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Re: peat


> Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2001 23:24:54 EST
> From: DLee185936 at aol_com
> Subject: Softening Water with Peat
> 
> Well, I have my 180 gallon tank percolating along, refreshingly free from
> greenwater thanks to much good advice from Mr. Barr and an Aqua UV
> Sterilizer.  I have hard water with a pH of approximately 7.6-7.8.  I would
> like to keep Discus, and am wondering how to adjust my water accordingly.

Why? The pH goes down when you add CO2 so now the pH is about 7.0 to 6.6.

  I 
> have heard one can use peat, but I am unclear as to how much, how long, what
> type, where do I put it etc.  Could it be put in the carbon container of the
> Marineland HOT Magnum.  TIA!

I put it in the substrate upon set up. About a handful of ground peat to
every 2 sq ft or so on the bottom. You can use it in the filter etc, it
doesn't take much to get that nice tea color your going to love to look at
when you add it. Makes those fish look great, I mean tea Brown:-) Plants
too:-). I don't use it and wouldn't unless I wanted to use it as a temporary
inducement to get the ball rolling if I was breeding them etc. You could
also consider diluting the tap with RO/DI etc to soften the water suddenly
to make them think "it's time". A short period does little harm to the
plants but low KH/GH's(less than 3) are bad as a rule for plants. Get them
to bred then go back to the normal mode. A lot of folks do just fine with
them in harder water, like my tap water(pH 8.0, GH 24, KH about 8).
Tom Barr  
> 
> Don Lee