# My DIY peat filter



## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Working off what Randyl had posted and other posts on the internet, I needed a cheap way to lower my pH until I can figure out a RO system and not be lugging jugs of water up 3 flights of stairs all the time. My tap water has jumped up from 7.2 to 8.2 in the past few months and it's not making the neo's or the tigers happy. I'd also like to be able to use this water as a test for some low grade crystals and see if I can get away from using RO for them.

I took a 4L (1gallon) water jug, cut off the bottom and drilled a small hole in the bottom. This fits into a 5gal jug like a funnel. I stuffed a bunch of floss in the bottom, really tight, then a piece of sponge, some more floss, and I have a bunch of carbon/phosphate/ammonia pads so I cut up some of them and put them in there. Probably not needed but I have them, bought a bunch as a noob a while ago at a midnight madness sale at Big Al's, so I have them, might as well use them, then more floss and some peat in pantyhose. I then put my shower facet on a slow drip right on the top of the peat. It takes about an hour to 1.5hrs depending on if people in the house flush or are doing laundry and I have 5gal of water that was 8.2pH, 230tds, 8gh down 5.8pH, 105tds, 4 gh.

Here's a pic of my ghetto funnel system.









and a jug of water just done, crystal clear. It may have a tiny, tiny, brown tinge but purigen in my tanks will filter that out. Already been swapping out water in my tiger tank to get the pH down from 8.0 to 7.5 and will do some more over the week to get it to around 7. If I need, I can mix my peat water with tap water and age it to get the pH where I want it anywhere from 5.8 that it's at to 6.5, 7, whatever value I want.


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## Bananariot (Feb 28, 2012)

Holy smokes, that's like the ideal water conditions! Awesome. Though why is your bathtub all wrapped up like that?


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Bananariot said:


> Holy smokes, that's like the ideal water conditions! Awesome. Though why is your bathtub all wrapped up like that?


it's a clawfoot but to use a shower, I need curtains 360 around to keep water from the floor.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

2nd batch is down to 5.3pH.


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## MarkPeggie (Jan 18, 2011)

Hello ,Tonight i was trying something similar ,I have a 60 liter CRS tank with 20 odd higher grade CRS my problem is my ph tends to rise over time to around 7.5 .

I do use RO water and peat to bring it back down to 6.6 but it never lasts more than a few days and i get a rebound ,its a very slow rebound so its no danger to the shrimp.

What i was looking for a way to constantly lower the ph to a certain level and keep it there ...my idea is to use a drip system of peat water to lower the ph ...this would be on a timer . the same way ferts are dosed mechanically .

Ive built the device and tested it and it works now i just have to figure out dosing rates and timing .

Typically i will see a swing of 0.3 in a day so i wont have to dose much to bring it back down.

I am also testing to see if there is any ph swing in the peat water itself from when its first made to a few days later .

I can post my results and show you how i did it with pics tomorrow if your interested ?

Mark


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Sure, lets see what you did. I will test tomorrow and see how much the pH creep is on it.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Markpeggie, your kH may also be rather high and that is going to cause the pH to creep back up and the peat isn't filtering enough out. I just tested, my tap is 4kH, my peat water was 0kH, so I assume mine won't drift much upwards.


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## discus fever (Jun 16, 2010)

A faster way to do this is what some people call a "peat bomb" . Take a section of 4" pvc with screw on caps and plumb a power head to push water through the pipe . It can be used in a holding tank or plumbed right into a supply line to your holding tank without the pump. A few discus keepers used to do this a few years ago. The screw on caps allow you to easily change out the peat.


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## HiepSTA (Aug 23, 2011)

where do you get peat from?


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

HiepSTA said:


> where do you get peat from?


Got Spagnum Peat from the Hardware store. About 5$ for a bag the size of an insulation roll or a rolled up sleeping bag.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

So took me about 6 hours to make 20gals, about the same as a 60gpd ro unit would. Seems after about 20gals the floss and sponges need cleaning, and the peat is starting to wear out a bit as the pH went up about 0.2 in the final batch. Not bad, used about 30cents worth if peat.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Well almost 24hours later after letting a jug degas any CO2 in the water, the pH crept to 6.1 from 5.8. Not bad and still very usable. I'll let it sit another day and see if it keeps creeping.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

GeToChKn, nice work here also, very little run off waste unlike RO where it just runs down the drain.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

acitydweller said:


> GeToChKn, nice work here also, very little run off waste unlike RO where it just runs down the drain.


Ya, no run off. I want to measure for a few days, see if I get any more of a pH rise then going to setup a tank and test it with some low crystal culls and see what happens. lol. So far mixing it in my too high pH yellow/tiger tank, they seem to be liking it. Seeing saddles, seeing the tigers all dancing around last night after doing a 25% WC to bring the pH down.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Do you pay for your water or is it "free"?


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

diwu13 said:


> Do you pay for your water or is it "free"?


I pay. lots, hence my want of not going RO if I can as wasting 4-1 for it. lol.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Oh ! Yea I see now haha. I was just thinking how much water I was wasting running the tap for hours on end to fill 5G buckets.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

diwu13 said:


> Oh ! Yea I see now haha. I was just thinking how much water I was wasting running the tap for hours on end to fill 5G buckets.


It's a slow drip and whether its 20mins to fill 20gallons or 6 hours to fill 20gallons, it's still only 20gallons of water used in the end. RO would be 80-100 gallons used. Now if it doesn't work, I'll have to go the RO route but I'm testing, always looking to save money and be cheap about my hobby. lol.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

I would love to have something like a brita filter for this.... would make things much easier for me. Maybe i have to hack one of mine open as a test! HMMMM!


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Since bringing the pH down from 8.2-8.4 down to 7.2 using peat filtered water and tap water mixed, my yellows and tigers are loving it and I have about 6 berried shrimp between the 2. Beats the 0 berried I had for months before hand because of the high pH water I've gotten in the last 6 months.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

This is awesome!


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> This is awesome!


After some testing and working with it, I have it pretty consistent to get whatever pH I want mixing with tap or minerals as it comes out about 5.2pH 3-4gH, 0-1kH from the peat filter and about 3 handfuls of peat makes me 20gal of water at those params. That's about 10 cents worth of peat.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

The key to this is the speed of the water passing through the peat. Too fast and it doesn't do enough buffering. It takes me about 1.5hrs to make a 5gal jug, probably not much slower than a RO unit takes to make it. I add a bit of mineral plus back to boost it up a bit and get some trace minerals in there. 

So far everyone is doing good with it, got about 7 berried CRS in it, some babies around. Lost some babies but that's probably a nitrate issue right now since mine are high and I'm working on taking that down. For my tigers/rcs/yellows, I mix about 1/4 peat water with tap water and it gets it about 6.8pH 180TDS to use them for them.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

HEY i thought u might like this as far as time saving
i took ur idea but fused it with a cerge reactor 
peat floss and carbon. about 3 handfulls of peat in a mesh bag, floss to prevent particles and carbon to keep it clear

run in a 5 gallon bucket by a 200 gph pump and 20 minutes later. poof 6.8 ph and 3 kh

haven't tested the tds difference yet. i will do that tomorrow when i do the shrimp water change


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

GeToChKn, Have you tested if running the same water in multiple passes of the filter further lower ph or render no further benefit?


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

acitydweller said:


> GeToChKn, Have you tested if running the same water in multiple passes of the filter further lower ph or render no further benefit?


1 pass with it going from a drip from my shower head through the peat gives me 100TDS, 5.3pH. I don't want it any lower. lol. The faster the water goes through in a reactor type of state, or what they call a "peat bomb" (pvc tubing filled with peat) will give a lot higher results in pH/TDS, but with a slow drip, 1 pass is good.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> HEY i thought u might like this as far as time saving
> i took ur idea but fused it with a cerge reactor
> peat floss and carbon. about 3 handfulls of peat in a mesh bag, floss to prevent particles and carbon to keep it clear
> 
> ...



Cool. Glad others are trying other stuff with this. I've thought of doing something else eventually with it. I tried using a separate tank before with peat in it, but that didn't work. Still a few more things to try and may try your idea at some point.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

I think your contribution is stickie worthy!


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## Snowflake311 (Apr 20, 2011)

I have made black water by putting peat in a mesh bag and soaking it in hot water. It's pretty amazing how fast it works. 

It would not hurt to keep a bag of peat in the filter to help. I use to keep peat in the filter with really good results.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Snowflake311 said:


> I have made black water by putting peat in a mesh bag and soaking it in hot water. It's pretty amazing how fast it works.
> 
> It would not hurt to keep a bag of peat in the filter to help. I use to keep peat in the filter with really good results.


I would add it to a filter if your water was close anyways and keep replacing it. The problem is people think you can put some in your filter and use very different water with it. It does wear out and take a bit to get activated, so it would be a balancing game. To have some in a filter though just to help keep the gh/kh/ph down and replacing the same amount at a regular time interval might be a bit helpful.


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## deleted_user_17 (Jun 14, 2012)

Thanks for sharing your setup getochkn, I can't get an ro unit here, so keep trundling off to the lfs to buy water. As my tank is small, I'm going to give this a go sometime. 

I just had a very quick Google and found this bucket method which I might try. 

Are you dechlorinating at all? 

Thanks again, could save me lots in petrol money


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

Jedi_Pizza said:


> Thanks for sharing your setup getochkn, I can't get an ro unit here, so keep trundling off to the lfs to buy water. As my tank is small, I'm going to give this a go sometime.
> 
> I just had a very quick Google and found this bucket method which I might try.
> 
> ...



I am dechlorinating


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

This is sticky-worthy. Someone alert the mods!

Does the amount of peat used affect the pH in the end or is it just the speed at which the water flows through? If I ever get to set up another tank, it'll be OEBT or BTOE, so I wouldn't want it super low. 

-Lisa


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Kunsthure said:


> This is sticky-worthy. Someone alert the mods!
> 
> Does the amount of peat used affect the pH in the end or is it just the speed at which the water flows through? If I ever get to set up another tank, it'll be OEBT or BTOE, so I wouldn't want it super low.
> 
> -Lisa


I use about 2-3 handfuls of peat in my DIY filter-funnel thingy, that makes me 20gal of around 5.3pH 110TDS water, then I ditch the peat. I could probably make more but I only have 4 5-gal jugs, so I fill those and use them then make more. I did find though that the faster the water goes through, the higher the pH. I let it literally drip water from my shower head, so it takes about 1.5hrs to make a jug and that gets it low. If I increase the water flow, it can take 45mins and the pH/TDS ends up higher, so the longer the water is in contact with the peat, the better it works.


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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

Will probably try this soon. Great write up and idea! ^^


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

HolyAngel said:


> Will probably try this soon. Great write up and idea! ^^


Thanks. Takes me about 5 mins to set it up, and then switch jugs every 1.5 hrs and it's done. Not that much work really, as long as you have an old lady that doesn't mind the bathtub full of jugs once a week. lol.


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

I think I am going to use this to slowly lower the PH in my RCS tank so I can try my hand at low quality CRS. I might try to do a PVC type cylinder or something. Thanks for posting this.


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## deleted_user_17 (Jun 14, 2012)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> I am dechlorinating


Cheers 

I went to a garden centre to get some peat yesterday, the bag was so massive - I'll keep looking!


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

so mine is a twostage setup now.
two whole housefilters setup in series. one is peat and floss, the second isa carbon block
bucket for 20 minutes dropped ph from 7.8-8 to 6.8 tds from 115 to 104.. peat is dead from previous experiments ithink. but the water was stiill usuable 

next week ill postpics with new peat and hope for better results. i dont wanna get down to 5! but carbon does affect this process i assume as it probably absorbs the humic acidpeat releases so too muchcarbon may affect ur ph values


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

The only peat I can ever find is in a bag, sphagnum peat and the ingredients lists stuff like sticks. Is that something I can use?

-Lisa


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

Kunsthure said:


> The only peat I can ever find is in a bag, sphagnum peat and the ingredients lists stuff like sticks. Is that something I can use?
> 
> -Lisa


YUP, thats the stuff


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## Pickled_Herring (Jul 26, 2010)

You can also put a filter bag filled with peat in a canister or HOB filter and treat the tank directly.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

Pickled_Herring said:


> You can also put a filter bag filled with peat in a canister or HOB filter and treat the tank directly.


But then you can end up with yellowed water and you don't have as much control over the numbers you get in the end.

-Lisa


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> YUP, thats the stuff


Do you pick out all the non-peat stuff or just leave it in?

-Lisa


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## randyl (Feb 1, 2012)

I use a 4liter bucket with a small hole on the bottom, run a 3 way air line connector through the hole, on the outside connect it to a piece of air tube with a regulator to regulate the water flow. Like GTCK said, the flow rate determine the outcome, the slower the better. 

I don't pick anything out of the peat. When it's time to change peat I just dump the used one in the garden for my hydrangea and rose bushes to enjoy.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

Kunsthure said:


> Do you pick out all the non-peat stuff or just leave it in?
> 
> -Lisa


currenty i just grab handfulls and throw it in. the peat will becomes useless far before the bark that may be in there does any potential damage.
the worst i can see it do is leach some tannins, which peat will be full of

just remember the peat is farmed from wetlands, the bark has been there as long as the peat.. its not but a few years away from actually becomming just straight mulm


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## Mr. Leg (Feb 2, 2011)

getochkn hey after a few months has your PH been stable in the tank? I thought peat lowered the PH by adding tannins. In your OP you said you are using purigen, which would soak up the tannins. 
Also is it the peat or carbon bringing the GH and TDS down. 

Another note, I use the waist water from RO to water my grass.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Mr. Leg said:


> getochkn hey after a few months has your PH been stable in the tank? I thought peat lowered the PH by adding tannins. In your OP you said you are using purigen, which would soak up the tannins.
> Also is it the peat or carbon bringing the GH and TDS down.
> 
> Another note, I use the waist water from RO to water my grass.


My soil buffers my pH to around 5, so I'm trying to get the peat water just above and let the soil buffer the rest, so it's not different that adding a higher pH water to any buffering soil. Using buffering soils, it's usually impossible to add water of the same pH back. What's more important is keeping the gH/TDS consistent.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

im curious as im not a super shrimp keeper. why would u want so low ph?


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> im curious as im not a super shrimp keeper. why would u want so low ph?


Crystals don't mind it at all, and if I even get taiwan bee's, they'll love it too. Plus, with the netlea soil, that's what it buffers too. It's either don't use active substrate or use what I can get.


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> im curious as im not a super shrimp keeper. why would u want so low ph?


If he's keeping super sensitive shrimp like TBs that require low pH. Also there's less chance of bacterial infection in a low pH.

Btw, do you know of any good LFS's I can buy plants at? I'm going to Chattanooga this weekend


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Overgrowth said:


> If he's keeping super sensitive shrimp like TBs that require low pH. Also there's less chance of bacterial infection in a low pH.
> 
> Btw, do you know of any good LFS's I can buy plants at? I'm going to Chattanooga this weekend


lower bacteria infections and ammonia is way less toxic at that low of a pH as well.


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

Kunsthure said:


> Do you pick out all the non-peat stuff or just leave it in?
> 
> -Lisa


You can also find Fluval Peat Granules at Petco.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

Overgrowth said:


> If he's keeping super sensitive shrimp like TBs that require low pH. Also there's less chance of bacterial infection in a low pH.
> 
> Btw, do you know of any good LFS's I can buy plants at? I'm going to Chattanooga this weekend


my place. i supply the LFS !!!! HAHAHA
however the LFS i frequent has excellent fish health for the area if u need fishies


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Overgrowth said:


> You can also find Fluval Peat Granules at Petco.


I find the fluval or eheim ones don't buffer that much and are expensive. $20 for a little box of pellets or $5 for a bale size of garden peat moss. I should be able to make at least 2000 gallons from a $5 bale of peat if not more, it's hard to estimate as it's compressed in the bale and I've barely made a dent in. I'd say probably closer to 3000-4000 gallons. It's coming out around 90-100TDS, 2-3 gH, so I add a bit of mineral plus to it to boost the gH and get some essential minerals in there for the crystals. For my neos and tigers, I mix about 1/4 peat water with 3/4 tap water and it lowers the pH to around 7, 170 TDS and they seem to be doing good with it.


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

GeToChKn said:


> I find the fluval or eheim ones don't buffer that much and are expensive. $20 for a little box of pellets or $5 for a bale size of garden peat moss. I should be able to make at least 2000 gallons from a $5 bale of peat if not more, it's hard to estimate as it's compressed in the bale and I've barely made a dent in. I'd say probably closer to 3000-4000 gallons. It's coming out around 90-100TDS, 2-3 gH, so I add a bit of mineral plus to it to boost the gH and get some essential minerals in there for the crystals. For my neos and tigers, I mix about 1/4 peat water with 3/4 tap water and it lowers the pH to around 7, 170 TDS and they seem to be doing good with it.


About 30 minutes ago I made a 'mini' version of your peat filter that attaches to my sink faucet (it's a water bottle :biggrin: ), and my water is already soft so I just used a little bit of the Fluval granules that I already had left over. Normally it's at 7.4 because the pH is raised by whoever controls the water supply, it's 6.8-7.0 naturally, so I only have to use a little bit, maybe about 1/4 cup, to get the pH at 6.5ish. In my case the Fluval ones last a long time and I don't need the pH to go down that much. 

I also have another question. After I turn off the faucet there's a little bit of water left over that stays in the filter. Can I just leave it in there, or will it lower the pH next time I use the filter?

Here's a picture:


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Overgrowth said:


> I also have another question. After I turn off the faucet there's a little bit of water left over that stays in the filter. Can I just leave it in there, or will it lower the pH next time I use the filter?


I would take it out and let it dry. You don't want to let it stay wet in there and get moldy or have bad bacteria growing in it.


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

GeToChKn said:


> I would take it out and let it dry. You don't want to let it stay wet in there and get moldy or have bad bacteria growing in it.


Okay. thanks.


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## shrimpNewbie (May 6, 2011)

Have you tried this without carbon or should it be mixed? I know angels aren't very particular but I want them happy! And I hate the idea of using ro even though I have a system waiting to be setup


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## shrimpNewbie (May 6, 2011)

Anyone know the cost of the 5g jugs? I'm gonna need about 5 for my water changes o.o


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

5 gal buckets at walmart are 3 bux


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## shrimpNewbie (May 6, 2011)

Buckets aren't what I'm after I need something easy to pour into my overflow so like the water jugs


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

shrimpNewbie said:


> Buckets aren't what I'm after I need something easy to pour into my overflow so like the water jugs


You can buy jugs at walmart for their culligan RO/DI water. The jugs cost ~$11-15 depending on your area. When you first buy it, it comes with a fill as well.


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

ahh i see.. at this point i'd say it would be easier to get a 40 gallon rigid dog food container and put a pump in it to reach ur overflow


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## hedge_fund (Jan 1, 2006)

I might try something similar with my already made R/O water....I'll just buy some peat and make little bags to drop in the 5 gallon buckets so the water gets some "age" to it before adding in the tank. I get a decent amount of evaporation from the A/C that is directly pointed at my tank. With that said, I add about .75 gallons of water a day so aging my new R/O water is probably beneficial. Does anybody know how much peat I should be utilizing in a 5 gallon bucket?


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

so far our average rule between the op myself and one other guy is 3 handfulls per 5 gallons. that amount seems to do a total of 15 gallons by the third time its shot
be careful doing it with straight ro. because RO has nothing in it, it can buffer down fairly low with peat being acidic. u will def want to remineralze before going into the tank or the resulting ph change as empty ro hits buffered tank water may be crazy


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## Overgrowth (Feb 19, 2012)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> so far our average rule between the op myself and one other guy is 3 handfulls per 5 gallons. that amount seems to do a total of 15 gallons by the third time its shot
> be careful doing it with straight ro. because RO has nothing in it, it can buffer down fairly low with peat being acidic. u will def want to remineralze before going into the tank or the resulting ph change as empty ro hits buffered tank water may be crazy


How much should I use to lower RO just a tiny bit? My tap water is pretty much RO with a slightly acidic pH and a KH of 0-1. I'm trying to lower the pH by maybe 0.2 or 0.3.


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

Overgrowth said:


> How much should I use to lower RO just a tiny bit? My tap water is pretty much RO with a slightly acidic pH and a KH of 0-1. I'm trying to lower the pH by maybe 0.2 or 0.3.


What shrimp is this for? And why are you worrying about such a small amount?

-Lisa


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## hedge_fund (Jan 1, 2006)

I checked out a hardware store and they only had the huge bails of Sphagnum Peat and that's not something I want to be dragging into my apt. I bring girls here...they already think I'm a freak for having 2 "fish tanks" (shrimp tanks). :icon_mrgr

Anyway, this thread inspired me to start aging my R/O water before putting it in the tank. I added 3 almond leaves in a 5 gallon bucket along with an air stone. We'll see how it turns out later on in the day when I check the parameters. 

Prior to me putting air stone and leaves in:
TDS: 0
PH: 7.0
GH: 0


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## Kunsthure (Aug 2, 2010)

Where are you guys getting "bails" of peat? When I go to Home Depot or Lowes, it's always in a bag. 

-Lisa


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## hedge_fund (Jan 1, 2006)

Kunsthure said:


> Where are you guys getting "bails" of peat? When I go to Home Depot or Lowes, it's always in a bag.
> 
> -Lisa


A local nursery here has bails. Maybe I'll check out home depot.


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## shrimpzoo (Sep 27, 2011)

when I pass by Canadian Tire (just some Canadian store I doubt people who aren't from Canada know of) have bags of peat too so you aren't alone =p

I'm probably going to try out this method because I doubt I'm going to have an RO unit in the house lol. I have like three cut up 2L pop bottles so I'm probably going to stack them on top of each other to make a tower and make it run through a system of peat, crushed up indian almond leaves, and then through more peat or something along those lines.

When I get my master testing kit someday and build my pop bottle tower, I'll post results and let you guys know how it works out.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

shrimpzoo said:


> when I pass by Canadian Tire (just some Canadian store I doubt people who aren't from Canada know of) have bags of peat too so you aren't alone =p
> 
> I'm probably going to try out this method because I doubt I'm going to have an RO unit in the house lol. I have like three cut up 2L pop bottles so I'm probably going to stack them on top of each other to make a tower and make it run through a system of peat, crushed up indian almond leaves, and then through more peat or something along those lines.
> 
> When I get my master testing kit someday and build my pop bottle tower, I'll post results and let you guys know how it works out.



That's what I got, a huge bag/bail whatever you want to call it.


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## shrimpNewbie (May 6, 2011)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> ahh i see.. at this point i'd say it would be easier to get a 40 gallon rigid dog food container and put a pump in it to reach ur overflow


Tempting however I don't have space for something like that near the tank and Although strog I can't move 40g a water together. Guess I'll figure something out


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## deleted_user_17 (Jun 14, 2012)

Lugged a 125litre bale of peat moss back here yesterday and started experimenting  I'm using a bucket, a cut up, upside down 2l water with filter floss stuck in the end and peat. This fits under the taps in the bath. Slow drip.

My tap water
PH - over 7.8
TDS - 270+
KH -10
GH - 16

After slowly running through 3 handfuls of peat

PH - 6.0 
TDS - 120
KH - 2
GH - 4

Wow!!

It came out a yellow colour, but after a night in the tank, the water's clear. I added Prime to dechlorinate. The tank filter runs carbon filters then Purigen. I'll add some carbon to the peat filter at some point. 

This hopefully means no more driving to buy RO  

I'll continue to experiment with timing and equipment to see how far I get the TDS down.

Thanks once again GeToChKn, and everyone else who chipped in to this awesome thread


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## xenxes (Dec 22, 2011)

This is pretty awesome. Peat moss doesn't leech tannins or anything?


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

it sure does!


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

So what happens if I use this method on my tap water, get it down to a desired pH, lets say 6.5, then add to the tank with inert substrate? Will it hold or will it creep up/down?


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Nubster said:


> So what happens if I use this method on my tap water, get it down to a desired pH, lets say 6.5, then add to the tank with inert substrate? Will it hold or will it creep up/down?


Would depend on the KH of your tap, as that's what's gonna be buffering the pH change.


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

My tap is:

pH 7.6
KH 5
GH 6 or 7
TDS 117


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Nubster said:


> My tap is:
> 
> pH 7.6
> KH 5
> ...


Something doesn't add up. 1degree of hardness = 17.9ppm. You should have at least ~196TDS on your tap?


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## Exceliber (Feb 1, 2012)

diwu13 said:


> Something doesn't add up. 1degree of hardness = 17.9ppm. You should have at least ~196TDS on your tap?


If the hardness is 6-7, and 1 degree is 17.9ppm, then shouldn't the TDS be somewhere 107-125? That 117 sounds about right to me.

Also, thanks so much for the awesome idea! I'll be implementing this in my new tank setup.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Exceliber said:


> If the hardness is 6-7, and 1 degree is 17.9ppm, then shouldn't the TDS be somewhere 107-125? That 117 sounds about right to me.
> 
> Also, thanks so much for the awesome idea! I'll be implementing this in my new tank setup.


Yea... if only kh and gh BOTH didn't contribute to TDS :confused1:


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I have been doing this for a long time, but a slightly different method. 

I use the Rubbermaid Brute garbage cans, with wheels. (I have 3 cans, 20, 32 and 44 gallons)

I put a Knee-Hi nylon stocking full of peat moss in the can (1 knee hi per any size can) and fill with water. Add dechlor.

I start with water the right temperature from the tap, a blend of hot and cold. 

I turn on a fountain pump and let it run overnight. Pump is set up in the middle on the bottom and aimed straight up. At first I connected a vinyl tube to the fountain pump outlet and aimed it right into the stocking, but I found that I did not have to do that. Just drifting in the water, the stocking of peat moss does its job just fine. Be very careful that the inlet to the pump is protected. The nylon stocking is very stretchy and can get sucked right into the pump's impeller. 

If the house is cool I will drop an aquarium heater into the middle of the water to keep it warm. Or, if I want a blend of prepared water + tap, I will mix it at the last minute with hot tap water. 

I can get 3-4 uses out of the peat moss, but it takes longer to brew as the peat moss ages. 

Peat moss acts like an ion exchange water softener. It donates H+ to the water and removes Ca++, Mg++ and other things. There is a limit to how low a pH this will make the water, but in peat bogs, where the peat and water are in contact for a lot longer the pH can be as low as 3.5. Peat bogs are a giant version of the same principle: Water trickles in slowly, meets thousands of cubic yards of peat moss then trickles out slowly. 

This is a permanent change in the water. However, if there is something in your tank that adds minerals to the water (Limestone, coral or other things) then the water can get harder, pH rise. This is not a problem with the peat treated water, it is something in your tank. If this is happening, the GH or KH rising in the tank, then I would test each item separately to see what is doing that to the water. 

I keep peat moss in the filters for a little bit of fine tuning, but the small amount of peat moss in the filter is nowhere near enough to handle the amount of water that I would add for a water change, and I do not want that variation going on in the tank. I want the new water to already be right for the livestock.


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## iheartcapnhook (Jan 2, 2018)

What is the best way to measure TDS?

Bump: Also, I have the API test kit for freshwater and got an extra test kit for KH and GH. Or is there a better water test kit available?

Bump:


Diana said:


> I have been doing this for a long time, but a slightly different method.
> 
> I use the Rubbermaid Brute garbage cans, with wheels. (I have 3 cans, 20, 32 and 44 gallons)
> 
> ...


Can a submersible pump work as well? Just no hose attached to the output?


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## mgeorges (Feb 1, 2017)

iheartcapnhook said:


> What is the best way to measure TDS?
> 
> Bump: Also, I have the API test kit for freshwater and got an extra test kit for KH and GH. Or is there a better water test kit available?
> 
> ...


Submersible pump would be fine, water movement is all that's needed. 
Purchase a TDS meter off Amazon, they're inexpensive. I'd recommend the HM digital TDS-4 meter. 
The test kit you purchased is what many of us use.


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## iheartcapnhook (Jan 2, 2018)

mgeorges said:


> Submersible pump would be fine, water movement is all that's needed.
> Purchase a TDS meter off Amazon, they're inexpensive. I'd recommend the HM digital TDS-4 meter.
> The test kit you purchased is what many of us use.


Thank you SO MUCH!
Brand new to the world of plants and shrimp.
I have axolotls and was gifted a dozen shrimp and a few tiny pieces of plant for the shrimp. Now I am becoming obsessed with the ideas and what is possible with shrimp, tanks, plants.... I just don't know where to start or what else is needed.
I had looked on Amazon and had no idea which was "best." And the cart continues to grow!


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## mgeorges (Feb 1, 2017)

iheartcapnhook said:


> Thank you SO MUCH!
> Brand new to the world of plants and shrimp.
> I have axolotls and was gifted a dozen shrimp and a few tiny pieces of plant for the shrimp. Now I am becoming obsessed with the ideas and what is possible with shrimp, tanks, plants.... I just don't know where to start or what else is needed.
> I had looked on Amazon and had no idea which was "best." And the cart continues to grow!


Well, feel free to start a new thread with any questions you may have. Plenty of us are more than willing to help if we can. Good luck!


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