When I read this article I felt validated. I've been promoting the use of urine and weed tea as a replacement for fertilizer created from petroleum. Urine contains nitrogen and phosphorous as well as many other trace elements necessary to plants.
In order to sanitize urine, it can either be stored for 30 days in
a sealed tank at room temperature, or heated
for 30 minutes in a solar pasteurizer.
I work at home so I was able to save about 70% of the urine I produced, and in 2013 I easily filled a 55 gallon drum. This will drum remained sealed for at least 3 months.
Since the urine is added the system's water and the water wickes up through the soil I see no possibility of contamination, but others may not feel comfortable so I will let the humona (human urine) age for their peace of mind.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/02/140202-peecycling-urine-human-waste-compost-fertilizer/.
Showing posts with label Nutrients. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nutrients. Show all posts
Monday, February 3, 2014
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Nutrient Imbalance
Nate Storey has done it again!
Figuring out nutrient imbalance is in my opinion the most difficult thing about aquaponics. Nate really lays it out in an easy to understand method for us to determine a course of action when our plants begin to look a bit peeked. I would post the link to the KEY he has developed for diagnosing these problems right here, but I feel that you should go to Nate's site and find his offer. When asked to register just do it. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Videos by Nate's
Phoshorus
Iron
Calcium
Potassium
Figuring out nutrient imbalance is in my opinion the most difficult thing about aquaponics. Nate really lays it out in an easy to understand method for us to determine a course of action when our plants begin to look a bit peeked. I would post the link to the KEY he has developed for diagnosing these problems right here, but I feel that you should go to Nate's site and find his offer. When asked to register just do it. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Videos by Nate's
Phoshorus
Iron
Calcium
Potassium
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Weedponic Garden
Many people are growing with hydroponics and aquaponics because they wish to
reduce their water consumption, eat healthy organic food, live in a
more sustainable way, and reduce the carbon foot print of their
existence.
Soil based gardening has become dependent upon outside resources but Aquaponics is even more reliant. Some of those resources are affordable only because fossil fuels are still available. If those resources were not available how would you feed your fish? How would you supply nutrients such as iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorous and magnesium.
Aquaponics has good intentions, but it is not a sustainable agricultural method. I currently do not have all the answers, but I'm working on it. Here are some options and food for thought
I'll start by defining the problems. Fish food is made from grains and wild caught fish comprised mostly of fish with little commercial value, and processing waste. But the fishing industry is not sustainable, and much of the grain used to produce fish food is GMO; raised using large amounts of fossil fuels for fertilizer and machinery in order to produce a profit while neglecting the environment. For more about the analysis of fish food read http://www.oscarfish.com/fish-food-ingredients.html.
The result is that similar to feeding cattle enormous amounts of gain are used to produce a small amount of meat.
But we don't need to feed our fish commercially produced fish food.
David Epstein at Bioponica has been feeding his fish only vegetable matter. This is a great way to avoid dependance upon fish food.
Live food such as Black Soldier Fly larvae, fly maggots, worms, and other insects are also good sources of protein.
But do we even need fish? If you are like me an only eat fish a few times per year, maybe you will consider bioponics which replaces fish and fish food with humonia. Bioponics is hydroponics using readily available urine rather than fertilizers made with fossil fuels.
Humonia (aged urine) is a strong source of nitrogen and potassium plus it provides many other trace minerals. I have been growing with nothing but humonia, epsom salts and Fe-DTPA for quite a while, and I like the freedom it allows. Humonia will always be available, but iron and magnesium are still missing and a bit more difficult to make at home.
I personally have no problem using humonia for a nutrient source in a bioponic garden. Human urine shouldn't contain pathogens or bacteria if you are healthy. Aged urine turns to ammonia. But I get that some people would prefer not to collect their urine, or use it anywhere near a vegetable garden. So I have been exploring various avenues to find a source of nutrients.
What if you could grow vegetables without any animal input including humonia. Similar to David Epstein's plant matter for fish food; bags of plant matter can provide nearly everything a garden will need. For example coffee grounds can provide the following.
A little more research turned up these sources of nutrients:
Weed/Herb Tea
Nettles, comfrey, yellow dock, burdock, horsetail and chickweed - Potassium
Cornmeal - phosphorus and nitrogen
Molasses – [ acts as a chelate ] [Calcium,Magnesium,Potassium,Iron]
Banana - potassium
Coffee Grounds - phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, copper, sodium and chloride
Egg Shells - 93% calcium carbonate
Seaweed – trace elements
Manure – nitrogen
Grass Clippings – nitrogen
Humonia – nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium
Wood Ash - calcium and potassium
Epsom Salts - magnesium and sulfur
Fish-Emulsion - nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, and amino acids
Vermicompost -
Soaking grass clippings for 3 days produced a lot of ammonia and phosphate
The iron in vermicompost and planting nitrifying legumes are the only sources I've found. Tests will have to be done. I have yet to grow a garden this way but it appears a lot will be learned when I do. Perhaps you too will set up an experimental Weedsponic Garden and let me know your results.
Soil based gardening has become dependent upon outside resources but Aquaponics is even more reliant. Some of those resources are affordable only because fossil fuels are still available. If those resources were not available how would you feed your fish? How would you supply nutrients such as iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorous and magnesium.
Aquaponics has good intentions, but it is not a sustainable agricultural method. I currently do not have all the answers, but I'm working on it. Here are some options and food for thought
I'll start by defining the problems. Fish food is made from grains and wild caught fish comprised mostly of fish with little commercial value, and processing waste. But the fishing industry is not sustainable, and much of the grain used to produce fish food is GMO; raised using large amounts of fossil fuels for fertilizer and machinery in order to produce a profit while neglecting the environment. For more about the analysis of fish food read http://www.oscarfish.com/fish-food-ingredients.html.
The result is that similar to feeding cattle enormous amounts of gain are used to produce a small amount of meat.
But we don't need to feed our fish commercially produced fish food.
David Epstein at Bioponica has been feeding his fish only vegetable matter. This is a great way to avoid dependance upon fish food.
Live food such as Black Soldier Fly larvae, fly maggots, worms, and other insects are also good sources of protein.
But do we even need fish? If you are like me an only eat fish a few times per year, maybe you will consider bioponics which replaces fish and fish food with humonia. Bioponics is hydroponics using readily available urine rather than fertilizers made with fossil fuels.
Humonia (aged urine) is a strong source of nitrogen and potassium plus it provides many other trace minerals. I have been growing with nothing but humonia, epsom salts and Fe-DTPA for quite a while, and I like the freedom it allows. Humonia will always be available, but iron and magnesium are still missing and a bit more difficult to make at home.
I personally have no problem using humonia for a nutrient source in a bioponic garden. Human urine shouldn't contain pathogens or bacteria if you are healthy. Aged urine turns to ammonia. But I get that some people would prefer not to collect their urine, or use it anywhere near a vegetable garden. So I have been exploring various avenues to find a source of nutrients.
What if you could grow vegetables without any animal input including humonia. Similar to David Epstein's plant matter for fish food; bags of plant matter can provide nearly everything a garden will need. For example coffee grounds can provide the following.
- Nitrogen: 2.28 percent
Phosphorus: 0.06 percent
Potassium: 0.6 percent
http://www.sunset.com/garden/earth-friendly/starbucks-coffee-compos...
A little more research turned up these sources of nutrients:
Weed/Herb Tea
Nettles, comfrey, yellow dock, burdock, horsetail and chickweed - Potassium
Cornmeal - phosphorus and nitrogen
Molasses – [ acts as a chelate ] [Calcium,Magnesium,Potassium,Iron]
Banana - potassium
Coffee Grounds - phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, copper, sodium and chloride
Egg Shells - 93% calcium carbonate
Seaweed – trace elements
Manure – nitrogen
Grass Clippings – nitrogen
Humonia – nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium
Wood Ash - calcium and potassium
Epsom Salts - magnesium and sulfur
Fish-Emulsion - nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, and amino acids
Vermicompost -
- • Organic Carbon 20.43 – 30.31 %
- • Nitrogen 1.80 – 2.05 %
- • Phosphorus 1.32 – 1.93 %
- • Potassium 1.28 – 1.50 %
- • Carbon : Nitrogen 14-15 : 1 %
- • Calcium 3.0 – 4.5 %
- • Magnesium 0.4 – 0.7 %
- • Sodium 0.02 – 0.30 %
- • Sulphur Traces to 0.40 %
- • Iron 0.3 – 0.7 %
- • Zinc 0.028 – 0.036 %
- • Manganese Traces to 0.40 %
- • Copper 0.0027 – 0.0123 %
- • Boron 0.0034 – 0.0075 %
- • Aluminium Traces to 0.071 %
- • Cobalt, Molybdenum Present in available form
 |
| Grass clippings - Over 3 days the Ammonia increases significantly Plenty of Phosphate too |
The iron in vermicompost and planting nitrifying legumes are the only sources I've found. Tests will have to be done. I have yet to grow a garden this way but it appears a lot will be learned when I do. Perhaps you too will set up an experimental Weedsponic Garden and let me know your results.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Bio-Char
Jon Parr recently wrote that he was replacing his grow media with Bio-Char. This has really caught my attention.
UPDATE:
Justin sent me a link to yet ONE MORE method of creating Bio-Char.
This method may produce something different than the charcoal I used in my experiment. In the video above at 7:15 Dr. Hugh McLaughlin shows the super fragile nature of the Bio-Char made using his method. The difference I see between his system and others is the insulation from an outer barrel creates a higher temperature burn. The other videos below don't appear to show the end product as being this fragile, and Dr. McLaughlin seems to make the point about only the mere wisp of the wood remaining. I can tell you this is much different than the Lazzari Charcoal I bought. But I don't know which is better as a grow media. This looks like it would turn to dust if you tryed to plant in it.
Ditectly below is a presentation by Peter Hirst of New England Biochar, I'm willing to believe he knows what he's talking about, but still wonder if this process might be too fragile for aquaponic grow media
Today (12/28/2012) I purchased 40# of 100% Natural Mesquite Charcoal, and built a small system
Below is my experiment. In the video I refer to a post on my blog. This is the post I refereed to.
The water's pH went from 6.8 to 8.0 when I added the charcoal. I'll leave the pH alone until this little system is cycled. 24 hours after adding the first dose of humonia the ammonia remains unchanged at 1.0 ppm.
After some research I found several posts and sites I would like to share with you about this ancient soil-building method .
This first video is less than 3 minutes long and describes the benefits and history
Here is a quotes from a forum on AquaponicsNet
To begin you may wish to watch this very simple demonstration before watching the next videos which take the production of Bio-Char to a higher level. Bryan McGrath offers some good advice at the end of video about adding microbes.
Byran's other videos also appear to be very interesting and worthy of the time it takes to watch them
Each of these methods differ slightly. Each video below is is just a little more complex than the last.
This video shows in good detail a more sophisticated method which uses a retort process to produce even more Bio-Char using the heat from the TLUD (Top Lift Up Draft). .
This site offers an excellent video about making Bio-Char using a rocket stove. It's called Hornito, and it has the ability to continuously make batches of Bio-Char without stoping.
Unfortunately he offers no plans and has failed to reply to many requests for more information. But putting together our knowledge of Rocket Mass Stoves I believe we have enough information to duplicate this highly efficient process.
UPDATE:
Justin sent me a link to yet ONE MORE method of creating Bio-Char.
This method may produce something different than the charcoal I used in my experiment. In the video above at 7:15 Dr. Hugh McLaughlin shows the super fragile nature of the Bio-Char made using his method. The difference I see between his system and others is the insulation from an outer barrel creates a higher temperature burn. The other videos below don't appear to show the end product as being this fragile, and Dr. McLaughlin seems to make the point about only the mere wisp of the wood remaining. I can tell you this is much different than the Lazzari Charcoal I bought. But I don't know which is better as a grow media. This looks like it would turn to dust if you tryed to plant in it.
Ditectly below is a presentation by Peter Hirst of New England Biochar, I'm willing to believe he knows what he's talking about, but still wonder if this process might be too fragile for aquaponic grow media
Today (12/28/2012) I purchased 40# of 100% Natural Mesquite Charcoal, and built a small system
Below is my experiment. In the video I refer to a post on my blog. This is the post I refereed to.
 |
| 5 days later |
The water's pH went from 6.8 to 8.0 when I added the charcoal. I'll leave the pH alone until this little system is cycled. 24 hours after adding the first dose of humonia the ammonia remains unchanged at 1.0 ppm.
After some research I found several posts and sites I would like to share with you about this ancient soil-building method .
This first video is less than 3 minutes long and describes the benefits and history
Here is a quotes from a forum on AquaponicsNet
I have been using charcoal in my grow beds since I started doing AP about 4 years ago. I have posted on the old forum about it. I buy cheap bags of charcoal sold for barbecue fuel. It is natural charcoal, no additives. In various sized lumps.
I decided to try it after seeing a Chinese aquarium shop using lumps of charcoal in their fish tanks and claiming it was very beneficial beyond its known role as a filter medium.
I used about half and half, charcoal and gravel (the stuff sold here to make concrete) and have also mixed it with Hydroton ( a bit scarce here )
The results have been very good. Water quality has always been good and after two years, excavated a grow bed to find everything fairly clean. There has been very little breakdown of the charcoal. I imagine that some black fine particles have made their way through to the bottom of the GB but I notice there is more sediment from the clay balls and from fish food or solid waste than there ever is from the charcoal.
So, from my experience, I would say go ahead and try charcoal. It is light and easier to clean than gravel and should be cheaper if you can find a source. Easy to find here as all the Chinese supermarkets sell huge bags of it.
Lastly, I have found that charcoal placed around the base of plants helps to keep away slugs and snails. I guess they don't like the surface, a bit like in a dirt garden you can use ash around plants to keep snails off.
I haven't tried 100% charcoal as a medium, simply because the charcoal I get is very irregular in size and shape so I usually throw it into the GB first and put gravel or clay on top. Some of the charcoal tends to find its way to the surface eventually though.
I will be trying a charcoal trickle filter soon as I have a couple of spare 100 litre barrels that contained pool chlorine. I think charcoal should make an excellent filter.
PS I'm not an expert on this so if anyone has good reasons why charcoal shouldn't be used or bad experiences, please post.
Dave
Way back when I first started into AP I made up a charcoal filter by filling a 20 ltr plastic drum with charcoal from the hardware store.
After a few months it became really blocked with solids.
It did a super job of filtering.
I have often intended to make a very large one to add into the loop just before the water enters back into the fish tank, a kind of trickling charcoal filter, but have not got around to doing it.
Adding it to the GB's as Dave and Ian have done is something I had not considered.
I believe it would be an excellent thing to do.
Dave has clocked up a few years of operational experience using it in his beds so it a reasonable proposition that it can be used with confidence.
(soon there will be biochar manufacturing plants in backyards across the globe)
Aquaponics "SECRETS" DVD available HERE
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"The greatest fine art of the future will be the making of a comfortable living from a small piece of land." Abraham Lincoln
To begin you may wish to watch this very simple demonstration before watching the next videos which take the production of Bio-Char to a higher level. Bryan McGrath offers some good advice at the end of video about adding microbes.
Byran's other videos also appear to be very interesting and worthy of the time it takes to watch them
Each of these methods differ slightly. Each video below is is just a little more complex than the last.
This video shows in good detail a more sophisticated method which uses a retort process to produce even more Bio-Char using the heat from the TLUD (Top Lift Up Draft). .
This site offers an excellent video about making Bio-Char using a rocket stove. It's called Hornito, and it has the ability to continuously make batches of Bio-Char without stoping.
Unfortunately he offers no plans and has failed to reply to many requests for more information. But putting together our knowledge of Rocket Mass Stoves I believe we have enough information to duplicate this highly efficient process.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Urea
If you visit my blog on a regular basis you have probably come to realize I don't just accept what I have heard on the internet. I was told that I should be cautious about using Urea because it will continue to transform into Ammonia over time and that I might create an Ammonia time bomb. The reasoning was that the Ammonia I measured one day may continue to increase due to previous applications weeks before, and I might find my Ammonia levels on a fast track to disaster.
I have also been adding fresh urine which I was told would act the same way. So I did a test
On Sept 6th I mixed a 1% Ammonia solution using Urea. One week later I saw no appreciable difference. Today 14 days later I found the Ammonia level to be 4%. So I now believe that Urea will continue to create Ammonia over time.
But I have been using Urine and Urea for several months now and my tests have never had the Ammonia 'Time Bomb' happen. It may be that the levels I'm adding everyday are exactly what is being converted to Nitrite.
My conclusion is that Urea and possibly urine will continue to create Ammonia, but I don't see this as a reason to age the solution before adding it to a functioning aquaponic system. But killing pathogens which even though they are not very likely to be present is a good reason. The proper way to use urine is to store it in a sealed container for about six months. As it ferments and turns urea to ammonia the pathogens will die. This process is described in this article http://www.goveganic.net/article217.html
I have also been asked why I felt it necessary to add Ammonia to an aquaponic system. That after all is what the fish are for and it seems to many that it would be detrimental to the fish. I don't believe it is if the Nitrification process is converting all the Ammonia. I add the Ammonia because I'm still growing my fish population and the fish load is currently not supplying adequate Nitrate for the plants.
Veering off topic I would also like to add this:
Balancing the fish load hence the food loading of the system is an important topic which I will cover one day. But in short, media beds will supply a much better condition for Nitrification than a raft system while also supplying a place to grow at the same time. I personally like rafts better, and therefore condone the use of moving bed filters which to many seems to circumvent the purpose of aquaponics. It's just another hybrid system that when compared to media beds (also considered hybrid) provides both clean water to the fish and Nitrate to the plants. The only disadvantage I see is that a solids filter is also required. Otherwise the roots will become dirty and suffer from a lack of oxygen..
UPDATE: 12/23/2012
I have come to appreciate the simplicity of a media bed. Besides offering nitrification a 3/4" gravel bed will filter solids which would otherwise cling to the roots of plants in the rafts. As my fish population and their overall size grew so did the sludge. Cleaning my filters became an overwhelming choir. For more see Filtering Poo with Continous Flow Media Bed
I have also been adding fresh urine which I was told would act the same way. So I did a test
On Sept 6th I mixed a 1% Ammonia solution using Urea. One week later I saw no appreciable difference. Today 14 days later I found the Ammonia level to be 4%. So I now believe that Urea will continue to create Ammonia over time.
 |
| Urea test in back on left / System water test on right. |
But I have been using Urine and Urea for several months now and my tests have never had the Ammonia 'Time Bomb' happen. It may be that the levels I'm adding everyday are exactly what is being converted to Nitrite.
My conclusion is that Urea and possibly urine will continue to create Ammonia, but I don't see this as a reason to age the solution before adding it to a functioning aquaponic system. But killing pathogens which even though they are not very likely to be present is a good reason. The proper way to use urine is to store it in a sealed container for about six months. As it ferments and turns urea to ammonia the pathogens will die. This process is described in this article http://www.goveganic.net/article217.html
I have also been asked why I felt it necessary to add Ammonia to an aquaponic system. That after all is what the fish are for and it seems to many that it would be detrimental to the fish. I don't believe it is if the Nitrification process is converting all the Ammonia. I add the Ammonia because I'm still growing my fish population and the fish load is currently not supplying adequate Nitrate for the plants.
Veering off topic I would also like to add this:
Balancing the fish load hence the food loading of the system is an important topic which I will cover one day. But in short, media beds will supply a much better condition for Nitrification than a raft system while also supplying a place to grow at the same time. I personally like rafts better, and therefore condone the use of moving bed filters which to many seems to circumvent the purpose of aquaponics. It's just another hybrid system that when compared to media beds (also considered hybrid) provides both clean water to the fish and Nitrate to the plants. The only disadvantage I see is that a solids filter is also required. Otherwise the roots will become dirty and suffer from a lack of oxygen..
UPDATE: 12/23/2012
I have come to appreciate the simplicity of a media bed. Besides offering nitrification a 3/4" gravel bed will filter solids which would otherwise cling to the roots of plants in the rafts. As my fish population and their overall size grew so did the sludge. Cleaning my filters became an overwhelming choir. For more see Filtering Poo with Continous Flow Media Bed
Monday, July 16, 2012
Loss of Appetite
UPDATE 8/9/2012
I know it must seem like I'm always correcting myself with these updates, but I'm documenting the learning experience and attempting to pass on knowledge as I learn it. Many times it appears that I have understood the problem at the time, but as more information appears this changes on occation.
A few days ago I found small red worms, and at first thought they were Camallanus, but it turned out to be Midge. Midge is a great food for fish, and it was only after transferring my fish to the raft so that I could better care for them that I figured that out. The fish have not shown the excitement they used to show when fed, and I wonder if this is because they were feeding on Midge worms, and have become spoiled. Simple fish food must seem tasteless to them now, and I suspect this is the reason for their lack of appetite.
ORIGINAL POST:
For about six weeks my fish have not been eating as aggressively as they used to.
They have been showing signs of breeding, and I attributed this to the loss of appetite.
But it was about the same time I added Dr Iron iron chelate.
The iron made the water quite brown, and I also observed some algae on the walls of the tank, and in the water which I attributed to warmer weather.
So the cloudy water did not concern me, and my assumption remains that iron chelate is not harmful to the fish, but it's definitely not to be dismissed.
The Iron Chelate level has dropped from 0.5 ppm to 0.1 ppm over the past three weeks. Today I bumped that up again with 60ml of Dr Iron .
Before the fish began to loose their appetite I began to allow the salt levels to become depleted in an effort to see what affect if any a 0.15% salt level has on plants.
I let the salt level drop to zero over the course of a couple months. That experiment was trashed when a leak developed in my grow bed, and I had to remove all the media and plants.
The bacteria took a small hit but I was able to preserve, and restore the bacteria within a few days by using a small wet/dry bio filter.
Two days ago I began to bring the salt levels back up since I have very few plants left in the grow bed to experiment with. I'm now using this system for starting seeds and growing outdoors in my other system.
After bringing the salt up to only 0.9% the water cleared the fish began to eat better.
I'll continue to watch the fish to see if their appetite continues to improve, but since I have several variables going on I'm still trying to figure out what it is that caused the loss of appetite. It might be simply salt levels, but I feel that there is more to it than that. Maybe there was enough algae in the tank to keep them satisfied. I'm also pretty sure they are also eating their young even though I have tried to provide a safe areas for the fry to escape into.
I added FE2 today, so I should be able to tell if this is the cause or not. I'll update this post as I learn more.
UPDATE July 22, 2012
After adding the FE2 on July 16 the water became dark again. The fish seemed to feed a little less aggressively, but they did not ignore the food like before. A week later they are eating better. Dr Iron contains Phosphate 5%: Potash (K2O) 8%; Iron (Fe) 8% so there are other ingredients beyond FE2 and it may be that this may be causing the fish to temporarily eat less.
I know it must seem like I'm always correcting myself with these updates, but I'm documenting the learning experience and attempting to pass on knowledge as I learn it. Many times it appears that I have understood the problem at the time, but as more information appears this changes on occation.
A few days ago I found small red worms, and at first thought they were Camallanus, but it turned out to be Midge. Midge is a great food for fish, and it was only after transferring my fish to the raft so that I could better care for them that I figured that out. The fish have not shown the excitement they used to show when fed, and I wonder if this is because they were feeding on Midge worms, and have become spoiled. Simple fish food must seem tasteless to them now, and I suspect this is the reason for their lack of appetite.
ORIGINAL POST:
For about six weeks my fish have not been eating as aggressively as they used to.
They have been showing signs of breeding, and I attributed this to the loss of appetite.
But it was about the same time I added Dr Iron iron chelate.
The iron made the water quite brown, and I also observed some algae on the walls of the tank, and in the water which I attributed to warmer weather.
So the cloudy water did not concern me, and my assumption remains that iron chelate is not harmful to the fish, but it's definitely not to be dismissed.
The Iron Chelate level has dropped from 0.5 ppm to 0.1 ppm over the past three weeks. Today I bumped that up again with 60ml of Dr Iron .
Before the fish began to loose their appetite I began to allow the salt levels to become depleted in an effort to see what affect if any a 0.15% salt level has on plants.
I let the salt level drop to zero over the course of a couple months. That experiment was trashed when a leak developed in my grow bed, and I had to remove all the media and plants.
The bacteria took a small hit but I was able to preserve, and restore the bacteria within a few days by using a small wet/dry bio filter.
Two days ago I began to bring the salt levels back up since I have very few plants left in the grow bed to experiment with. I'm now using this system for starting seeds and growing outdoors in my other system.
After bringing the salt up to only 0.9% the water cleared the fish began to eat better.
I'll continue to watch the fish to see if their appetite continues to improve, but since I have several variables going on I'm still trying to figure out what it is that caused the loss of appetite. It might be simply salt levels, but I feel that there is more to it than that. Maybe there was enough algae in the tank to keep them satisfied. I'm also pretty sure they are also eating their young even though I have tried to provide a safe areas for the fry to escape into.
I added FE2 today, so I should be able to tell if this is the cause or not. I'll update this post as I learn more.
UPDATE July 22, 2012
After adding the FE2 on July 16 the water became dark again. The fish seemed to feed a little less aggressively, but they did not ignore the food like before. A week later they are eating better. Dr Iron contains Phosphate 5%: Potash (K2O) 8%; Iron (Fe) 8% so there are other ingredients beyond FE2 and it may be that this may be causing the fish to temporarily eat less.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Growth Rates
At first there was an iron or magnesium deficiency. The furthest grow bed is yellow and close to death.
Then I got that under control and during the past week, the growth rate has accelerated .
That marigold has been enveloped by the tomatoes.
In the pictures below there are two different kinds of duckweed growing together in this tank.
The duckweed looked like first picture taken 07/09/2012 for at least a week with very little growth. It had not changed since I started it..
In the picture the light is on, but up until 07/09/2012 I had not been using the CFL lights.
You can see the ripples from an air stone in the upper left corner. This air stone was under the raft on the left.
On the 9th I moved the air stone into the center, and began supplementing the light with several 6500K CFL bulbs.
Six days later there has been improvement in the growth rate.
On the 14th I bumped the Ammonia up a little since the Nitrate level has been near zero. Today it tested 5ppm
I think this will help to accelerate the growth rate. All along the water temperature has been about 74F.
My conclusion is that the light or the air stone has caused the duckweed to grow.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Here's the problem!
After experiencing what appeared to be an iron deficiency I began adding MircobeLift Iron Cheate 60ml at a time. The levels would come up slightly, and then drop out of sight and the plants were not looking any better. When I began to run out of MicrobeLift I shopped locally and found Dr Iron which boasted 8% iron chelate. I had my doubts and so I tested the strength of two iron chelate products. MicrobLift does not specify the percent and I think I know why. Here's the results and my method of conducting the test.
I started with 0.5 ml
added 200 ml of distilled water
this gives me a dilution of 0.5/(200+1) = 0.00249
then taking my next sample from this dilution, I repeated the procedure resulting in a 0.00000622 dilution.
Assuming the product is 8% FE+ as claimed then two dilutions results in 0.5 parts per million which is mid scale on the FE test.
Here are the results of testing equal amounts of both MicrobeLift and Dr. Iron
I tested a stronger sample of Microbelift and verified a trace amount of Iron Chelate, but Dr. Iron is less expensive for more product and provides a substantially more concentrated dose of iron chelate . In fact Dr Iron contains over twice as much Iron Chelate as they advertize! But it's in the form of EDTA which requires a low pH.
MaxiCrop Seaweed with Iron claims 2% iron chelate and is a favorite among other aquaponic enthusiast, but I did not test that product.
Here are the real world results. In the weeks ahead of switching to Dr Iron I had applied 1-1/2 bottles of MicrobeLift with meager results. Two days after using just a small amount of Dr Iron the plants have begun to show obvious and rapid improvement.
I have continued to add 25ml of Dr Iron to the 1000 gallon system once per day and when I add the iron I pour it directly on the Hydroton as I did with the MicrobeLift.
Update:
Today is Tuesday June 26 2012.
This morning's test showed that the level of chelated iron was nearly the same as yesterday! The chelated iron may be normalizing after only three days of dosing with Dr Iron as opposed to MicrobeLift.
While the two beds show a significant difference in growth, the raft system has become healthier and is showing a lot of promise. The foliage has become green and the plants are beginning to grow again.
Dr Iron is a far superior product. I'm guessing MicrobeLift is making an effort to sell something that will not change the color the water in an aquarium. But I think they should state the percent in order to be more honest about the product.
Dr Iron has caused my water to take on a brown color, but this is a aquaponic system not an aquarium so to really is not important.
Dr Iron is great, but it may not be available. So I'll address iron products in general.
This is from Green House Grower
There are many chelating molecules available, but only three that are commonly used in horticulture: EDTA, DTPA and EDDHA. These abbreviations refer to the chemical structure of the organic molecule. In general, manganese, zinc and copper chelates are only found in the EDTA form. In comparison, there are three forms of iron chelate, FeEDTA, FeDTPA and FeEDDHA, although the most common form is FeEDTA.
With iron nutrition, the form of iron is very important. The three common chelated forms (iron-EDDHA, DTPA and EDTA) differ in their ability to hold onto the iron (and therefore keep iron soluble and available to plants) as the media pH increases. Between a media pH of 4.0 to 5.5, any form of iron will work (including iron sulfate) at supplying iron to the plant. However, as the media pH increases above 7.0, only the iron from Iron-EDDHA has high solubility. Research has shown that the ranking of iron forms from most effective to least effective at supplying iron at high media pH is Iron-EDDHA > Iron-DTPA > Iron-EDTA > Iron sulfate. If iron is applied in a form that is not soluble because of high media pH, then most of the nutrient will not be available to plants until media pH is lowered.
In general the best products will say EDDHA because they work over the widest range of pH
This article at deseretnews.com may also help while shopping for an iron product
Other less-expensive products are also available. One widely sold product, Ironite, contains iron sulfate.
Holt explained Ironite has a "high sulfur content that helps to temporarily acidify the soil around the plants, so work it in around the plant, and then water it in. It works well on turf and on some plants if the soil pH is not too high."
"Another product we sell is called Dr. Iron," he said "It is 22 percent iron and 55 percent sulfur. It basically takes iron oxide and covers it with molten sulfur. As the sulfur dissolves, it releases the iron."
IronSul Soil Acidifier with Humic Acid is another way to treat chlorosis. It is acidic, so it lowers the pH, making the iron more available. It also has a small amount of zinc to supply that micronutrient.
Foliar sprays to the leaves often produce a quick response, but they are inconsistent and temporary.
I started with 0.5 ml
added 200 ml of distilled water
this gives me a dilution of 0.5/(200+1) = 0.00249
then taking my next sample from this dilution, I repeated the procedure resulting in a 0.00000622 dilution.
Assuming the product is 8% FE+ as claimed then two dilutions results in 0.5 parts per million which is mid scale on the FE test.
Here are the results of testing equal amounts of both MicrobeLift and Dr. Iron
This first picture shows the Iron and the second shows the Chelate Iron
Dr. Iron = 0.25 ppm
MicrobeLift = 0.0 ppm
Dr. Iron => 1.0 ppm
MicrobeLift = 0.0 ppm
I tested a stronger sample of Microbelift and verified a trace amount of Iron Chelate, but Dr. Iron is less expensive for more product and provides a substantially more concentrated dose of iron chelate . In fact Dr Iron contains over twice as much Iron Chelate as they advertize! But it's in the form of EDTA which requires a low pH.
MaxiCrop Seaweed with Iron claims 2% iron chelate and is a favorite among other aquaponic enthusiast, but I did not test that product.
Here are the real world results. In the weeks ahead of switching to Dr Iron I had applied 1-1/2 bottles of MicrobeLift with meager results. Two days after using just a small amount of Dr Iron the plants have begun to show obvious and rapid improvement.
 |
| MircobeLift |
 |
| Dr. Iron 2012-06-23_1731 |
 |
| Dr Iron 2012-06-24_1810 |
Update:
Today is Tuesday June 26 2012.
This morning's test showed that the level of chelated iron was nearly the same as yesterday! The chelated iron may be normalizing after only three days of dosing with Dr Iron as opposed to MicrobeLift.
While the two beds show a significant difference in growth, the raft system has become healthier and is showing a lot of promise. The foliage has become green and the plants are beginning to grow again.
Dr Iron is a far superior product. I'm guessing MicrobeLift is making an effort to sell something that will not change the color the water in an aquarium. But I think they should state the percent in order to be more honest about the product.
Dr Iron has caused my water to take on a brown color, but this is a aquaponic system not an aquarium so to really is not important.
 | ||
| The tomatoes have grown up around the basil since my last photo. The basil on the left is from the raft. |
Look at how much the basil in the gravel has grown!
 |
| This is the basil in the raft. It has regained most of it's color and it doing much better since I switched to Dr Iron |
 |
| The raft is clearly stunted and anemic, but I have hopes of a full recovery |
This is from Green House Grower
There are many chelating molecules available, but only three that are commonly used in horticulture: EDTA, DTPA and EDDHA. These abbreviations refer to the chemical structure of the organic molecule. In general, manganese, zinc and copper chelates are only found in the EDTA form. In comparison, there are three forms of iron chelate, FeEDTA, FeDTPA and FeEDDHA, although the most common form is FeEDTA.
With iron nutrition, the form of iron is very important. The three common chelated forms (iron-EDDHA, DTPA and EDTA) differ in their ability to hold onto the iron (and therefore keep iron soluble and available to plants) as the media pH increases. Between a media pH of 4.0 to 5.5, any form of iron will work (including iron sulfate) at supplying iron to the plant. However, as the media pH increases above 7.0, only the iron from Iron-EDDHA has high solubility. Research has shown that the ranking of iron forms from most effective to least effective at supplying iron at high media pH is Iron-EDDHA > Iron-DTPA > Iron-EDTA > Iron sulfate. If iron is applied in a form that is not soluble because of high media pH, then most of the nutrient will not be available to plants until media pH is lowered.
In general the best products will say EDDHA because they work over the widest range of pH
This article at deseretnews.com may also help while shopping for an iron product
Other less-expensive products are also available. One widely sold product, Ironite, contains iron sulfate.
Holt explained Ironite has a "high sulfur content that helps to temporarily acidify the soil around the plants, so work it in around the plant, and then water it in. It works well on turf and on some plants if the soil pH is not too high."
"Another product we sell is called Dr. Iron," he said "It is 22 percent iron and 55 percent sulfur. It basically takes iron oxide and covers it with molten sulfur. As the sulfur dissolves, it releases the iron."
IronSul Soil Acidifier with Humic Acid is another way to treat chlorosis. It is acidic, so it lowers the pH, making the iron more available. It also has a small amount of zinc to supply that micronutrient.
Foliar sprays to the leaves often produce a quick response, but they are inconsistent and temporary.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Are These Rocks Nutrient Theives?
This is one of the most important technical posts I have made. First I will describe the situation leading to the what caused these plants to show different states of Iron or Magnesium deficiencies. Please bear with me or skip to the last update of 2012/07/10
Beginning Wednesday 13 June 2012 I began foliar feeding chelated iron (FE2+).
On Monday 19, June I measured the FE and FE2+ in the water.
Both were zero. This amazed me because when I started the system I added 120ml of MircobeLift Chelated Iron to the system.
In the above photos you can clearly see a difference between the plant from the raft on the left and the plant in the gravel on the right. Both share the same water.
Sunday 17, June - pH=6.4, Ammonia=0.25, N2=0, N3=0.5, PO4=10, GH=7, KH=1, FE=0, FE=0.0 mg/L, FE2+=0.0 mg/L
Sunday after measuring the iron I added another 60ml MircobeLift Chelated Iron. 60ml is the recommended dosage according to the instructions on the bottle.
Monday 18, June - pH=6.4, Ammonia=0.5, FE=0, FE=0.0 mg/L, FE2+=0.0 mg/L
On Monday I added another 60ml and finally got a reading of FE=0.0 mg/L and FE2+=0.5 mg/L .
Just
a side note about the Hagen Iron Test. I don't like the test tube
because it has a round bottom, and the cheap stand does not provide a place
to hold it.
Here are photos taken the morning of Tuesday 19, June.
Clearly some improvement. Not that I'm impatient; it will take time, but overall the deficiency is still evident. About a week ago the plants in the gravel were somewhat yellow and pale when they were transplantded from my indoor grow bed, and given a large dose of MirobeLift Iron. They suffered a little from the transplant, but soon recovered. When the plants in the raft continued to pale I became more concerned, and took these steps to correct the problem.
Tuesday 19, June pH=6.4, Ammonia=.25, FE=0, FE, FE2+=0
It seems that the problem has not yet been resolved.
Tuesday morning I added another 60ml MircobeLift Chelated Iron
I'm nearly out of MircobeLift Chelated Iron so I hope to find the time today to buy some MaxiCrop Chelated Iron. I think it's available at Lowes or Home Depot.
UPDATE: The MircobeLift Chelated Iron was found to be an inappropriate product for this system. I have documented the difference between this and another product IN THIS LINK.
MircobeLift Chelated Iron is suited to aquariums not aquaponics where vegetation is more important than the color of the water
Much of what follows was taken directly from Vlad's conversations with me. I have changed some of the wording to put it into this context, and hope I have not misstated any of what he told me.
Without Vlad's patients and kindness I would never have been able to post this topic.
CEC or Cation Exchange Capacity, refers to the quantity of negative charges in soil existing on the surfaces of clay and organic matter. The negative charges attract positively charged ions, or cations, hence the name ‘Cation Exchange Capacity’.
The rocks have a higher CEC than the water which most likely has a CEC near zero. This may have attracted the FE2+ through the opposite change and caused the FE2+ to accumulate on the surfaces of the rock, .and since there was not enough of it in solution to go around CEC played a role in helping the media bed plants to exhibit less dramatic signs of iron deficiency.
Beginning Wednesday 13 June 2012 I began foliar feeding chelated iron (FE2+).
On Monday 19, June I measured the FE and FE2+ in the water.
Both were zero. This amazed me because when I started the system I added 120ml of MircobeLift Chelated Iron to the system.
In the above photos you can clearly see a difference between the plant from the raft on the left and the plant in the gravel on the right. Both share the same water.
Sunday 17, June - pH=6.4, Ammonia=0.25, N2=0, N3=0.5, PO4=10, GH=7, KH=1, FE=0, FE=0.0 mg/L, FE2+=0.0 mg/L
Sunday after measuring the iron I added another 60ml MircobeLift Chelated Iron. 60ml is the recommended dosage according to the instructions on the bottle.
Monday 18, June - pH=6.4, Ammonia=0.5, FE=0, FE=0.0 mg/L, FE2+=0.0 mg/L
On Monday I added another 60ml and finally got a reading of FE=0.0 mg/L and FE2+=0.5 mg/L .
Just
a side note about the Hagen Iron Test. I don't like the test tube
because it has a round bottom, and the cheap stand does not provide a place
to hold it.
Here are photos taken the morning of Tuesday 19, June.
Clearly some improvement. Not that I'm impatient; it will take time, but overall the deficiency is still evident. About a week ago the plants in the gravel were somewhat yellow and pale when they were transplantded from my indoor grow bed, and given a large dose of MirobeLift Iron. They suffered a little from the transplant, but soon recovered. When the plants in the raft continued to pale I became more concerned, and took these steps to correct the problem.
Tuesday 19, June pH=6.4, Ammonia=.25, FE=0, FE, FE2+=0
It seems that the problem has not yet been resolved.
Tuesday morning I added another 60ml MircobeLift Chelated Iron
I'm nearly out of MircobeLift Chelated Iron so I hope to find the time today to buy some MaxiCrop Chelated Iron. I think it's available at Lowes or Home Depot.
UPDATE: The MircobeLift Chelated Iron was found to be an inappropriate product for this system. I have documented the difference between this and another product IN THIS LINK.
MircobeLift Chelated Iron is suited to aquariums not aquaponics where vegetation is more important than the color of the water
UPDATE - 2012/07/10:
Here is what I've learned with the help of Vlad Jovanovic.Much of what follows was taken directly from Vlad's conversations with me. I have changed some of the wording to put it into this context, and hope I have not misstated any of what he told me.
Without Vlad's patients and kindness I would never have been able to post this topic.
A lower pH is required for FE2+ uptake by the plants because the organic acid (the chelating agent) keeps the FE2+ bound in that ferrous state long enough for the plants to utilize it. Otherwise the ferrous iron will begin to precipitate out of solution and stick to the rocks and walls of the tank.
But the water was shared with and flowed from the raft into the gravel so why then did the raft exhibit the worst symptoms of FE2+ deficiency?
CEC or Cation Exchange Capacity, refers to the quantity of negative charges in soil existing on the surfaces of clay and organic matter. The negative charges attract positively charged ions, or cations, hence the name ‘Cation Exchange Capacity’.
The rocks have a higher CEC than the water which most likely has a CEC near zero. This may have attracted the FE2+ through the opposite change and caused the FE2+ to accumulate on the surfaces of the rock, .and since there was not enough of it in solution to go around CEC played a role in helping the media bed plants to exhibit less dramatic signs of iron deficiency.
The cause of the Fe2+ becoming unavailable is essentially in a word...oxygen. Without any sort of binding
agent (or 'chelating agent', remember those terms are interchangable...)
the 'un-bound' Fe2+ will revert to plant un-usable Fe3+...in a matter
of seconds. That is why it is important (again, in the homemade variety)
to 'chelate' the Fe2+ with organic acids i.e tannins from Oak leaves or
whatever. Otherwise the 'window of opportunity' for your plants to use
them is small (seconds/minutes as opposed to hours/days).
Temperatures and pH
play a role in this scenario too, helping to either delay, or speed up
the conversion of Fe2+ to Fe3+...but oxygen is the 'culprit'. The
tannins and lowish pH help 'protect' the effects Fe2+ from oxygen (could
be one easy way of looking at it). Remember iron is a transitional
metal, so just converting rust (Fe3+)
to Fe2+ without Oxygen with an RSG (Really Smart Guy) filter isn't enough. You have to keep it that
way long enough for your plants to use it.
But in the end the CEC wasn't the root cause of all the plants showing an iron deficiency. Without it the plants may have looked pale and yellow, but the root of the problem was not enough Fe2+ in solution. (Due to the bunk product I was using at first).
There may or may not have been a Magnesium deficiency as well. (Vlad says probably,... but we'll never know since I added the Epsom salt and lowered the pH around the same time as switching Fe products)...pH is real important to bio-availability of many plant essential elements.
But in the end the CEC wasn't the root cause of all the plants showing an iron deficiency. Without it the plants may have looked pale and yellow, but the root of the problem was not enough Fe2+ in solution. (Due to the bunk product I was using at first).
There may or may not have been a Magnesium deficiency as well. (Vlad says probably,... but we'll never know since I added the Epsom salt and lowered the pH around the same time as switching Fe products)...pH is real important to bio-availability of many plant essential elements.
Remember Chelation does not involve a transfer of electrons, but instead it is
the ability to bind the iron compound in the ferrous state. The ferrous and ferric transition happens when iron compounds change states of oxidation. It is a low Oxidation Reducing Potential (ORP) that will tend to unbind the ferrous FE2+ and allow the compound to transition into a ferric FE3+ state because of the availability of oxygen.
Whereas a high ORP with organic acids will act as the chelating agent
binding, and keeping the iron soluble and non-reactive with the oxygen.
 |
| The raft is recovering nicely 2012/07/08 |
I hope this helps you to understand the way pH, temperature, cations and the CEC, Oxidation Reducing Potential (ORP) and chelation work to provide and available nutrients.
I will continue to update this post if any more information comes to light.
Here is a good article from Nate Storie at Vertical Food Blog
http://verticalfoodblog.com/iron-in-aquaponics/
Here is a good article from Nate Storie at Vertical Food Blog
http://verticalfoodblog.com/iron-in-aquaponics/
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Nutrient Deficiencies
If this topic fascinates you I highly recommend Plant Physiology
Chapter 5 -Mineral Nutrition
 |
From http://www.hydroponics.net/learn/deficiency_by_element.asp |
 |
From http://www.hydroponics-at-home.com/plant-nutrient-deficiency.html |
 | ||||||||
From http://www.hydroponics-at-home.com/hydroponics-information.html http://community.theaquaponicsource.com/page/nutrient-deficiency-chart-for |
Friday, June 8, 2012
Assimilation of Nutrients
Wishing to understand water chemistry I began reading about REDOX and pH but the topics became overwhelming. So I decided to take notes starting with definitions, because so many acronyms were being thrown at me all at once.
Then I tried to get my head around why it's called Reduction and what was being reduced.
Finally I began to understand that most of this water chemistry topic is about electricity and ions. So here are my notes. I've had some help along the way from a couple experts and Dr. George B. Brooks Jr. helped me convey the acidic reaction even better than I had.
Beyond the text I've quoted from various internet sources I have added some commentary in red italic.
Without the ability to gain electrons many minerals cannot be absorbed and properly assimilated.
Definitions:
Ion is an atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving it a net positive or negative electrical charge. [1]
Ionization is the process of gaining or losing electrons from a neutral atom or molecule [1]
anion is a negatively charged ion [1]
cation is a positively charged ion [1]
Oxidation - involves the loss of electrons or hydrogen OR gain of oxygen OR increase in oxidation state. [2]
Reduction - involves the gain of electrons or hydrogen OR loss of oxygen OR decrease in oxidation state. [2]
The species that gains electrons is said to be reduced because it has less voltage and less potential to oxidize.
CEC or Cation Exchange Capacity, refers to the quantity of negative charges in soil existing
on the surfaces of clay and organic matter. The negative charges attract positively
charged ions, or cations, hence the name ‘Cation Exchange Capacity’.
ORP stands for Oxidation Reducing Potential and is sometimes referred to as REDOX (Reduced oxidation).
ORP is the tendency of a chemical species to acquire electrons and thereby be reduced [3]
TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids.
TDS creates the pathway for the “ionization” (or more correctly electrolysis) to occur. [4]
pH stands for "potential hydrogen”.
pH measures alkalinity or acidity on the pH scale that runs from pH0 to pH14
Alkaline describes situations where pH levels exceed 7.0.
Chelate is a substance whose molecules can form several bonds to a single metal ion
_______________________________________________________________________________
ORP is a potential energy measured in millivolts. When Reduction occurs the potential energy (Voltage) is reduced.
A “reducing” agent is simply something that inhibits or slows the process of oxidation. The reducing agent does this by “donating” an electron. When we measure something’s oxidation reduction potential, it is expressed in terms of –ORP and measures the concentration of OH- ions or reducing agents. [5]
ORP measures the presence of oxidizing or [oxidation] reducing agents by their specific electrical charge, thus Oxidation Reduction "Potential". [4]
Oxidation in simple terms is what turns an apple brown after it is cut, or causes metal to rust. [4] This is the electrolysis and ionization of iron.
The ORP of most tap water in the USA is between +150 to +600mv, and so is an oxidizing agent. [8]
High pH ionized water demonstrates a –ORP and so is a reducing agent or “antioxidant”. [8]
Acid (Low PH) or low potential hydrogen has a High Oxidation Reducing Potential and has potential to Oxidize other atoms, and causes metal to rust, but ionization is dependent upon a third variable called TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)..
Buffers play an important role in pH balance, as they are substances that are found in living organisms that help them maintain a certain range of pH. It is a chemical or combination of chemicals that keep the pH within its normal limits. This happens because it is able to resist a pH change by either taking up excess hydrogen ions or hydroxide ions. [11]
An example of a buffer is bicarbonate ions. They take up extra hydrogen ions forming carbonic acid, which keeps the pH from going too low. However, if the pH gets too high, carbonic acid breaks apart to release some hydrogen ions, which brings the pH back into balance. [12]
TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) creates the pathway for the “ionization” (or more correctly electrolysis) to occur [5]as ions from the dissolved solids create the ability for water to conduct an electrical current.
The most common chemical constituents are calcium, phosphates, nitrates, sodium, potassium and chloride.[4]
The importance of Total Dissolved Solids can not be emphasized enough. [5]
For hydroponic uses, total dissolved solids is considered one of the best indices of nutrient availability for the aquatic plants being grown, [9] but these nutrients will not be available unless the pH and ORP are also correct.
Water without mineral content or TDS, like reverse osmosis or distilled water, will not conduct the current and therefore can not be “ionized”. [4]
Oxidation-reduction reactions are vital for biochemical reactions such as converting Ammonia (NH3+H) to Nitrite (NO2) then Nitrite (NO2) to Nitrate (NO3) through a process called fixation which makes nitrogen available to plant life.
The electron transfer system in cells, and oxidation of glucose are examples of redox reactions. [2
These three variables ORP, pH, and TDS affect the assimilation of nutrients in plants and animals, the electron transfer system in cells, and oxidation of glucose.
But a sufficient amount of TDS to conduct the ion exchange is also required, and each of these three components must be kept in balance.
I have not even touched upon Hard Water yet, but Hard water has a lot of buffering capacity and soft water has almost none..
Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_the_PH_of_soil_so_important#ixzz1xLBg5nic
So understanding performance is like understanding a dance between the three variables. [5]
This topic goes even deeper:
Many essential biological chemicals are chelates. Chelates play important roles in oxygen transport and in photosynthesis. Furthermore, many biological catalysts (enzymes) are chelates. A chelating agent is a substance whose molecules can form several bonds to a single metal ion.
Another biologically significant chelate is vitamin B-12. It is the only vitamin that contains a metal, a cobalt(II) ion bonded to a porphyrin-like chelating agent. As far as is known, it is required in the diet of all higher animals. It is not synthesized by either higher plants or animals, but only by certain bacteria and molds. These are the sources of the B-12 found in animal products. Because vitamin B-12 is not found in higher plants, vegetarians must take care to include in their diets foods or supplements that contain the vitamin. [10]
[14]
4. Salinity - Salinity is usually expressed in terms of its specific gravity in science labs, but in the pond and Koi world it is more common to see it as the total percent of salt in a solution.
Measure Salinity Level with Easy to Use Digital Readout Meter
Then I tried to get my head around why it's called Reduction and what was being reduced.
Finally I began to understand that most of this water chemistry topic is about electricity and ions. So here are my notes. I've had some help along the way from a couple experts and Dr. George B. Brooks Jr. helped me convey the acidic reaction even better than I had.
Beyond the text I've quoted from various internet sources I have added some commentary in red italic.
Without the ability to gain electrons many minerals cannot be absorbed and properly assimilated.
Definitions:
Ion is an atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving it a net positive or negative electrical charge. [1]
Ionization is the process of gaining or losing electrons from a neutral atom or molecule [1]
anion is a negatively charged ion [1]
cation is a positively charged ion [1]
Oxidation - involves the loss of electrons or hydrogen OR gain of oxygen OR increase in oxidation state. [2]
Reduction - involves the gain of electrons or hydrogen OR loss of oxygen OR decrease in oxidation state. [2]
The species that gains electrons is said to be reduced because it has less voltage and less potential to oxidize.
CEC or Cation Exchange Capacity, refers to the quantity of negative charges in soil existing
on the surfaces of clay and organic matter. The negative charges attract positively
charged ions, or cations, hence the name ‘Cation Exchange Capacity’.
ORP stands for Oxidation Reducing Potential and is sometimes referred to as REDOX (Reduced oxidation).
ORP is the tendency of a chemical species to acquire electrons and thereby be reduced [3]
TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids.
TDS creates the pathway for the “ionization” (or more correctly electrolysis) to occur. [4]
pH stands for "potential hydrogen”.
pH measures alkalinity or acidity on the pH scale that runs from pH0 to pH14
Alkaline describes situations where pH levels exceed 7.0.
Alkalinity is a measure of a water’s capacity to neutralize acids
The term “alkalinity” should not be confused with the term “alkaline,” which describes situations where pH levels exceed 7.0. [15]
Chelate is a substance whose molecules can form several bonds to a single metal ion
_______________________________________________________________________________
ORP is a potential energy measured in millivolts. When Reduction occurs the potential energy (Voltage) is reduced.
A “reducing” agent is simply something that inhibits or slows the process of oxidation. The reducing agent does this by “donating” an electron. When we measure something’s oxidation reduction potential, it is expressed in terms of –ORP and measures the concentration of OH- ions or reducing agents. [5]
Low PH water generally has High ORP
ORP measures the presence of oxidizing or [oxidation] reducing agents by their specific electrical charge, thus Oxidation Reduction "Potential". [4]
Oxidation in simple terms is what turns an apple brown after it is cut, or causes metal to rust. [4] This is the electrolysis and ionization of iron.
The ORP of most tap water in the USA is between +150 to +600mv, and so is an oxidizing agent. [8]
High pH ionized water demonstrates a –ORP and so is a reducing agent or “antioxidant”. [8]
Acid (Low PH) or low potential hydrogen has a High Oxidation Reducing Potential and has potential to Oxidize other atoms, and causes metal to rust, but ionization is dependent upon a third variable called TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)..
OK to review the above information which still gets me confused.
High ORP tends to make a Low pH, and it promotes oxidation.
We now know that oxidation involves an exchange of electrons between two
atoms. The atom that loses an electron in the process is said to be
"oxidized." The one that gains an electron is said to be "reduced." In
picking up that extra electron, it loses the electrical energy that
makes it "hungry" for more electrons.
Thus we get the term Oxidation
(losing an electron) Reduction (gaining and electron) Potential.[16]
WHY IS pH IMPORTANT?
When the pH is not at the proper level the plant will lose its ability to absorb some of the essential elements required for healthy growth. For all plants there is a particular pH level that will produce optimum results (see chart 1 below). This pH level will vary from plant to plant, but in general most plants prefer a slightly acid growing environment (between 5.5-6.0), although most plants can still survive in an environment with a pH of between 5.0 and 7.5. When pH rises above 6.5 some of the nutrients and micro-nutrients begin to precipitate out of solution and can stick to the walls of the reservoir and growing chambers. For example: Iron will be about half precipitated at the pH level of 7.3 and at about 8.0 there is virtually no iron left in solution at all. In order for your plants to use the nutrients they must be dissolved in the solution. Once the nutrients have precipitated out of solution your plants can no longer absorb them and will suffer deficiency and death if left uncorrected. Some nutrients will precipitate out of solution when the pH drops also. Chart 2 (below) will give you an idea of what happens to availability some of the nutrients at different pH levels:[13]| Chart 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| pH Values For Different
Hydroponic Crops |
Availability Of Nutrients Available At Different pH Levels |
|
| (From Hydroponic Food Production by Howard M. Resh Woodbridge Press, 1987) |
 NOTE: This chart is for soiless (hydroponic) gardening only and does not apply to organic or dirt gardening. |
|
| Plant | pH Range | |
| Beans Broccoli Cabbage Cantaloupe Carrots Chives Cucumbers Garlic Lettuce Onions Peas Pineapple Pumpkin Radish Strawberries Tomatoes |
6.0-6.5 6.0-6.5 6.5-7.5 6.5-6.8 5.8-6.4 6.0-6.5 5.8-6.0 6.0-6.5 6.0-6.5 6.5-7.0 6.0-6.8 5.0-5.5 5.0-6.5 6.0-7.0 5.5-6.5 5.5-6.5 | |
Buffers play an important role in pH balance, as they are substances that are found in living organisms that help them maintain a certain range of pH. It is a chemical or combination of chemicals that keep the pH within its normal limits. This happens because it is able to resist a pH change by either taking up excess hydrogen ions or hydroxide ions. [11]
An example of a buffer is bicarbonate ions. They take up extra hydrogen ions forming carbonic acid, which keeps the pH from going too low. However, if the pH gets too high, carbonic acid breaks apart to release some hydrogen ions, which brings the pH back into balance. [12]
TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) creates the pathway for the “ionization” (or more correctly electrolysis) to occur [5]as ions from the dissolved solids create the ability for water to conduct an electrical current.
The most common chemical constituents are calcium, phosphates, nitrates, sodium, potassium and chloride.[4]
The importance of Total Dissolved Solids can not be emphasized enough. [5]
For hydroponic uses, total dissolved solids is considered one of the best indices of nutrient availability for the aquatic plants being grown, [9] but these nutrients will not be available unless the pH and ORP are also correct.
Water without mineral content or TDS, like reverse osmosis or distilled water, will not conduct the current and therefore can not be “ionized”. [4]
The electron transfer system in cells, and oxidation of glucose are examples of redox reactions. [2
These three variables ORP, pH, and TDS affect the assimilation of nutrients in plants and animals, the electron transfer system in cells, and oxidation of glucose.
Oxidation-reduction reactions are also vital for biochemical reactions such as converting ammonia into nitrite and Nitrate.
This is done by bacteria which prefer to live in a pH of 5.8 to 7.5. Without these bacteria the nutrients which plants require would become locked up with unusable salts.
I have not even touched upon Hard Water yet, but Hard water has a lot of buffering capacity and soft water has almost none..
Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_the_PH_of_soil_so_important#ixzz1xLBg5nic
So understanding performance is like understanding a dance between the three variables. [5]
This topic goes even deeper:
Many essential biological chemicals are chelates. Chelates play important roles in oxygen transport and in photosynthesis. Furthermore, many biological catalysts (enzymes) are chelates. A chelating agent is a substance whose molecules can form several bonds to a single metal ion.
Another biologically significant chelate is vitamin B-12. It is the only vitamin that contains a metal, a cobalt(II) ion bonded to a porphyrin-like chelating agent. As far as is known, it is required in the diet of all higher animals. It is not synthesized by either higher plants or animals, but only by certain bacteria and molds. These are the sources of the B-12 found in animal products. Because vitamin B-12 is not found in higher plants, vegetarians must take care to include in their diets foods or supplements that contain the vitamin. [10]
1. Increase the availability
of nutrients.
Chelating agents will bind the relatively insoluble iron in high pH soil and make it available to plants. |
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2. Prevent mineral nutrients from forming insoluble precipitates.
The chelating agents of the metal ions will protect the chelated ions from unfavorable chemical reactions and hence increase the availability of these ions to plants. One example is iron in high pH soil. In high pH soil, iron will react with hydroxyl group (OH-) to form insoluble ferric hydroxide (Fe(OH)3) which is not available to plants.
|
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3. Reduce toxicity
of some metal ions to plants.
Chelation in the soil may reduce the concentration of some metal ions to a non-toxic level. This process is usually accomplished by humic acid and high-molecular-weight components of organic matter. |
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4. Prevent nutrients
from leaching.
Metal ions forming chelates are more stable than the free ions. Chelation process reduces the loss of nutrients through leaching. |
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5. Increase the mobility
of plant nutrients.
Chelation increases the mobility of nutrients in soil. This increased mobility enhances the uptake of these nutrients by plants. |
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6. Suppress the growth
of plant pathogens.
Some chelating agents may suppress the growth of plant pathogens by depriving iron and hence favor plant growth. |
4. Salinity - Salinity is usually expressed in terms of its specific gravity in science labs, but in the pond and Koi world it is more common to see it as the total percent of salt in a solution.
| Water Salinity Based on Percentage of Dissolved Salts Koi function best with just ever so slight brackish water. |
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| Fresh Water | Brackish Water | Saline Water | Brine | |||
| < 0.05% | 0.05-3.0% | 3.0%-5.0% | > 5% | |||
|
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| Range in Green Perfect for Koi Ponds 0.15-0.20% | ||||||
| Perfect for Koi Hospital Tanks 0.25 - 0.30% | ||||||
Measure Salinity Level with Easy to Use Digital Readout Meter
From http://www.pondkoi.com/water_quality.htm#Buffering_Capacity
This is an excellent article which i will list again at the bottom
How does Water Hardness relate to Ionization?
Hard water has a lot of buffering capacity and soft water has almost none.
Hard water is water that has high mineral content.
The higher the mineral content or Total Dissolved Solids the higher the levels of pH and ORP. [5]
The lower the mineral content the lower levels of pH and ORP. [5]
There are two types of water hardness. GH (General Hardness) and KH (Calcium Hardness).
Temporary hardness (Calcium Hardness) is a type of water hardness caused by the presence of dissolved carbonate minerals (calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate). Unlike the permanent hardness caused by sulfate and chloride compounds, this “temporary” hardness can be reduced by the addition of lime (calcium hydroxide) through the process of lime softening. [6]
Permanent hardness
Permanent hardness (General Hardness) is hardness (mineral content) that cannot be removed by the addition of lime. It is usually caused by the presence of calcium and magnesium sulphates and/or chlorides in the water. Despite the name, the hardness of the water can be removed using a water softener, or ion exchange column. [6]
Table [7]
Here is an important quote: “The
presence of free (ionic) calcium at relatively high concentrations in
culture water helps reduce the loss of other salts (e.g. sodium and
potassium) from fish body fluids (i.e. blood). Sodium and potassium are
the most important salts in fish blood and are critical for normal
heart, nerve and muscle function. In low calcium water, fish can lose
(leak) substantial quantities of these salts into the water.” See reference below.
Table [7]
A special thanks to Dr. George B. Brooks, Jr. for corrections and this explanation of acidic effects of REDOX,
"The nitrification process does indeed acidify the water. The process takes the hydrogen from NH3+ and exchanges them with Oxygen in NO2 and NO3. (NH3 + 2 O2 => NO3- + H+ + H2O). Free protons or hydrogen is the definition of acid so the process decreases your pH. It also uses a lot of oxygen. So in your aquaponics system, oxygen in your media beds is not only critical to your roots remaining healthy but also to the keeping the bacteria alive and to mediating the nitrification reaction they do. The more O2 the better off you are (in general)."
References:
And finally here is a site that you may find to be a handy reference
http://www.watersciences.biz/WaterGlossary.html
For more very good articles
Understanding pH, KH, GH in Home Aquariums
http://www.pondkoi.com/water_quality.htm#Buffering_Capacity
This is an excellent article which i will list again at the bottom
How does Water Hardness relate to Ionization?
Hard water has a lot of buffering capacity and soft water has almost none.
Hard water is water that has high mineral content.
The higher the mineral content or Total Dissolved Solids the higher the levels of pH and ORP. [5]
The lower the mineral content the lower levels of pH and ORP. [5]
There are two types of water hardness. GH (General Hardness) and KH (Calcium Hardness).
Temporary hardness (Calcium Hardness) is a type of water hardness caused by the presence of dissolved carbonate minerals (calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate). Unlike the permanent hardness caused by sulfate and chloride compounds, this “temporary” hardness can be reduced by the addition of lime (calcium hydroxide) through the process of lime softening. [6]
Permanent hardness
Permanent hardness (General Hardness) is hardness (mineral content) that cannot be removed by the addition of lime. It is usually caused by the presence of calcium and magnesium sulphates and/or chlorides in the water. Despite the name, the hardness of the water can be removed using a water softener, or ion exchange column. [6]
| Classification | hardness in mg/L | hardness in mmol/L | hardness in dGH/°dH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft | 0–60 | 0–0.60 | 0–3.36 |
| Moderately hard | 61–120 | 0.61–1.20 | 3.42–6.72 |
| Hard | 121–180 | 1.21–1.80 | 6.78–10.08 |
| Very hard | ≥ 181 | ≥ 1.81 | ≥ 10.14 |
Here is an important quote: “The
presence of free (ionic) calcium at relatively high concentrations in
culture water helps reduce the loss of other salts (e.g. sodium and
potassium) from fish body fluids (i.e. blood). Sodium and potassium are
the most important salts in fish blood and are critical for normal
heart, nerve and muscle function. In low calcium water, fish can lose
(leak) substantial quantities of these salts into the water.” See reference below.
Understanding Water Hardness.
Common ions
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A special thanks to Dr. George B. Brooks, Jr. for corrections and this explanation of acidic effects of REDOX,
"The nitrification process does indeed acidify the water. The process takes the hydrogen from NH3+ and exchanges them with Oxygen in NO2 and NO3. (NH3 + 2 O2 => NO3- + H+ + H2O). Free protons or hydrogen is the definition of acid so the process decreases your pH. It also uses a lot of oxygen. So in your aquaponics system, oxygen in your media beds is not only critical to your roots remaining healthy but also to the keeping the bacteria alive and to mediating the nitrification reaction they do. The more O2 the better off you are (in general)."
References:
14. http://www.jhbiotech.com/plant_products/chelation.htm
15. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/floriculture/plugs/alkalinity.pdf
16. http://ezinearticles.com/?Alkaline-Water-and-Oxidation-Reduction-Potential-%28ORP%29&id=1546765
15. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/floriculture/plugs/alkalinity.pdf
16. http://ezinearticles.com/?Alkaline-Water-and-Oxidation-Reduction-Potential-%28ORP%29&id=1546765
And finally here is a site that you may find to be a handy reference
http://www.watersciences.biz/WaterGlossary.html
For more very good articles
Understanding pH, KH, GH in Home Aquariums
http://www.pondkoi.com/water_quality.htm#Buffering_Capacity
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