Sphagnum Moss In Filter

[Discuslove]

So apparently its good to have sphagnum moss in the aquarium filter. I have been told that it holds the good bacteria and lowers the ph of your water, it can also provide a more natural environment by adding the river environment by which the fish live in. What else does it do? I have had the sphagnum moss (which i got dried up in a bag) soaking in a container of water in the sun for about 2-3 days. Do i have to wait till it grows green or is it ok brown? How do i prepare it to put it in the filter? Heard that you just put the long strands of the moss in the filter only. i was going to put it in the mesh bags that you get when you buy carbon or noodles. Is this a good idea?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Peat moss will satin your water, will soften the water and will lower pH. However, it will not do so in a predicatble fashion.
 
It is not a good place for the nitrifying bacteria to live.
 
No, not all rivers are soft, acid and full of organics.
 
It is easier to go to a garden center and get plain old pure peat moss with no mold inhibitors etc. However, you need a reason to be adding it and then you need to be aware of how it can affect things.
 

 
Peat moss softens water and reduces its hardness (GH). The most effective way to soften water via peat is to aerate water for 1-2 weeks in a bucket containing peat moss. For example, get a (plastic) bucket of the appropriate size. Then, get a large quantity of peat (a gallon or more), boil it (so that it sinks), stuff it in a pillow case, and place it in the water bucket. Use an air pump to aerate it. In 1-2 weeks, the water will be softer and more acidic. Use this aged water when making partial water changes on your tank.
 
Peat can be bought at pet shops, but it is expensive. It is much more cost-effective to buy it in bulk at a local gardening shop. Read labels carefully! You don't want to use peat containing fertilizers or other additives.
 
Although some folks place peat in the filters of their tanks, the technique has a number of drawbacks. First, peat clogs easily, so adding peat isn't always effective. Second, peat can be messy and may cloud the water in your tank. Third, the exact quantity of peat needed to effectively soften your water is difficult to estimate. Using the wrong amount results in the wrong water chemistry. Finally, when doing water changes, your tank's chemistry changes when new water is added (it has the wrong properties). Over the next few days, the chemistry changes as the peat takes effect. Using aged water helps ensure that the chemistry of your tank doesn't fluctuate while doing water changes.

from http/fins.actwin.com/aquariafaq.html

 

[Discuslove]

Peat moss will satin your water, will soften the water and will lower pH. However, it will not do so in a predicatble fashion.
 
It is not a good place for the nitrifying bacteria to live.
 
No, not all rivers are soft, acid and full of organics.
 
It is easier to go to a garden center and get plain old pure peat moss with no mold inhibitors etc. However, you need a reason to be adding it and then you need to be aware of how it can affect things.
 

 
Peat moss softens water and reduces its hardness (GH). The most effective way to soften water via peat is to aerate water for 1-2 weeks in a bucket containing peat moss. For example, get a (plastic) bucket of the appropriate size. Then, get a large quantity of peat (a gallon or more), boil it (so that it sinks), stuff it in a pillow case, and place it in the water bucket. Use an air pump to aerate it. In 1-2 weeks, the water will be softer and more acidic. Use this aged water when making partial water changes on your tank.
 
Peat can be bought at pet shops, but it is expensive. It is much more cost-effective to buy it in bulk at a local gardening shop. Read labels carefully! You don't want to use peat containing fertilizers or other additives.
 
Although some folks place peat in the filters of their tanks, the technique has a number of drawbacks. First, peat clogs easily, so adding peat isn't always effective. Second, peat can be messy and may cloud the water in your tank. Third, the exact quantity of peat needed to effectively soften your water is difficult to estimate. Using the wrong amount results in the wrong water chemistry. Finally, when doing water changes, your tank's chemistry changes when new water is added (it has the wrong properties). Over the next few days, the chemistry changes as the peat takes effect. Using aged water helps ensure that the chemistry of your tank doesn't fluctuate while doing water changes.

from http/fins.actwin.com/aquariafaq.html

 
I need my ph to be lower for the discus, i have plenty of driftwood but it still sits around 7.4 and i want it to drop to 7.0. I have sphagnum moss that has been sitting outside in the sun for about a month and half has turned green. So it has come back to life. Do you think this live stuff would be better to use then dried stuff that has just soaked up some water because it falls apart??

 

[TwoTankAmin]

What i think is you need to read and learn more about he water chemistry involved before you try to alter your pH. I kept discus just fine in 7.4 pH.
 
But let me offer you something that may help you more. This link to a Simply Discus article http/www.simplydiscus.com/library/water_chemistry/general/ph_nochange.shtml

 

[Discuslove]

What i think is you need to read and learn more about he water chemistry involved before you try to alter your pH. I kept discus just fine in 7.4 pH.
 
But let me offer you something that may help you more. This link to a Simply Discus article http/www.simplydiscus.com/library/water_chemistry/general/ph_nochange.shtml

 
oohhh thats very interesting, i was always told that Discus had to be kept in low ph waters. They are doing fine in the water they are in now and even lay eggs but they are both girls. but i thought maybe they might be happier with lower ph but i guess knowing that the ph is fine the way it is, they must be happy enough and i was just worrying.

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

A late reply, but just to confirm for you what has already been said. 7.4 is absolutely fine for them. What is far more important is a stable pH. If you lower it artificially, and it crashes it can really stress your Discus. So I wouldn't mess with it if I were you. Nice clean stable water conditions, regular water changes, and you will have happy healthy Discus