The experiment started really before I had thought about peat filtration, or looked into the bonuses that it adds to the tank. I had a pair of GE P/A bulbs over my tank, and they really didn't light my blood on fire with the light they put out. I picked up a pair of 6500Ks, installed them, and went to work for the night. I came back in the morning (probably about 6 hours of exposure to the new lights) to a murky green tank. Apparently green water algae loves 6500K bulbs more than my plants. I promptly switched back to my P/A bulbs and started reading about ways of getting rid of algae in a more natural way than UV sterilization, or even a blackout. I have never seen the water in the local ponds and swamps green, and I like the blackwater color, so I figured I'd read up on peat filtration. I posted inquiring as to a potential pH crash, and the one worthwhile reply put that to rest. I didn't feel like spending money on the tank, figruing there had to be an even CHEAPER alternative to peat. Enter the pre-portioned, relatively uniform consistency, tannin maker in a bag... my economy box of Lipton Decaf tea bags. 48 hours after putting two bags into my filter, the green water is gone. Growth in my tank has increased noticably, and of course the water is that lovely, amber blackwater color. If you can deal with, or like the blackwater feel of a tank, try a couple teabags, they seem to have made quite the improvement in mine.
