Nutrient Deficiency

[urbanfarmer]

I think I should have paid more attention in science class now? Ok here is what I have read. A high PH can block most other things like magnesium and iron. And potassium. A high carbonate level will prevent your PH from going up and down to quick? So if you have a high PH now. Then you may not need to add anything? As the high PH could be blocking the potassium and iron from your plants?
Building a system is easy. Getting the plants to cooperate is the hard part.

Hi Blizzard,

I frequent the forums a lot less than I'd like to or used to; so, please excuse the delay.

First off, getting the plants to cooperate is part of building a system.

I think I should have paid more attention in science class now?

I see & say this daily. The amount of useful knowledge we were taught over 2 decades and the general attitude that it's all useless was "the jock's greatest propaganda", or something.

[Will] A high carbonate level [...] prevent your PH from going up and down too quick?

I have to go out on a limb and assume you mean CALCIUM carbonate. It can act as a buffer to some extent, but this is no way to manage an aquaponic system in the long-term. It's a great method to control certain issues in the short-term.

So if you have a high PH now. Then you may not need to add anything? As the high PH could be blocking the potassium and iron from your plants?

Maybe, but only for a while. Eventually, the system will consume your calcium carbonate from the water. Think about The Law of Conservation of Mass. If a plant root takes out matter (molecules of calcium carbonate) out of the water then it will need to be replaced if the molecules get too low in concentration for proper uptake by the plant roots... this is what happens with every nutrient. A high pH doesn't "block" the nutrient. It makes it rain out of the solution like hail on a cold day.