From: lee@coredump.npac.syr.edu (Lee C Brink)
Subject: Re: Using peat to lower pH - How to?
In-reply-to: frazier@maxwell's message of 13 Aug 92 17:06:50 GMT
Organization: Northeast Parallel Architectures Center (NPAC)
	<22850@hacgate.SCG.HAC.COM>
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 92 14:04:34 EDT

In article <22850@hacgate.SCG.HAC.COM> frazier@maxwell (Greg Frazier) writes:
   lee@coredump.npac.syr.edu (Lee C Brink) writes:
   : 
   : 	1) How much should I use in the Aquaclear 300 (Volume wise) for a
   : 		particular pH?  Is this actually possible to figure out?

   Not really - the change will be very gradual, so you will have
   room to play around w/out risking your fish's lives.

   : 	2) How long is the peat good for in keeping the pH low?  The pH of
   : 		Syracuse water fluctuates from 7.4-7.8 during the year;
   : 		assuming that the higher the pH, the less amount of time
   : 		the peat is good for, is there a point where the peat will
   : 		NOT lower the pH a significant amount before it has to be 
   : 		replaced?

   If your water has a lot of buffering capacity, the peat isn't
   going to do diddly.  That is to say, not until you have used
   A LOT of it.  And then you'll do a water change and start all
   over again.  I think your fish may appreciate the peat, but
   don't expect to see a major pH change.

Unfortunately, I'm not a chemist by trade.  From what I understand, buffering
capacity is the ability of the water to resist pH changes.  And if I also
remember correctly, this has to do with dH.  If that is correct, then is
a 120 ppm Ca a large buffer for pH swings?

Also with water changes, should the water to be used for the water change be
soaked with peat, to reduce the pH swing?


   [ Deleted for brevity ]

   : 	4) Activated carbon should not be used when using peat (From
   : 		what I've read here on these groups).  What do people
   : 		do for mechanical friltration (In replacement for the carbon)
   : 		if any [Note:  I do not want to start a flame war concerning
   : 		the necessity/absoulte uselessness of carbon]?

   If the peat has been in the filter for any length of time, dollars
   to donoughts the "chemical" properties of the carbon has been used
   up, and it has become passive bio-filter media.  Check your package,
   it should say how long your carbon is "good" for.  Just don't change
   the carbon... or use something else (bio-beads?) in your filter.

   Note that I am not one of the people who recommended peat.  I am
   not at all convinced that your pH is out of the range acceptable
   to your fish, and I'd hate to see you go to great lengths on
   something that won't necessarily help.  On the other hand, it
   definitely won't hurt, and fooling with your tank is what this
   hobby is all about... :-)

Agreed. :-)

   Greg Frazier	frazier@CS.UCLA.EDU	!{ucbvax,rutgers}!ucla-cs!frazier


  Lee

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