Personally, I find it more cost effective to make my own blackwater extract, than to buy bottles of it from my LFS. While there are a number of leaf species and seeds pods that can be safely used, I use only IAL and peat moss in my DIY blackwater extract.
To begin with, gently rinse any leaves or seed pods under the tap to remove any surface debris. Only ever collect leaves and seed pods from places where you are certain no pesticides have been used. If using peat moss, check that it does not contain any harmful chemicals, particularly if it's not being sold specifically for aquarium use.
Once everything's been rinsed, I place my ingredients in a pot full of water. Over a high heat, I bring the mixture to the boil, and once it has started to boil, I turn the heat down and let it slowly simmer. I find the longer the mixture is allow to simmer, the darker and more concentrated the extract is going to be.
After I have let it simmer (usually for an hour or two), and I am satisfied with the colour of the extract, I remove the pot from the heat and let it cool.
Once the extract has cooled to a room temperature, I pour it through a fine sieve, which will then catch any peat moss, alder cones or small pieces of leaf that may be floating around. The extract is poured into a glass or plastic bottle, and stored either in the fridge, or somewhere cool and dark. You can then choose to mix the extract with tap water, or use it undiluted.
To begin with, gently rinse any leaves or seed pods under the tap to remove any surface debris. Only ever collect leaves and seed pods from places where you are certain no pesticides have been used. If using peat moss, check that it does not contain any harmful chemicals, particularly if it's not being sold specifically for aquarium use.
Once everything's been rinsed, I place my ingredients in a pot full of water. Over a high heat, I bring the mixture to the boil, and once it has started to boil, I turn the heat down and let it slowly simmer. I find the longer the mixture is allow to simmer, the darker and more concentrated the extract is going to be.
After I have let it simmer (usually for an hour or two), and I am satisfied with the colour of the extract, I remove the pot from the heat and let it cool.
Once the extract has cooled to a room temperature, I pour it through a fine sieve, which will then catch any peat moss, alder cones or small pieces of leaf that may be floating around. The extract is poured into a glass or plastic bottle, and stored either in the fridge, or somewhere cool and dark. You can then choose to mix the extract with tap water, or use it undiluted.