Peat moss filteration

[bumzc]

Came a cross this article when researching how to lower my PH and water Hardness. My PH is setting around 8.0 and water hardness is 23GPG.

Peat Filtering your Aquarium Water

Was wondering if any members have tried this and was it successful?

 

[BBradbury]

Peat Moss Filtration

Hello bum...

Unless you keep rare fish, your pH is fine. Most tropical fish prefer more alkaline water.

All you need to do is treat your tap water for the standard things like chlorine, chloramine and ammonia and your fish and plants will adapt. They've been doing this since the hobby began.

As a "waterkeeper", your only job is to change at least half the tank water and service your filter equipment every week. If you can do both religiously, the fish and plants will be fine.

B

 

[maxwellag]

Hello bum...

Unless you keep rare fish, your pH is fine. Most tropical fish prefer more alkaline water.

All you need to do is treat your tap water for the standard things like chlorine, chloramine and ammonia and your fish and plants will adapt. They've been doing this since the hobby began.

As a "waterkeeper", your only job is to change at least half the tank water and service your filter equipment every week. If you can do both religiously, the fish and plants will be fine

B

Actually most "water keepers" change 25% water every week. You don't need to service the filter every week, you do when it is falling apart. As far as peat moss, I don't see the point in using it as filter media. Ph isn't that important, but it isn't something you can just ignore. It can hurt fish if too high or low, but usually it doesn't even change unless you do a large water change , dose co2, or use ph altering chemicals.
BUT- for some very sensitive fish, like discus, ph is more important to keep an eye on.

 

[jcolon]

Came a cross this article when researching how to lower my PH and water Hardness. My PH is setting around 8.0 and water hardness is 23GPG.

Peat Filtering your Aquarium Water

Was wondering if any members have tried this and was it successful?

I agree with the 2 previous posts, don't worry about trying to alter pH, just keep it stable. Peat and or DW will lower your pH by releasing tannins, but it's not worth the hassle unless you have exotic fish that MUST have a specific pH range.

 

[BBradbury]

Actually most "water keepers" change 25% water every week. You don't need to service the filter every week, you do when it is falling apart. As far as peat moss, I don't see the point in using it as filter media. Ph isn't that important, but it isn't something you can just ignore. It can hurt fish if too high or low, but usually it doesn't even change unless you do a large water change , dose co2, or use ph altering chemicals.
BUT- for some very sensitive fish, like discus, ph is more important to keep an eye on.

Hello Max...

Every week, I take the filter apart, rinse it in clean tap water and rinse the media in some of the old tank water. I have large tanks with a lot of fish and plants and the filters collect a lot of old plant material and the media collects a lot of everything else.

Changing a quarter of the tank's volume once a week really isn't very much. I read once, that we should think of our aquariums as toilets.

The idea is to keep the toilet flushed a lot and regularly. By flushing huge quantities of fresh water through your aquarium weekly, there's absolutely no way for toxins of any kind to pollute the tank. There just isn't time for them to build up between water changes, and neither will any other processes that can change the water chemistry.

An old aquarium guy once told me that the more tank water you changed and the more often you changed it, the healthier your fish and plants would be. I really think he's right.

Good talking with you!

B

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Depends on the fish you're keeping. I don't see it as necessary, but if you feel it to be, then by all means go for it. If its sensitive fish you're worried about, you can try drip acclimating. I drip acclimate most of my fish now and they get used to the water pretty fish.

As far as water changes I do 50% each week, you can never go too big with a water change.

 

[maxwellag]

Hello Max...

Every week, I take the filter apart, rinse it in clean tap water and rinse the media in some of the old tank water. I have large tanks with a lot of fish and plants and the filters collect a lot of old plant material and the media collects a lot of everything else.

Changing a quarter of the tank's volume once a week really isn't very much. I read once, that we should think of our aquariums as toilets.

The idea is to keep the toilet flushed a lot and regularly. By flushing huge quantities of fresh water through your aquarium weekly, there's absolutely no way for toxins of any kind to pollute the tank. There just isn't time for them to build up between water changes, and neither will any other processes that can change the water chemistry.

An old aquarium guy once told me that the more tank water you changed and the more often you changed it, the healthier your fish and plants would be. I really think he's right.

Good talking with you!

B

Ya, I guess it is like a toilet.... I do feel that water changes are vital, but a lot of people (like myself) don't have enough time to do it. Im so busy I can barely change 25% of a ten gallon! Good thing I have an aqueon.