I think peat could be added to bring down Ph, and would work in say a bucket with water trickling through it, and draining out the bottom, but trying to use it as an actual filter media is just a bad idea. Too unstable, will degrade, and break apart, and become a maintenance nightmare. Maybe fill a 55 with it and very slowly trickle water through. Plan on changing it often. Again it is just a bad idea. Use muriatic acid to lower the Ph instead
Everything I read about using acid to lower pH seemed like a bad idea. When I experiment in buckets my water looks like soda pop by the time I get a normal pH. I'm not going to mess with pH on my talapia but I am interested to see if I could lower the PH enough to raise catfish. Maybe I will set up a kiddie pool and do some experimenting.
I agree that the peat will have to be use in baskets or trays above or away from the pool and water sprinkled over it. Otherwise it will just rot.
I just thought of something. Kitty litter is made of clay and I think it has a low PH. I will try and remember to buy a bag of the cheap stuff to test it out next time I go to walmart. When I just researched it some people say it makes the water acid and some say it doesn't and depends on the brand. One guy bought a product from walmart automotive that he claimed made the water so acid it killed his fish but I suspect it may have contained some kind of additive.
As far as I know I am the only one for at least 100 miles raising fish. But I got a feeling some of my neighbors are going to start doing it. It has also lowered the temperature in the area significantly and is becoming my favorite hang out spot. Dragon flies regularly visit the pool and bats come by at sunset and sunrise. They fly all over the area and dive bomb the pool. Zeroscape is the norm out here but I am going for the oasis theme... even though it's not PC... OK maybe BECAUSE it's not PC!
