Aquarium Safe Peat

[Fishlover]

What is the best source of peat ad how do you place it in the tanks to soften the water?

 

[JLW]

I don't believe in using peat moss for the aquarium, with the exception of for certain types of fish who need it to spawn. It doesn't lower pH or softness significantly, and there are better alternatives.

Plus, harvesting peat is not environmentally friendly. Peat moss is derived from sphagnum moss, which is the main component of bogs, one of the most endangered wetlands out there. Its very, very slow growing, and it takes a long time for live sphagnum to decompose into peat soil. In order to get to the peat, live sphagnum moss is torn away and discarded (or used for other purposes), and an entire bog basically dug up and destroyed.

You can get tannins and lower your pH using oak leaves, as well as driftwood, or even those ridiculous Indian almond leaves.

 

[Becca]

I don't believe in using peat moss for the aquarium, with the exception of for certain types of fish who need it to spawn. It doesn't lower pH or softness significantly, and there are better alternatives.

Plus, harvesting peat is not environmentally friendly. Peat moss is derived from sphagnum moss, which is the main component of bogs, one of the most endangered wetlands out there. Its very, very slow growing, and it takes a long time for live sphagnum to decompose into peat soil. In order to get to the peat, live sphagnum moss is torn away and discarded (or used for other purposes), and an entire bog basically dug up and destroyed.

You can get tannins and lower your pH using oak leaves, as well as driftwood, or even those ridiculous Indian almond leaves.

Tannin Aquatics also offers a variety of interesting botanicals that will help you obtain this effect.

The best way to "soften" water is to start with soft water by using some rain water in your tanks. Softer water will more readily drop pH when you introduce oak leaves or other botanicals/tannin leaching materials.

I like oak leaves for their cost and practicality (JLW taught me about them years ago), but the "fancy" botanicals like seed pods do add some nice features like hiding spots for fish and shrimp, visual interest, and also food for wood-eating plecos (my plecos LOVE seed pods, though they're a pricey snack).

 

[dogofwar]

In a couple of months it will be all-you-can-take-free-dried-oak-leaves season...

Matt

 

[mchambers]

I agree with Becca , JLW , and dogofwar as to peat, but if you want to learn about using it, there are a lot of articles out there on the interwebs. For example:

https://en.aqua-fish.net/articles/pros-cons-peat-aquariums-forum-suppliers-aquarium-peat

Matt

 

[Fishlover]

Thanks everyone for the great responses! I truly appreciate it!