Peat / peat moss

[kswong34]

Hi all,

Can anyone please advise me where is the best place to obtain the above??

Many thanks in advance.

Cheers :wink:

[DR.V]

Mostly your LFS got them , dont they ?

[Littlefish]

The LFS sells peat in granulated form which is easy to use but pricey.

You can buy peat from garden supply centres in various forms (ground, expanding bricks, etc) depending on how you want to use it. Just need to make sure it doesn't have any additives such as fertiliser. Look for a label like 'pure sphagnum peat' or some such.

Fred

[kswong34]

Hi,

Anyone have a picture on how they look like??? :oops: :oops:

[Littlefish]

Haven't got a picture but it just looks like brown dirt. The 'brick' form is the 'brown dirt' compressed into a brick shape.

Sphagnum moss is the unprocessed form of the 'brown dirt' and is green/brown with visible strands/leaves. It looks like, well, moss.

Fred :wink:

[Ben]

Aquarium suitable peat is the stuff you need!
watch and read the label well if purchasing from a garden centre...

Here is a great link with all the infomation you need on peat and sphagnum, well worth the long read.

kswong34 Can you give us an idea to how many tanks you would like to run with peat and the filtration on them?

cheers,
Ben

[kswong34]

Aquarium suitable peat is the stuff you need!
watch and read the label well if purchasing from a garden centre...

Here is a great link with all the infomation you need on peat and sphagnum, well worth the long read.

kswong34 Can you give us an idea to how many tanks you would like to run with peat and the filtration on them?

cheers,
Ben

Hi Ben,

Didn't see any link :(

I only have a 3ft display tank with discus but recently the pigeon bloods had spawn twice but they ate the eggs after around day 2. And the pH of that tank is around 7.2-7.4 which I read from most book that the eggs will not hatch in this pH range. (I had tried in the past to lower the pH by pH down but it will go up again after a while, might be the gravel that I am using)

So I am planning to relocate the pair to a 24"x18"x16"(h) tank running a sponge filter and slowly lower the pH (ideally with the help of the peat).

Had read most of the post in the "Breeding Discus" section but any further info would help alot.

Many thanks in advance. :D

Cheers :wink:

[Ben]

lol

I forgot the link!

http://hjem.get2net.dk/Best_of_the_Web/peat%20page.html

I think a 11 dollar packet of peat bought from your LFS will last you ages.
http://www.aquaticlifeaquariums.com.au/
i bought some through those guys.

Cheers,
Ben

[kalebjarrod]

spagnum moss is totally different to peat

peat is harvested from a bog after long term compression of forms of various forms of moss

spagnum is a moss grown for its "spongey" nature and its water retention properties.

:wink:

Peat moss is available from bunnings

[kswong34]

Hi,

Many thanks to both of you for the value information :D

Which section of Bunning should I go to look for this? I knew is the gardening section, but will this normally locate with the fertiliser or potting mix??

Read the link. But would like to know how do we use the peat in our aquarium??

Breeding Tank:-
1) Should I soak the peat in a drum and use the water to do the water change??

My 3ft display:-

1) Can I put them into the cannister filter in 3 ft display??
2) Or is it possible to blend them into the gravel?? There are real and fake plants in the tank.

Will the above result in a pH shock or will the peat gradually reduce the pH??

OR what is the best way to use this???

Attached is some picture of my 3ft display for your references:-
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/CoryFan/3ft.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/CoryFan/3ftcabinet.jpg

[Littlefish]

Yeah, I probably shouldn't have used the term 'unprocessed'. I meant the moss had not yet undergone the decomposition/sinking into the bog process of turning into peat.

No doubt there would be other mosses and plants also growing on a sphagnum peat bog, so I guess it would all go into the mix.

Fred

[rytis]

peat moss - HOME DEPOT

just bought a bag for $3

[Ben]

Hi Mate,
can you take a picture of the peat moss packaging for me?
cheers,
Ben

[Lichan]

Hi everyone.... can I just get this straight...for the purpose of lowering PH in aquariums should we be using Peat Moss or Peat Bog (the brown dirt stuff) from what I understand they are completely different things ?? or do they both do the job ??

[dreamer]

peat moss - HOME DEPOT

just bought a bag for $3

home depot = usa = useless as this is aust base forums :)

[Ben]

hi Lichan
You want to use peat (the brown dirt stuff)
I have tried the actaul peat moss and it barely moves the PH.
while actual peat is great!

I recommend using (if only for a few tanks) the aquarium grade peat granules.
these are excellent and not that expensive.

In saying that if its need for many tanks, Try and find real peat.
mistakes r crucial, a member of this forum recommends the canadian stuff if i remember correctly.

Ben

[kswong34]

Bought a bag of Sphagnum peat moss from bunnings and soaked for 3-4days now but still have the same pH reading :cry:

[Lichan]

its the Peat (brown dirt stuff) you need not the Peat Moss - they are different in makeup and will react differently with your water.

[Lichan]

BTW - Thanks for the reply Ben - One last question though !!
Is it a case of trial and error when determining how much peat to use??
I wanted to use it while in my ageing barrels before it goes into the tank so I measure the effect of the stuff before it gets to the fish !!!
Would it be asimply a case of putting a small amount in a stocking or mesh type bag and seeing how it went while it got bubbled round the aging barrel with the water ?? any advice on the best way to use peat would be very much appreciated....
Thanx guys.

[Ben]

Hi Lichan,

There are 2 ways which you could do:

simply put some peat inside a pant house/stocking tie it at the end, give it a good rinse and hang it in the drum full of water.

Try and get the air stone under neath the peat stocking for best effect.

Now for the best result but a little more tricker to do. You will make what is called a "peat bomb"

I have made a picture for you to describe it better.
------------------------------


Basically water is pumped with water going through a spray bar with the water filtering down through the peat and back into the main drum.

Using this method will achieve the best results.
A 500 litre per hour pump will do the job.

Let me know if you have any more questions,

Cheers,
Ben

ps, sorry about the spelling mistakes, time for bed soon!

[Benny]

Thats a davinci !!!!

Ben u used the "b" word, your gonna have asio tapping ur fone calls, and a weird lookin van outside your house for the next fortnight!!!!

This is by far the moste useful and un-destructive "b" ive ever seen.


Lol,
Cheers

[Lichan]

Thanks again for the reply Ben - Love the Peat Bomb idea - Do you have a patent on that thing :lol: ?? I might just hang some into the ageing barrell and see how that goes in the first instance.. Would like to do it as cheaply as possible. All this Discus Business has thinned my wallet somewhat...Thanks again.