Re: Leonardite

[envisible at earthlink_net]

although i've no experience with this substance a little quick research on the web shows that  it is lignite, a low grade coal type deposit containing about 85% humic acid.  the material has a pH of 3.5 and becomes soluble as the pH rises to 7 and above. So, first of all in my experience agrigultural grade soil ammendments tend to contain a lot of junk in them like metallic bits and tarry deposits that might not matter spread on a field but you're fish won't appreciate.  the tarriness is probably more true of something that is specifically a coal type deposit. secondly, you have very hard water so it's not going to affect your pH much but it will continually leach humic acid.  this is not necessarily a bad thing but its not terribly helpful either and i can't see it accomplishing anything for you that peat won't do. but above all of this i think most people on the list would suggest that a newbie just use flourite or onyx. if that's prohibitive or impossible the gravel and p!
eat isn't bad, especially if you can add a lot of mulm from an older tank to it.

FWIW

elie