This type of post confirms my opinion of the vast majority of fish store employees. A pH of 7.6 to 7.8 is perfectly adequate for growing aquatic plants... there is no need for you to adjust the pH WHATSOEVER! Do not add a peat insert to your filter. You also dont need a carbon filter for a planted tank... if you have a high fish load, however, you might want to be a bit careful of this. dave.