Peat Tea

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Hello friends, I have made my own peat tea tonight and I went a bit ham. Pic to follow when the sun goes down. (I reserve the right to forget) I figure this is a good time to give the thread the ole bump. In a resource I've found extremely helpful the following was stated
Peat moss softens water and reduces its hardness (GH). The most effective way to soften water via peat is to aerate water for 1-2 weeks in a bucket containing peat moss. For example, get a (plastic) bucket of the appropriate size. Then, get a large quantity of peat (a gallon or more), boil it (so that it sinks), stuff it in a pillow case, and place it in the water bucket. Use an air pump to aerate it. In 1-2 weeks, the water will be softer and more acidic. Use this aged water when making partial water changes on your tank.

Peat can be bought at pet shops, but it is expensive. It is much more cost-effective to buy it in bulk at a local gardening shop. Read labels carefully! You don't want to use peat containing fertilizers or other additives.

Although some folks place peat in the filters of their tanks, the technique has a number of drawbacks. First, peat clogs easily, so adding peat isn't always effective. Second, peat can be messy and may cloud the water in your tank. Third, the exact quantity of peat needed to effectively soften your water is difficult to estimate. Using the wrong amount results in the wrong water chemistry. Finally, when doing water changes, your tank's chemistry changes when new water is added (it has the wrong properties). Over the next few days, the chemistry changes as the peat takes effect. Using aged water helps ensure that the chemistry of your tank doesn't fluctuate while doing water changes.
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Source: http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin-chem.html

This was shared by one of the sages on here. (RD, probably) I'll be giving this a shot on my next attempt. I have a pretty decent drip going so long term effects will be tested, although I likely won't update.
 
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It would depend on your tap water and its buffering capability.
 
HarleyK said:
Nice and easy, and the good thing is: You know exactly what goes into your tank.
Back in the 90's I used to pour Tetra ToruMin into my tank, and was wondering why algae bloomed. Turns out, Tetra added phosphates as stabilizers to their additive. How smart was that...

You well suit your handle, Aquanero!
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excess phosphates don't cause algae, excess other factors such as light do
 
convict360 said:
excess phosphates don't cause algae, excess other factors such as light do
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You may not remember what our water ways looked like before phosphate-free detergents were introduced...
 
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