Originally Posted by
RichToyBox
I think that our koi ponds need a fairly high KH, which translates to a fairly high pH. Many of the nutrients are not available at the pH values a typical koi pond has. To get the pH low enough to have those nutrients available, the pH swings would be very hard on the fish and the bio filters. I don't know how to get the pH down into the 6 or 6.5 range and have it stable.
So true! When I did aquaponics in a raft tank system (tomato plants were imbedded in a floating foam board in a separate water tank) my alkalinity was so high I constantly battled keeping the Ph in the range that was optimum for the plants to uptake the nutrients. I periodically added muriatic acid to drop my Ph but it kept bouncing back. That said, not sure I really had to worry about it as the tomatoes seemed to thrive on the nutrients and nitrates in the system from the nitrification even at a higher PH.
I will try and find pictures but the tomato plants went nuts as did their roots. I also circulated the water I the raft tank of tomatoes with an airlift. The species of fish of choice also thrived I the system and were the best tasting fish I ever have unlike the third world garbage tilapia you buy at the supermarket.
Just a thought but isn't ammonia less toxic at lower Ph's? Perhaps a benefit to a lower PH although a well run koi pond should not have issues with ammonia.
Last edited by Cecil; 02-14-2019 at 02:45 PM.
The risk I took was calculated, but man am I bad at math!