DIY blackwater

[MiminoloGy]

Hi folks,

I endeavoured to make a bottle of PMBW (poor man's black water) by boiling some driftwoods, ADA soil and ketapang leaves.

Do you think it will help to soften the new water I add in for my water changes? I have stones in my tank which I suspect are keeping the kH high >6 and I'm adding this BW to bring down the kH.

Does anyone know? Thanks

[aquarius]

You should remove the stones in your tank that is causing the kh/ph to be high instead of keeping them there and at the same time adding things to bring down the kh/ph.

If you want to bring down the ph, use either ADA soil (don't need to boil), peat or ketapang leaves will do the job. ADA soil and Peat will stop giving out it's acidic contents after some time. As for ketapang leaves or commercially sold blackwater...... you'll need to use/dose a large amount before you'll see a substantial reduction in ph. So for long term between ADA soil and Peat, go for Peat cos can remove from tank and add again if necessary.

If you want to use ketapang leaves, go get it from the roadside at changi area instead of purchasing from LFS. Btw get the leaves that are dried ones and then soak them all in a container or spare tank for a couple of days.

[Jungle-mania]

I used to stay in Changi and I did the same thing too. I recommend that you wash the leaves and soak the leaves in hot water till you get a nice dark tea colour. You can use the soaked water thereafter. Very effective, saved me a few bucks.

[MiminoloGy]

You should remove the stones in your tank that is causing the kh/ph to be high instead of keeping them there and at the same time adding things to bring down the kh/ph.

If you want to bring down the ph, use either ADA soil (don't need to boil), peat or ketapang leaves will do the job. ADA soil and Peat will stop giving out it's acidic contents after some time. As for ketapang leaves or commercially sold blackwater...... you'll need to use/dose a large amount before you'll see a substantial reduction in ph. So for long term between ADA soil and Peat, go for Peat cos can remove from tank and add again if necessary.

If you want to use ketapang leaves, go get it from the roadside at changi area instead of purchasing from LFS. Btw get the leaves that are dried ones and then soak them all in a container or spare tank for a couple of days.

I can't take those stones out, they are part of the scaping! Hehe.. It's just that it's difficult to get some of the softwater preferred plants to adapt to the higher kH like HC for example.

When you mention large amounts, do you have any idea what is the ratio? Oh yes by the way, is there a limit on the concentration of the blackwater? For e.g soaking 1 leaf compared to soaking 100 leaves in a given 5l water mixture, is there a maximum in between or beyond such that the concentration is capped?and if so what should be a good ratio?

[MiminoloGy]

I used to stay in Changi and I did the same thing too. I recommend that you wash the leaves and soak the leaves in hot water till you get a nice dark tea colour. You can use the soaked water thereafter. Very effective, saved me a few bucks.

Yes dude, I'm thinking if going long term into this hobby, these few bucks can be better saved for something else.

Not sure if it's because that I'm using boiling instead of just soaking I'm getting a super 'Teh O GAO' hehe.

[RonWill]

Water used in soaking sphagnum moss (prepared for orchid, platycerium, CPs, etc) can be used to lower pH. Soaked for a few days & straight from the tub, the Merck test-strips read pH5 and isn't as tanic as ketapang tea. Not tested for kH but try it and let us know.

[MiminoloGy]

Hmmm, you making me itchy to try this too. Update when I can have the chance to get some sphagnum moss From far east floral

[aquarius]

When you mention large amounts, do you have any idea what is the ratio? Oh yes by the way, is there a limit on the concentration of the blackwater? For e.g soaking 1 leaf compared to soaking 100 leaves in a given 5l water mixture, is there a maximum in between or beyond such that the concentration is capped?and if so what should be a good ratio?

Soaking 100 leaves in 5L of water will definately give more "concentrated" tanins or lower ph levels than 1 leaf in the same amount of water. Not sure about the ratio or whether if there is a max/cap on the concentration level.

Actually for many of us, dosing is more an estimate than an exact science. Basically get as many dried leaves as you can and soak/boil in a given amount of water. When your main ketapang solution is very concentrated, you'll need to add less of it into your tanks.

Btw if you're not boiling or adding hot water onto the leaves, it's better to add a concentrated amount of potassium permangernate to disinfect the leaves in case there's any parasite.

[MiminoloGy]

Soaking 100 leaves in 5L of water will definately give more "concentrated" tanins or lower ph levels than 1 leaf in the same amount of water. Not sure about the ratio or whether if there is a max/cap on the concentration level.

Actually for many of us, dosing is more an estimate than an exact science. Basically get as many dried leaves as you can and soak/boil in a given amount of water. When your main ketapang solution is very concentrated, you'll need to add less of it into your tanks.

Btw if you're not boiling or adding hot water onto the leaves, it's better to add a concentrated amount of potassium permangernate to disinfect the leaves in case there's any parasite.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge on this, appreciate it.

I guess I was just seeking for an easy ratio to pursue after for convenience's sake.

I'm boiling anyway so I will skip the Potassium permanganate.

[RonWill]

Btw if you're not boiling or adding hot water onto the leaves, it's better to add a concentrated amount of potassium permangernate

Why add unnecessary components into the mix? Simply rinse the leaves, stuff as much as it's possible into a curry fish-head takeaway container. Fill water over the top-most leaf and zap it for about 8 mins on high in the microwave. The heat will take care of most stowaways. Repeat the zapping if you're not confident that all bugs are killed. Leave it to bench cool and you'll end up with tea so thick, you can't see your fingers!

Leaves can be reused but subsequent 'tea solution' (or your PMBW) is of lower concentration and may contain more minute particles due to the accelerated breakdown of the leaves' fibers.

[MiminoloGy]

Thanks Ronnie for the valuable info.

I will keep that in mind.

[RonWill]

You're welcomed and if one is picky about particles, there's always the cloth-type coffee filter or the trusty cotton handkerchief.