Using peat moss to lower the ph

[Harvardsquare]

I have a 55 gallon tank with the ph at about 7.8. I'm looking to do some breeding so I want to try to lower this. I've heard peat moss works but I've never tried it. Can someone tell me how much I would need to put in, and if peat moss works?

 

[bassbonediva]

I'm not sure if peat moss works, but real driftwood has lowered the pH in my tanks (I have hard water).

 

[OrangeCones]

What is the GH and KH also? You can't change the pH without changes to the others.

What pH are you looking to achieve? Driftwood does lower pH. Peat moss can lower it much more.

 

[Harvardsquare]

I'm looking to get it down to around 7.0 if not lower. I'm not sure what my GH and KH are. I know I have hard water, and the buffers in my water make it very hard to lower the ph. If you could suggest what I should buy to test the GH and KH that would help. Thanks

 

[OrangeCones]

I use API's tests for GH and KH. It is one test kit.

I've used peat to soften water for breeding otocinclus and some danio.

 

[Harvardsquare]

I tried using some peat moss but it barely changed the ph at all

 

[lstorns]

i use peat moss in my tank and my ph is nice and low. theres drift wood in the tank too. But im pretty sure the peat is what does the trick. I refill the bag in my filter about once a month. ya just have to make sure theres no additives in it ( like phosphates ) I get it from home depot.

 

[OrangeCones]

Tap water, aged 48 hours:

pH 9.3
GH 14
KH 10

Tap water, aged 48 hours, filtered by peat moss 48 hours:
pH 5.2
GH 3
KH 1

I mixed the two to get the pH I wanted (5.2 would crash your biofilter).

I keep one of my tanks with a pH of 6.2-6.3. Works well.

Make sure you make any changes slowly to your tank though. A sudden change up or down is very harmful and can be deadly to some fish. I changed from 9.3 to 6.3 over 4 weeks time.

 

[Harvardsquare]

Do you put the peat moss in front or in back of the filter? I put mine in back and it didn't change the water at all

 

[OrangeCones]

Do you put the peat moss in front or in back of the filter? I put mine in back and it didn't change the water at all

I pre-filter my water in a seperate container before using it for water changes. I don't have a place to put moss in the filters I use.