Re: [Killietalk] Killietalk Digest, Vol 44, Issue 20Re-use peat

[Gary Elson or Mary Frauley <fraulels at videotron_ca>]

Tim's posting interests me greatly. I have used Canadian garden peat for 
many years - I don't keep annuals but I do soften water and use peaty water 
as a trigger. I also use it in filters, from time to time. I'm in a new 
house with very soft tap water, and I have been having a devil of a time 
with velvet. It started prior to my move, but blossomed here. However, I 
haven't been having trouble with tanks where I used the powdery, 
stick-filled Canadian peat. Last week I went through all my tanks and 
removed a heavy, fibrous peat that I was sawing off in blocks, brought to me 
by a Dutch friend who used it in his ponds in the Netherlands. I realized 
that while I used little of it, I had been using it for a year mainly for 
decoration and fry cover, and had velvet off and on in all the tanks where I 
used it. Unfortunately, I lost time seeking other variables, once I was in a 
new water system. Too busy, too stressed, not paying enough attention to 
patterns....

Now, when syphilis arrived in Europe, everyone named it after their 
neighbours (French pox, English pox, German pox, etc), and as a Canadian, I 
don't want to look like I'm blaming Dutch peat and exonerating Canadian. But 
I am convinced this batch of European peat, which I didn't boil, brought me 
my first velvet problem in many years. Every tank I used it in developed 
velvet, once I had missed water changes, overfed, etc. The tanks with no 
peat didn't have problems. It would seem logical that I brought in spores, 
and that it can happen. Just a thought.

Gary

>
> First of all the golden rule is not to introduce any disease into the fish
> house. In the UK many killie keepers do not keep peat as they believe 
> velvet
> (Oodinium) & peat go together. Personally I believe these things like 
> white
> spot/velvet do not spring out of nowhere.

> Spores rest in peat. Most transferrals occur in buying in eggs in peat. I
> have never seen white spot or velvet for 10+ years in my fish house. I 
> must
> be doing something right. 


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