Peat Pellets

[HeatherSweetness]

Ok I bought like 50 peat pellets. Someone said they used them to lower the pH along with driftwood for angelfish. Could you tell me how to use them I would appreciate it!

 

[David]

Usually they come with a small mesh bag that has a drawstring. Put some pellets into the bag and place it into your filter. remove your activated carbon, cause that negates the effects of the peat. It should lower your pH by at least 0.5-1, depending on how much you use.

 

[Opcn]

it will also stain your water just FYI the acid in effect is tannic acid and it is organic so AC will remove it.

 

[CFC]

Everything you ever wanted to know about peat http/hjem.get2net.dk/Best_of_the_Web/peat%20page.html

 

[squidlips]

wot is your ph at now? if you have porus rock .dead coral pieces it will cause a high ph depending on how mutch is in there.just thought id ask coz you may not need the pete

 

[HeatherSweetness]

Nope,just tested the water straight out of the tap. It's so dark it doesn't read out on the test. I live pretty close to St. Louis,and I just read people there have a pH average of 9.0! Most are slightly higher. All I have in the angel tank is sand. No rocks at all. I ordered some peat pellets and blackwater extract. I'm going to use the peat first,the link that CFC posted was great. I'll save the blackwater extract for the future,in case I don't like peat. I've been hunting for some nice driftwood,I heard that in conjunction with peat it works very well in lowering pH.

 

[robbrouse]

Usually they come with a small mesh bag that has a drawstring. Put some pellets into the bag and place it into your filter. remove your activated carbon, cause that negates the effects of the peat. It should lower your pH by at least 0.5-1, depending on how much you use.

Ok, if I wanted to lower my pH about .5 how much peat would I use? My ph is around 7.8 and I'd like to lower it to as close as 7 as I can.

Robb

 

[HeatherSweetness]

I'd say there's about 1/4 c. of peat in those pellets when they expand to full size. I used two. I'm going to let the filter run about 12 hours or so and I'm going to test the pH and see how much it lowered. *Fingers crossed*! I'll let you know how much it lowered mine. (It's a 30 gallon and my pH right now is off the chart-past 8.0)

 

[David]

Usually they come with a small mesh bag that has a drawstring. Put some pellets into the bag and place it into your filter. remove your activated carbon, cause that negates the effects of the peat. It should lower your pH by at least 0.5-1, depending on how much you use.

Ok, if I wanted to lower my pH about .5 how much peat would I use? My ph is around 7.8 and I'd like to lower it to as close as 7 as I can.

Robb

I filled the bag about a quarter to a third of the way and my pH went from 8.0-7.0. Of course, that was in conjunction with the driftwood.

 

[HeatherSweetness]

I tested the water abit ago and my pH had gone down to 7.6 already! Only had the peat in maybe a couple hours. The fish seem to love it,the angels and the giant danios are so hyper.

 

[robbrouse]

I tested the water abit ago and my pH had gone down to 7.6 already! Only had the peat in maybe a couple hours. The fish seem to love it,the angels and the giant danios are so hyper.

Now if you are above 8.0 and now 7.6 in 2 hours, are you not worried about the pH dropping too fast and killing the fish. That would be a HUGH Ph swing.

What I want to be able to do is treat the water before it enters the tank and do like 10% water changes every other day and I fugure in 2 weeks or so it should be right and then keep going that way. has anyone esle tried it this way?

I've always heard if the pH changes too fast it can really STRESS the fish.

Robb

 

[David]

You're right robb, drastic and sudden pH changes can cause what is commonly known as pH shock, which can and will kill them.

 

[HeatherSweetness]

They're just fine.

 

[HeatherSweetness]

Just tested the water again after 12 hours. The pH is now neutral! All of the fish are doing great. They seem a bit more energetic. Everything went smooth.

 

[robbrouse]

Just tested the water again after 12 hours. The pH is now neutral! All of the fish are doing great. They seem a bit more energetic. Everything went smooth.

Ok , you got your pH how to 7.0. How did you do it? peat in filter? Did this turn your water a tea color? I've heard feat moss can do this and wonder about the pellets. What brand did you use? SOrry for all the questions.

Robb