Peat Moss

[depthC]

My tap water has a pH of around the 7.6 - 7.8 range.
12dKH or 214.8 ppm
5dGH or 89.5 ppm

Does anyone have simular water conditions and have tried peat moss? Ive heard mixed results on whether peat moss works or not. Ive put in a hand full into my tank today to see if it helps, but only time will tell. So in the mean time im just asking what peoples results are if theyve tried peat moss. Thanks

- depthC

 

[RedTurquoise]

My tap:
7.6-7.8ph
Kh-100-120
gh-100-120

Have not tried peat yet but hope to soon. It will lower your hardness quite a bit though. It works best by creating a flow thru peat system (filter) as opposed to putting some in your tanks. Im actually going to setup a 5G with peat and have the water enter the bottom and come out the top. This way the peat will truely treat the water.

 

[mike the zealot]

hmm.. would it work to put some peat in an Eheim canister? change it out once a week?

(edit) - after all the media, in the last layer before it goes back to the tank.

 

[RedTurquoise]

Would work better than just in the tank! Important though. Peat does get 'exhausted' therefore must change. How often? That will depend on various conditions, tank size, flow rates, hardness, etc. THe best is to test water parameters and once you see ph or hardness rising, time to change the peat. I think the best way is when doing a water change, let the water flow thru the peat into the tank. I dunno! In a filter, the peat will be treating water that may already be treated once thus perhaps changing parameters again which may be something you dont want.

I guess the bestest way if you age your water, is to fill up the storage barrels thru the peat. THis will enable to to test and change the water parameters before they do into the tank.

So, whatever works best I guess.

 

[depthC]

Well its been almost a full day since ive added about a cup to my filter and my pH is down to 7. The hardness levels are all the same. I though peat moss softened water? Guess i dont have a correct understanding yet. So i did a small water change with my water being 7.6, the pH has probably increased a little but im trying to induce spawning so i thought a water change was necassary.

So if my water went from a pH of around 7.8 - 7.6 and has lower to neutral would it be a good idea to remove the peat moss once ive attained the desired pH level or will it rise once the peat moss is out of the filter? Thanks

- depthC