# Peat is my friend



## YoshisakaN (Feb 9, 2005)

i added peat to my filter in my aquarium last night at 8:00pm
and now its 2:30pm and the ph has already dropped by .75 so its down to about 7.25


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

YoshisakaN said:


> i added peat to my filter in my aquarium last night at 8:00pm
> and now its 2:30pm and the ph has already dropped by .75 so its down to about 7.25


Hi there,

Yes this is what peat does. Also the pH drops to slightly acidic when using peat extracts (black water extracts) like Sera Morena or Waterlife Humaquat.
This is due to the humic acids they contain. They also drop down the KH (and thus the GH) of your water making it softer. Piranhas (and South American fishes) like this.

Regards,


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## taylorten (Oct 19, 2005)

Lucky b*stard! I put peat in my filter last night and the ph raised .2!


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Drastic ph drops like that aren't really that great for fish, imo. I'd always recommend testing amounts in buckets and such first and slowly lower ph over a small period of time instead. Though that's just me.


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## parkedcar (Dec 29, 2005)

My PH is extremely high. like 8.2-8.4 I know the like it down around 7. But read its more important that it stay steady than anything. Should i look at trying to drop mine too?


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2006)

Mettle is right. I would reccomend adding Peat in tiny amounts over long periods of time. A lower kH isnt always great either. Stay consistant, pH swings of even .40 over a week can kill off entire tanks of fish.

Parkedcar- If it aint broke, dont fix it







Are your fish healthy? If you try growing plants, you probably will want it atleast around 7.8-7.5.


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## boontje (Mar 27, 2005)

If I'm not mistaken a decrease of the pH from 8 to 7 means that the water became 10 times less alkaline. No wonder fish cannot deal very well with pH swings.


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## Ex0dus (Jun 29, 2005)

DannyBoy17 said:


> Mettle is right. I would reccomend adding Peat in tiny amounts over long periods of time. A lower kH isnt always great either. Stay consistant, pH swings of even .40 over a week can kill off entire tanks of fish.
> 
> Parkedcar- If it aint broke, dont fix it
> 
> ...


How so Danny? I have added fish from the store to my tanks that were in waters with PH @ 7 to my tank that was @ 7.8 . I think if they are acclimated correctly there shoudlnt be any problems. I took my tank from a ph of 7.8 down to 6.8 in a matter of a few weeks, but if the fish are acclimated properly there should be no problem.


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## Guest (Jan 10, 2006)

Ex0dus said:


> Mettle is right. I would reccomend adding Peat in tiny amounts over long periods of time. A lower kH isnt always great either. Stay consistant, pH swings of even .40 over a week can kill off entire tanks of fish.
> 
> Parkedcar- If it aint broke, dont fix it
> 
> ...


How so Danny? I have added fish from the store to my tanks that were in waters with PH @ 7 to my tank that was @ 7.8 . I think if they are acclimated correctly there shoudlnt be any problems. I took my tank from a ph of 7.8 down to 6.8 in a matter of a few weeks, but if the fish are acclimated properly there should be no problem.
[/quote]

I said can. And acclimatizing and a pH swing are two different issues.


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## Ex0dus (Jun 29, 2005)

DannyBoy17 said:


> Mettle is right. I would reccomend adding Peat in tiny amounts over long periods of time. A lower kH isnt always great either. Stay consistant, pH swings of even .40 over a week can kill off entire tanks of fish.
> 
> Parkedcar- If it aint broke, dont fix it
> 
> ...


How so Danny? I have added fish from the store to my tanks that were in waters with PH @ 7 to my tank that was @ 7.8 . I think if they are acclimated correctly there shoudlnt be any problems. I took my tank from a ph of 7.8 down to 6.8 in a matter of a few weeks, but if the fish are acclimated properly there should be no problem.
[/quote]

I said can. And acclimatizing and a pH swing are two different issues.
[/quote]

I had a ph swing and I was acclimating at the same time








But ya I agree, a rapid ph swing can most certainly kill off a tank.

ps- post some pics of your planted tank.


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## Landon (Feb 24, 2005)

Mettle said:


> Drastic ph drops like that aren't really that great for fish, imo. I'd always recommend testing amounts in buckets and such first and slowly lower ph over a small period of time instead. Though that's just me.


I was about to say the same, keep an eye on your fish. This will probally stress them.


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## ben2957 (Sep 17, 2005)

i have been keeping piranhas and discus for awhile now and have alawys used bio peat and have had great results. after doing a water change the ph will be at 6.5 overnight. works good for me.


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## assclown (Dec 12, 2005)

Ex0dus said:


> Mettle is right. I would reccomend adding Peat in tiny amounts over long periods of time. A lower kH isnt always great either. Stay consistant, pH swings of even .40 over a week can kill off entire tanks of fish.
> 
> Parkedcar- If it aint broke, dont fix it
> 
> ...


How so Danny? I have added fish from the store to my tanks that were in waters with PH @ 7 to my tank that was @ 7.8 . I think if they are acclimated correctly there shoudlnt be any problems. I took my tank from a ph of 7.8 down to 6.8 in a matter of a few weeks, but if the fish are acclimated properly there should be no problem.
[/quote]

I said can. And acclimatizing and a pH swing are two different issues.
[/quote]

I had a ph swing and I was acclimating at the same time :rasp: 
But ya I agree, a rapid ph swing can most certainly kill off a tank.

ps- post some pics of your planted tank.
[/quote]

I frigging killed a tank of tinfoils doing a simple water change. I didnt know the water in Portland OR in compairison to Vancouver, did like a 20% and poor fish died like within 1 hour.
PH was 8.3 out of the tap / 7.0 in the tank........PH swings do kill off fish


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## --[Zirca]-- (Jan 11, 2006)

So what's the best answer here? I realize that piranha prefer a lower ph, but if my tap water comes in at around 8.0...should I bother? Will the piranha get used to the higher ph?

I'm just in the process of starting my first tanks and want the best results.

Thanks,
Dan


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## mashunter18 (Jan 2, 2004)

--Zirca-- said:


> So what's the best answer here? I realize that piranha prefer a lower ph, but if my tap water comes in at around 8.0...should I bother? Will the piranha get used to the higher ph?
> 
> I'm just in the process of starting my first tanks and want the best results.
> 
> ...


Hey Dan, consistancy, is the key with ph, sure piranha prefer a more acidic soft water, but they would be safer with consistant ph, Have you tested your hardness?

My experiance with peat was it didnt change my water to much at all, and I did peat+blackwaterextract+peat pad breeding material....








For breeding of course

If its 8 its 8, piranha can handle it, if you want to run peat it shouldnt hurt.


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