My DIY peat filter

[Jedi_Pizza]

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

[HD Blazingwolf]

Originally Posted by Jedi_Pizza

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

I am dechlorinating

[Kunsthure]

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

[GeToChKn]

Originally Posted by Kunsthure

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.

[HolyAngel]

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

[GeToChKn]

Originally Posted by HolyAngel

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.

[dubels]

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.

[Jedi_Pizza]

Originally Posted by HD Blazingwolf

I am dechlorinating

Cheers

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

[HD Blazingwolf]

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

[Kunsthure]

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

[HD Blazingwolf]

Originally Posted by Kunsthure

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

[Pickled_Herring]

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

[Kunsthure]

Originally Posted by Pickled_Herring

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

[Kunsthure]

Originally Posted by HD Blazingwolf

YUP, thats the stuff

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

-Lisa

[randyl]

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.