lowering ph~ (video by pondguru)

The problem with the peat ball is how much do you squeeze it to get what pH? Sure, peat will lower the water but it's not consistent just to squeeze a ball around in a tank for a while.

This is my DIY peat filtration for making low pH water.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=175620

Depending on the flow of the water, I can bring 7.8pH, 8-9gH, 8-9kH, 190TDS tap water down to 4.6pH, 1-2gH, 0kH, 90TDS or 6.6pH, 5gH, 2-3kH, 130TDS or anywhere in between. It's taken me a while to figure out the best way to do and lots of trial and error but I can get it pretty consistent now, at least with 0.2pH of my target pH and 10+- TDS, and I used a buffering soil, so it takes care of the rest anyways for me.

Just to squeeze some in though like in that video, you could lower your pH down to 4 or even lower. I've hit 3.6pH at one point playing around.

ideally hit 5 - 5.5 ph is what im looking for~ i prefer the natural way i have all those in the tanks besides the cones and the peat balls~ lol! i think i might drop some peat granule into the canister.. see what it will bring me.. currently on 5.9~

Hi cantsay,
Nice find. Thanks for sharing. I think in a pinch, backwater extract looks to be an interesting alternative for some of us, though as the presenter states, is only temporary as peat in the tank also offers a buffering effect to some degree. But as getochkn mentions the potency is also u predictable. Best to test and determine its usefulness over time and adjust accordingly.

Again, useful video. Thanks

P.s. Come out to our nyc meet in sept. Shrimpers and Tpt members all welcome. Visit the new York forum for more details.