[AV8TOR]

I am going to buy some peat this weekend for a thin layer under my gravel. Anything better than just going to a garden center and getting some sphagnum peat moss?

Also what do you think of this, to boil some in a net bag and soak in my water change bucket to slightly buffer the new water before changing.

 

[cS]

Peat doesn't 'buffer'. If anything, it consumes the 'buffer'. Can you elaborate on this other application of peat that you're thinking about doing please?

...and more importantly, why are you changing water with buckets? :wink:

 

[gpodio]

Regular peat is fine, make sure there are no additives. Personally I have never boiled mine, I mix it in a bucket with a little water and some flourite, then spread it out evenly. Once you cap it with a thick layer of substrate, it wont float, leach or do anything to the water. Boiling it in my opinion removes some of it's properties and reduces it's effect, in which case you can reach the same effect by using less peat to start with.

Hope that helps
Giancarlo Podio

 

[AV8TOR]

Peat doesn't 'buffer'. If anything, it consumes the 'buffer'. Can you elaborate on this other application of peat that you're thinking about doing please?

...and more importantly, why are you changing water with buckets? :wink:

Well maybe old fashion but I have always used a 30 gallon container that I put water in the day before my water change. It has it's own heater and a small power head. The power head by the way is connected to a hose to fill the tank instead of pouring and disturbing anything. This way I can add Prime to completely remove all chlorine and such "before" the water goes in my tank. I also know I will be adding water at the exact temperature as well. The other method was to soften my water instead of chemicals.