- #1
mcstatz5829
- 10
- 2
- TL;DR Summary
- Could increase from 0 to 4ppm ammonia increase pH from 7.4 to 8.2?
Hi everyone, hoping for some quick help.
I’m trying to get the chemistry right for an aquaponics garden I’m building. I screwed up pretty bad the first time and just swapped out almost 100% of the water (there was a residual 2-3 gallons in the bottom of the growbed).
Last night added in about 60 gallons of filtered drinking water. Tested the pH at 7.4. When I tested the pH, I don’t think there was enough time for the 2-3 gallons in the growbed to fully mix in.
Last thing before bed was adding some urea to decompose into ammonia.
This morning pH was 8.2! And ppm ammonia was 4.
What I don’t know:
Buffer of the water (suspecting weak)
pH of the residual water (prior tests were 7.2-7.4, but I believe the water was brackish and the tests inaccurate. Freshwater aquarium testing kit used).
Prior ppm ammonia (assumed 0, water was straight from tap filter)
I’ve read urine tends to be acidic, but I’m guessing that changes as the urea decomposes into ammonia?
What I’m trying to hopefully understand is if the majority of that 8.2 pH is because of the ammonia, which would be good, or if pH will stay elevated when the ammonia is converted to nitrites, which would be bad.
I’m trying to get the chemistry right for an aquaponics garden I’m building. I screwed up pretty bad the first time and just swapped out almost 100% of the water (there was a residual 2-3 gallons in the bottom of the growbed).
Last night added in about 60 gallons of filtered drinking water. Tested the pH at 7.4. When I tested the pH, I don’t think there was enough time for the 2-3 gallons in the growbed to fully mix in.
Last thing before bed was adding some urea to decompose into ammonia.
This morning pH was 8.2! And ppm ammonia was 4.
What I don’t know:
Buffer of the water (suspecting weak)
pH of the residual water (prior tests were 7.2-7.4, but I believe the water was brackish and the tests inaccurate. Freshwater aquarium testing kit used).
Prior ppm ammonia (assumed 0, water was straight from tap filter)
I’ve read urine tends to be acidic, but I’m guessing that changes as the urea decomposes into ammonia?
What I’m trying to hopefully understand is if the majority of that 8.2 pH is because of the ammonia, which would be good, or if pH will stay elevated when the ammonia is converted to nitrites, which would be bad.