I'm looking to get hold of some peat to use as substrate in a tank, and don't know which sort to use, or where to get it from. I've used the fluval filter peat in my filter to already lower PH and give it a tea colour (which frankly was disappointing, PH still 7.5 with a full bag, and barely a change in water colour).

So, I'm calling on killi owners (I'm sure those serious in breeding will have used peat) to let me in on where I can get some peat from, and how to add it as substrate, and maybe to the filter too if necessary.

Also, I'm keen to get hold of some norman's lampeye's. Any idea where I can get these from?

Many thanks!

Mmm..im not sure where to get the peat. Garden-Centre maybe?

But in my breeding book it gives instructions on how to create a peat substrate.

First crumble a 5cm layer of peat onto the water surface. Apparently you should use either rainwater filtered through carbon or R.O mixed with tap.

The peat should float on the surface but after about a week it should sink to the bottom. Stirring it everyday and squeezing pieces that are full of air helps make it sink quicker.

Maybe joining BKA might put you in touch with someone to get those lampeyes.

Hope that helps

This post has been edited by Gnatfish: Dec 6 2006, 10:45 PM

I use Shamrock Irish Peat Moss dont use Spaghnam peat or anything that contains additives. In any case look for Peat Moss (good garden centres not B&Q. this type of peat is getting scarce due to green eco reasons) Buy some ladies tights and cut the legs off. Stuff th peat in the legs sections you have just cut off and tie at the open end (obviousally you can make as many "Peat Balls" as you require) Then place the first ball inside the other leg and tie again. Place this in a bucket of water, it will float at first but will submerge in time. I use the brown tannin stained water as a tonic for killifish spawning. If you dont need this water then drain the bucket every day then weekly until the water runs of virtually clear. This then you can use as a substrate or to place in pots for killifish spawning medium.
As for Normans lampeyes. (Poropanchax normani) are pretty sparce around the BKA for obvious reasons. They are quite common place these days though and your local LFS should be able to source them for you. I know Monty at http://www.trimar.co.uk/ does not have any at the moment but I'm pretty sure if you contact him he'll be able to get hold of some for you.
Regards
BigC

This post has been edited by BigC: Dec 8 2006, 08:58 AM

BigC --

What do you think of using coconut fibre? Cheap, non-toxic, easy to obtain (reptile shops sell blocks that make a decent bucketful of the stuff for about £1-2).

I tried some out and while it looked great. my big catfish simply threw great clouds of it into the water all the time. It was also rather cute when the pufferfish went into the stuff, because their weird little "propellers" would through sprays of the small fibres behind them.

Doesn't seem to affect pH, which is a plus or minus depending on the fish, I suppose.

Cheers, Neale

I have used coconut fibre as substrate, its my secret spawning weapon Whenever i have used it in small species tanks the fish have usually spawned within a few weeks.

Like you say though it is very light and tends to get kicked up all over the place making the tanks very cloudy and filters need to be unclogged almost daily, small air driven sponge filters are best as they dont have as much suck.

I have noticed slight pH drops in the tanks ive used it in, but then i do go heavy on bogwood as well and the tanks in question dont get vacumed as the substrate gets sucked up too so organic load could also be a factor there, the pH drops have only been in the .5 range anyway so are nothing to worry about.

Yeah Neale,
I have heard of enthusiasts using the Coconut Fibre before but never used the material myself so therefore I cannot make a comment on the pros and cons of using the stuff form a killifish standpoint. For a substrate then they're would be a cleanliness problem I'd expect. Nowdays for spawning Killis I buy long Peat Fibres from a fellow BKA member.
Regards
BigC