Can peat moss help me?

[wtusa1783]

So I lost my apistogramma today and I am greatly saddened. My ph out of the tap is 7.8-8. I had a pair and now only a female. I want to try breeding them again but this time in their own tank. It would be a 20 high with 1, maybe 2 pairs. I would get drift wood to release tannins and Indian almond leaves to do the same. I would get some live oak leaves from my live oak tree in my backyard that are dead and bake them just for the leaf litter. Would putting some peat moss in the filter help release tannins and lower ph and soften water? Since it would be a decent tank size I would only have to do 10% water changes weekly and I would refill the tank slowly so I don’t think it would affect the fish so much. Opinions?

 

[Mike Wise]

What is your water's hardness value?

 

[wtusa1783]

What is your water's hardness value?

I can’t tell you that

 

[Mike Wise]

Then it's not really possible to answer your question. Read some of the post here re: peat filtration and pH.

 

[wtusa1783]

Then it's not really possible to answer your question. Read some of the post here re: peat filtration and pH.

Ok. Do I need to buy a test? I know I have hard water

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Would putting some peat moss in the filter help release tannins and lower ph and soften water?

......I know I have hard water

No, probably not if you have hard water.

It is much easier to add salts to water than take them away. I assume rain-water isn't an option for you?

cheers Darrel

 

[wtusa1783]

Hi all,No, probably not if you have hard water.

It is much easier to add salts to water than take them away. I assume rain-water isn't an option for you?

cheers Darrel

What are my options? Not RO though.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

What are my options?

Really just RO or rain-water. Some Apistogramma species will survive in harder water.

I have hard tap water (about 18dKH/dGH), but I use rain-water in the tanks. I <"live in the UK">, so it rains a lot and it makes this an option.

cheers Darrel

 

[wtusa1783]

Hi all, Really just RO or rain-water. Some Apistogramma species will survive in harder water.

I have hard tap water (about 18dKH/dGH), but I use rain-water in the tanks. I <"live in the UK">, so it rains a lot and it makes this an option.

cheers Darrel

Ok. This was captive bred so from my understanding it is fine in my water. It has been in the hobby for 30 years so it’s not very picky. I think it had a disease of some sort. It was pineconing when it died.