Anyone use Peat as Substrate?

[Lively]

Read an intersting article about substrate and the author lamented that peat is rarely used as substrate. Going to give it a try in a 5 gallon.

 

[fishmeds]

Let me know how it works out. We cram a lot of peat into our canister filters for its beneficial effect but never considered it as substrate. Can you get it in bulk for a reasonable price?

 

[Lively]

The tractor supply co has it on sale right now - one of the big bale things for $6 or $7. It's cooling down right now, I brought it up to a boil and then did a rolling boil for 5 min. Wanted to make sure the stuff stays on the bottom! I'll save the blackwater "liquor" so I can use that as well.

Also, I'm planning on using rainwater to refill the tank.

The playsand I got for it does have shell in it - I didn't know it would buffer - I assumed it was inert - couldn't understand why my tank parms weren't getting better - luckily for me (more so for the fish) I had gravel in the tank I originally put the apistos in. The water in there is good!

 

[ltrepeter2000]

I use it in some filters but always found when it was in the substrate that any fish in the bottom of the tank stirred it up too much and it rarely settled so it was quite a cloudy tank from peat moving. The only other negative is that it expands an enormous amount when exposed to water. I usually throw a thin layer in the bottom when putting in a new substrate for a planted tank though.

 

[msjinkzd]

I use a dusting of peat underneath my planted tanks substrate. Its very very messy if disturbed. I would recommend pre-soaking it before trying it.

 

[lonlangione]

We use peat in our peat spawning killifish, but really I see no benefit for using it as a substrate, unless you are growing plants and then it would be a real pain. As far as helping to buffer the water, it will lose it effectiveness after a few weeks. If you want it for buffering etc., just boil some and pour off the "tea" and use that. If you do use it, please let us know your feelings on it afterward.

Lonny

 

[Lively]

I boiled it prior to putting it in to make sure it sank, saved the "tea" for use in the apistos tank.

So far, extreme murkey water. Glad it's just a test tank

 

[Thai]

underneath the substrate is fine, planted people use peat, dolomite, potash,topsoil, kitty litter....you name it we use it lol

 

[Lively]

underneath the substrate is fine, planted people use peat, dolomite, potash,topsoil, kitty litter....you name it we use it lol

I was reading your posts on the "need help please" thread. When I started with this peat thing, I started reading more on planted tanks - not that I had any intention of doing a planted tank but a funny thing happened on the way to church.. as the saying goes.

I might end up turning this into a small planted tank, peat is impossible to mange as a substrate alone.

Kitty litter? Do I even want to know why? I guess, the cheap stuff is clay, isn't it?

 

[ltrepeter2000]

Alot of kitty litters are designed to absorb ....plants need nutrients to be absorbed in the substrate or constantly fed into the water column....hence why kitty litter although I do not know of any current GWAPA members using kitty litter but many use substrates that are similar in appearance.....

 

[crazyclowntang]

I thought kitty litter had certain chemicals poisonous for fish.

 

[ltrepeter2000]

I dont know anyone using actual kitty litter, I would suggest you closely examine the ingredients of a product before you buy it. Home Depot sells an Aquatic Plant Soil in 10 lb bags that I use in my pond. Its relatively cheap and usually is in the section with the special fertilizers and plant foods. It is a tannish gray and looks like kitty litter.

 

[DonkeyFish]

Wow. Careful with the kitty litter! If you really want to try it I would think that the super cheap clay litter would be the only thing that would be worth looking into. That would be the most likely kind to not have any additives like fragrances or other odor control measures (captain obvious talking). But even still... I don't know that I would try it. There are plenty of other products that don't have the same 'fear factor' and are known to be ok under water and safe for fish

Of course this is totally just my 2 cents. Take it or leave it! But if you try kitty litter, be sure to let us all know how it works out!

 

[Thai]

I personally would never use kitty litter, bad or good i couldnt care less, it looks god awful, I've seen a couple of people on Plantetank.net use it with no adverse effect