Cinder block as PH buffer?

[Ueberwinden]

I was watching a video on YouTube and the guy showing his system said he used cinder block as a PH buffer on an all plastic system. He stated that an all plastic system could have serious ph swings. Can anyone confirm and maybe elaborate ? Thank you
Michael

[GaryD]

Hi Michael,

Once a system has cycled, it should not experience pH swings at all. A mature, productive system will usually experience a continuous downward movement in pH. To counter that, I'd propose careful use of calcium hydroxide (builder's lime) or potassium carbonate.

A cinder block (which I assume to be a cement block) will not affect pH much in the medium to long term.

Gary

[Ravnis]

I was having a ph problems with the ph dropping to 6.0 on me. I had put a cinder block, the cement kind, it did not make much difference. I had read about concrete buffering but this did not work for me. It turns out 3 factors were in play, system was overloaded, low o2 levels, and solids in the system. I added a very small amount 1 tablespoon of pottasium bicarbonate several months ago and cut stocking density in half and my ph problems stopped.

The idea is the cinderblock will dissolve and release calcium carbonate and buffer the ph, but if the acid being created exceeds the rate of dissolving of the cinder block, then the ph will still drop. Oyster shell grit does buffer, but I like the potassium carbonate better as it supplies potassium.

Quicklime can easily damage and kill fish if too much is added at one time, use any ph chemical with lots of caution.

[Ueberwinden]

I appreciate the responses, thank you. I have a system that I am getting ready to start which is based on Travis Hugheys barrelponics design, so part of it is barrels and the rest is epdm lined grow beds.

Micheal

[cedarswamp]

Plastic is inert and has no effect on your ph. The hardness or buffering capacity of your water source is what determines the stability of your ph. I would make sure you even have a problem before attempting to fix one. Some folks struggle trying to lower their ph, adding a buffer would only exasperate that problem.

[robertsonmichael]

Hi Michael
I am a newbie and I started with the travis barrels ( for cost ) It is my opinion that forty or fifty gallons of water is hard to not have swings and I like stable and slow changes and I "think" more water makes stability and slower reactions to the mistakes that I make and the time to fix them is greator before the fish get sick of worse.

[Shane]

Oyster shell grit does buffer, but I like the potassium carbonate better as it supplies potassium.

I tried using oyster shell grit in one of my outdoor systems when the pH plummetted, but it resulted no noticeable buffering of the pH to me?
I still find I need to buffer this system almost weekly (I use a small amount of builders lime).

Cheers,
Shane.

[Ueberwinden]

Right now my tank capacity is 165 gallon (or 3-55gal barrels with a section removed from the side) and I have allowed for the addition of more barrels in the future as needed. Hopefully this allows for an easy cycling process. -Michael

[Pugo]

Got any pictures of this? I would love to see how you did this..

[Ueberwinden]

The tanks are still mounted like this, but the flush valve now has a permanent mount on the left of the tanks. I used 3/4" PVC to connect the tanks. I wil take a new pic tomorrow. -Michael