Does anyone use Peat Moss anymore? - Page 2

waterfaller1 · 04-14-2008, 03:26 PM

I am presently using almond leaves and a media bag with organic peat moss{known as Canadian peat moss} in my 10 gal to lower the PH. I have Ecocomplete as a substrate, and my PH was running a couple points higher than I wanted. I am soon switching to Aquasoil Amazonia, so I will have to see but probably won't need it anymore there. My cube tanks were started with generic peat & compost potting soil as a base, covered with ordinary small gravel & a white sand path. I did notice a difference from the first cube to the second, as different soils were used. The second cube is just beginning to win the battle over the initial algae problems I experienced. Not sure exactly what the difference was.

jfrank85 · 04-15-2008, 10:21 PM

Eye or not Garhan your tanks look wonderful!

Garhan · 06-26-2008, 08:51 PM

John N. I hope I was able to answer your question about the peat. Living in Canada and not far from an area where peat moss is farmed and bagged has its advantages. I should maybe be more specific on the peat that I prefer to use. My favorite choice of peat is either Fluval Peat Granuales or Sera Peat Balls. The Sera is marketed for use in ponds as a algacide to prevent algae growth in ponds ???and comes in a large green mess cloth bag. I use a measured volume in my tanks and pots. About a 1% by volume of gravel used in a tank. It doesnt take much product.

As for the Canadian Peat Moss, remember it comes out of the ground as raw matierial is dried and bagged with all the extras. I would highly suggest that it is boiled and rinsed, before using it in your tank. The main reason I like to use the Peat Granuales from Fluval or Sera is that they have already proccessed the product and reshaped it into granuales (small balls) which make it easy to use. And yes it is more expensive.

stlfishlover · 06-27-2008, 10:54 AM

In the Netherlands my husband was able to get something similar to the compacted peat flower pots only it came as a 3/4" or so thick rectangular slab that you placed right under your substrate. I have yet to find them here in the US. I'm going to see if I can grab some next week when we're there for vacation for the 46g when I start that tank up again. It seemed much easier to use than sprinkling a little peat under the substrate. The downside is that it floats, so you either have to presoak it, whereas it will leach, or just hurry and get the substrate on top. I suppose what's left in the water after you soak it though could be your very own blackwater extract lol.

Garhan · 06-27-2008, 09:02 PM

Just a thought but would the peat not be set first in the tank prior to any filling with water and then the gravel would go on top. With 2-3 inches of gravel depth, I found that once you added enough water to just cover the gravel. Very little if any peat would ever float around in the tank. If there is some floating it is very easy to use a stainless 2" gravey strainer to pull out the floating peat.

John N. · 06-28-2008, 02:27 PM

Very interesting. I noticed in the example tanks above the water looks absolutely clear. Peat often leaches a brown tinge to the tank. Not to mention, I've read that DIY substrates can leach too many organics/nutrients which can cause algae blooms.

Michelle mentioned presoaking the peak to avoid floating and leaching, which is a good idea. In the longer run, does peat become a problem with uprooting, etc.? How do manage to keep the water so pristine?

-John N.

LauraLeeLLBP · 06-29-2008, 01:35 AM

I had tons of tannins from peat under my substrate as well as my driftwood; adding Purigen to my filter did a great job of removing it from the water column. (Still dealing with GW atm, though...)

beaslbob · 07-07-2008, 11:52 AM

I use peat moss when I want to keep neon tetras. But just play sand for platys, guppies, angels, silver hatchetfish. Well for those other fish anyway.

One of the really surprising things in my tanks with no filters and not circulation, tap water, an no water changes, was that (as expected) pH was down around 7.2 or so but after a few weeks the pH rose to and has stayed at 8.4-8.8 with the API high range pH test kit (purple).

But after a year of operation the kH and GH have remained more or less constant and even dropped abit. kh=4 degrees, gh=9 degrees.

Whereas in my sand only tanks kH and Ph have risen. In my 6 year old leiden tank kh is like 20 degrees gh is over 30 degrees.

pH in all my tanks is 8.4-8.8 including my marine tanks. Tap water tests at under 7.5 so the test kit appears to be working.

my .02

fishyman · 10-31-2008, 06:22 PM

Hi,
I have always used peat moss in my tank as a part of substrate. the results are okay for me, nothing great.
I am redoing my tank this time and i wanted to know if i could use ADA amazonia on the top.

I have a mix of black soil, laterite and peatmoss at bottom covered with river gravel. Is it advised to use ada amazonia as a top layer.

regards
Tarun

06-27-2008, 10:54 AM	#24 (permalink)
stlfishlover Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: O'Fallon, MO Posts: 22	In the Netherlands my husband was able to get something similar to the compacted peat flower pots only it came as a 3/4" or so thick rectangular slab that you placed right under your substrate. I have yet to find them here in the US. I'm going to see if I can grab some next week when we're there for vacation for the 46g when I start that tank up again. It seemed much easier to use than sprinkling a little peat under the substrate. The downside is that it floats, so you either have to presoak it, whereas it will leach, or just hurry and get the substrate on top. I suppose what's left in the water after you soak it though could be your very own blackwater extract lol. __________________ ~ Michelle ~ "A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them." ~Liberty Hyde Bailey

06-28-2008, 02:27 PM	#26 (permalink)
John N. Administrator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 1,242	Very interesting. I noticed in the example tanks above the water looks absolutely clear. Peat often leaches a brown tinge to the tank. Not to mention, I've read that DIY substrates can leach too many organics/nutrients which can cause algae blooms. Michelle mentioned presoaking the peak to avoid floating and leaching, which is a good idea. In the longer run, does peat become a problem with uprooting, etc.? How do manage to keep the water so pristine? -John N. __________________ Welcome to AquaScaping World!

07-07-2008, 11:52 AM	#28 (permalink)
beaslbob Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: huntsville, al Posts: 8	I use peat moss when I want to keep neon tetras. But just play sand for platys, guppies, angels, silver hatchetfish. Well for those other fish anyway. One of the really surprising things in my tanks with no filters and not circulation, tap water, an no water changes, was that (as expected) pH was down around 7.2 or so but after a few weeks the pH rose to and has stayed at 8.4-8.8 with the API high range pH test kit (purple). But after a year of operation the kH and GH have remained more or less constant and even dropped abit. kh=4 degrees, gh=9 degrees. Whereas in my sand only tanks kH and Ph have risen. In my 6 year old leiden tank kh is like 20 degrees gh is over 30 degrees. pH in all my tanks is 8.4-8.8 including my marine tanks. Tap water tests at under 7.5 so the test kit appears to be working. my .02 Last edited by beaslbob; 07-09-2008 at 03:04 PM. Reason: typos

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04-14-2008, 03:26 PM	#21 (permalink)
waterfaller1 Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Orlando,FL Posts: 304	I am presently using almond leaves and a media bag with organic peat moss{known as Canadian peat moss} in my 10 gal to lower the PH. I have Ecocomplete as a substrate, and my PH was running a couple points higher than I wanted. I am soon switching to Aquasoil Amazonia, so I will have to see but probably won't need it anymore there. My cube tanks were started with generic peat & compost potting soil as a base, covered with ordinary small gravel & a white sand path. I did notice a difference from the first cube to the second, as different soils were used. The second cube is just beginning to win the battle over the initial algae problems I experienced. Not sure exactly what the difference was.

04-15-2008, 10:21 PM	#22 (permalink)
jfrank85 Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Edwardsburg, MI Posts: 11	Eye or not Garhan your tanks look wonderful!

06-26-2008, 08:51 PM	#23 (permalink)
Garhan Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 47	John N. I hope I was able to answer your question about the peat. Living in Canada and not far from an area where peat moss is farmed and bagged has its advantages. I should maybe be more specific on the peat that I prefer to use. My favorite choice of peat is either Fluval Peat Granuales or Sera Peat Balls. The Sera is marketed for use in ponds as a algacide to prevent algae growth in ponds ???and comes in a large green mess cloth bag. I use a measured volume in my tanks and pots. About a 1% by volume of gravel used in a tank. It doesnt take much product. As for the Canadian Peat Moss, remember it comes out of the ground as raw matierial is dried and bagged with all the extras. I would highly suggest that it is boiled and rinsed, before using it in your tank. The main reason I like to use the Peat Granuales from Fluval or Sera is that they have already proccessed the product and reshaped it into granuales (small balls) which make it easy to use. And yes it is more expensive.

06-27-2008, 09:02 PM	#25 (permalink)
Garhan Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 47	Just a thought but would the peat not be set first in the tank prior to any filling with water and then the gravel would go on top. With 2-3 inches of gravel depth, I found that once you added enough water to just cover the gravel. Very little if any peat would ever float around in the tank. If there is some floating it is very easy to use a stainless 2" gravey strainer to pull out the floating peat.

06-29-2008, 01:35 AM	#27 (permalink)
LauraLeeLLBP Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 45	I had tons of tannins from peat under my substrate as well as my driftwood; adding Purigen to my filter did a great job of removing it from the water column. (Still dealing with GW atm, though...)

10-31-2008, 06:22 PM	#29 (permalink)
fishyman Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: India Posts: 12	Hi, I have always used peat moss in my tank as a part of substrate. the results are okay for me, nothing great. I am redoing my tank this time and i wanted to know if i could use ADA amazonia on the top. I have a mix of black soil, laterite and peatmoss at bottom covered with river gravel. Is it advised to use ada amazonia as a top layer. regards Tarun