can't harm the fishies or plants by pouring too much in?

    Any time you drasticaolly change your water parameters over a short period of time even if it's from bad to good, you risk the chance of harming your fish.

  3. #3
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: Dropping PH

    Quote Originally Posted by wh33t
    Hey guys,

    My tank today dropped quite drastically in PH all of a sudden. It was moving slowly downwards yesterday but today it's obviously accelerating. I attribute this to the huge ammonia boost the system was given the other day via some human urine, about 4 days ago. The ammonia levels were immediately 8ppm or past 8ppm (I'm not sure how high the meter only goes to 8) after peeing in the Aquarium. The nitrites slowly came up over the past few days and now it too is also at the max level the test kit measures or higher (5ppm) and my Nitrates are at about 40ppm I figure, definitely not higher than 80ppm.

    So I presume all of the nitrites are responsible for the downward PH spike. I presume I can do a 50% water change but I'm now also brewing some of that egg shell calcium fertilizer (the egg is dissolving as we speak). Am I correct in understanding that I can use this calcium fertilizer freely as an organic PH UP solution? Ex. I can't harm the fishies or plants by pouring too much in?
    THAT IS REALLY COOL!

    What IS the pH in question? I would LEAVE it alone. If your pH is somewhere between 5.5 and 8.2, just leave it until the bacteria are more established in about a week. Thoroughly rinse some eggshells and put them in the grow bed. DO NOT CRUSH THEM INTO TINY PIECES. Just put the large pieces in there (better yet, keep it easy to remove). The pH will raise and hover in the 7's once this balances out.

  4. #4
    Members wh33t's Avatar
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    Re: Dropping PH

    Quote Originally Posted by urbanfarmer
    Quote Originally Posted by wh33t
    Hey guys,

    My tank today dropped quite drastically in PH all of a sudden. It was moving slowly downwards yesterday but today it's obviously accelerating. I attribute this to the huge ammonia boost the system was given the other day via some human urine, about 4 days ago. The ammonia levels were immediately 8ppm or past 8ppm (I'm not sure how high the meter only goes to 8) after peeing in the Aquarium. The nitrites slowly came up over the past few days and now it too is also at the max level the test kit measures or higher (5ppm) and my Nitrates are at about 40ppm I figure, definitely not higher than 80ppm.

    So I presume all of the nitrites are responsible for the downward PH spike. I presume I can do a 50% water change but I'm now also brewing some of that egg shell calcium fertilizer (the egg is dissolving as we speak). Am I correct in understanding that I can use this calcium fertilizer freely as an organic PH UP solution? Ex. I can't harm the fishies or plants by pouring too much in?
    THAT IS REALLY COOL!

    What IS the pH in question? I would LEAVE it alone. If your pH is somewhere between 5.5 and 8.2, just leave it until the bacteria are more established in about a week. Thoroughly rinse some eggshells and put them in the grow bed. DO NOT CRUSH THEM INTO TINY PIECES. Just put the large pieces in there (better yet, keep it easy to remove). The pH will raise and hover in the 7's once this balances out.
    I left yesterday to visit my brother out of town and it was 6.3 and I came home and it was ph-5.1 eight hours or so later. I realize I'm probably challenging my fish a lot. I dunno what else to say except that I'm still new at this lol.

    I'll toss the egg shells in!
    Current Aquaponics System


    11 Gold Fish
    Aquarium = Custom 90 Gallon Raised Pond on casters
    Flower bed = Custom 4' x 8' Flood Table (Bell Siphon)
    Bio Filter = 6 Gallon Polypropylene Tote with Hydroton (Bell Siphon)

  5. #5
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    Re: Dropping PH

    you can get "shell grit" from feed mills, or tractor supply type places..
    i put some in a sock and hang in the tank
    this will help bring your ph up to around 7.2 to 7.4, slowly

  6. #6
    Members wh33t's Avatar
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    Re: Dropping PH

    Quote Originally Posted by keith_r
    you can get "shell grit" from feed mills, or tractor supply type places..
    i put some in a sock and hang in the tank
    this will help bring your ph up to around 7.2 to 7.4, slowly
    Oh nice! I have some for my chickens! I'll try that as well.
    Current Aquaponics System


    11 Gold Fish
    Aquarium = Custom 90 Gallon Raised Pond on casters
    Flower bed = Custom 4' x 8' Flood Table (Bell Siphon)
    Bio Filter = 6 Gallon Polypropylene Tote with Hydroton (Bell Siphon)

  7. #7
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: Dropping PH

    Quote Originally Posted by keith_r
    you can get "shell grit" from feed mills, or tractor supply type places..
    i put some in a sock and hang in the tank
    this will help bring your ph up to around 7.2 to 7.4, slowly
    Sounds like exactly the same thing!

  8. #8
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    Re: Dropping PH

    my first couple of additions of shells were left over from dinner (stuffed clams a couple times, mussels once, washed thoroughly).. i just took a hammer to the shells and added to the gb's

  9. #9
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: Dropping PH

    Quote Originally Posted by keith_r
    my first couple of additions of shells were left over from dinner (stuffed clams a couple times, mussels once, washed thoroughly).. i just took a hammer to the shells and added to the gb's
    About how much did you add and to what size of a system? What did you see happen?

  10. #10
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    Re: Dropping PH

    i have 100gal gb, first time i added a dozen egg shells dried and crushed, and a dozen clam shells i smashed up.. ph went from 6.4 up to high 6's and stayed there.. i added another dozen clam shells after a month or two.. ph has been sitting in the low 7's, usually 7.2
    that's with 150gal ft, 45 yellow perch, a few dozen rosy reds, and a couple dozen crayfish

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