Re: [Fwd: Re: Oak Leaves ?]

[IDMiamiBob@aol.com]

Michael writes:

> The problem I've had with peat is that it takes so much "peat extract"
>  to get my pH down below 7 I can't even see through the water to the back
>  side of a 10G!  I haven't tried activated carbon to remove the tannins
>  (and I'm still a little unconvinced that you can remove the tannins and
>  leave the tannic acid).  My water is pretty soft 3.5KH and I can't
>  imagine how dark a tank would be with all of the peat required to lower
>  the pH of a hard tank.

KH keeps the pH up.  A KH level of 3.5 can be enough to do it.  If you can't 
beat the alkalinity, it is time to consider De-ionization, or maybe enough 
muriatic acid to cut the KH down.  Muriatic is H2O and HCl.  The H+ ions will 
interact with the CO3--, reducing it to H2O and CO2.  The remaining 
Cl- will associate with the Ca, Mg, or whatever is the cation of your 
carbonate.  It will keep TDS down, and allow the peat to drive pH and GH down.
The carbon does take out the tannins, but not the acid.  The tannin removes 
other cations from the water when it releases the H+.  So when the tannin is 
removed, it leaves the acid factor behind.

Bob Dixon


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