Water softening Vs Peat moss

[Muzammil]

Hi all!

I am trying to soften my water using peat moss. I am using Azoo's peat moss. I just bought Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kit and check my water parameters. All test solution are working except Gh? So, I can't tell the Gh:( Other water params are:

Amm & Nitrite :0

Tap water:
Kh : 6
Ph:7.8

Peat water:
Kh:6
Ph: 7.2

Peat extract:
Kh:6
Ph:7.0

I need to soften the water for breeding purpose. Can any of you suggest a better way to do so(RO is not possible for me). Ph lower solutions which I can get are either phosphorous based or sodium based which I learnt here are not desirable.

I would really appreciate your input.

Muzammil

[dishpanhands]

You can always use rain water...thats what I did before I had RO..

[Muzammil]

You can always use rain water...thats what I did before I had RO..

Thanks for the reply

It rains here for a few days per year so cant do that.

Might be there is no way that is why peoples have switched to RO. Just wanted to know if there is any!


Muzammil

[jeep]

RO is about your only way to go :)

[alan j t]

another option is to buy the RO water
where i live there is a water mart
people buy water to fill up there RVs for camping or for burning man
i was reffered there buy some guy i met a my favorite lfs
just check your local yellow pages

[Brian Mc]

If there is no other option you should research the 'peat bomb', basically you are trying to force the water through a large volume of peat under pressure. HTH.

Edit: I saw you are using Azoo peat, I don't think they sell it in bales. :D

[dishpanhands]

You can use a DI filter..They are not cheap..It won't waste water...

[Polar_Bear]

A Deionizing filter will work well, but is expensive to use (the media will be "used up" quickly, as Dishpanhands stated. Buy peat from your local gardening center, a bale costs around $10 and will last you MANY years. In fact your water is not all that hard, if you are trying to breed domestic type discus, most likely you really don't need to do anything. You should get viable eggs with your water right out of the tap.

[Muzammil]

Hi all!

Very sorry for the late reply:o And Many thanks to you guys for the replies and time you gave.

Alan jt, Thanx for the advice, I will check that.

Brain mc, Do you mean that I should double the amount of peat? I am using power filters to circulate the water through peat. Should I change the way? Also, what do you mean by Peat Bale? Sorry, I dont know about that:o. The only peat moss I have ever seen is Azoo's peat.

dishpanhands, Thanx for the suggestion. Infact, I am not a breeder but just a hobbyist with a very limited setup. I have just three aquaiums. One is for breeding pair, the other is for water makeup!, And the third one is for some other discus. Cant afford expensive units. I hope I will get those one day but not today:)

Polar Bear, What you said is very interesting. I wish I could get a good hatch rate using my tapewater. It just seems like good but there is something which makes problem. Peat moss somehow helps. Just a question, Does not gh could be a problem?

Muzammil

[Brian Mc]

Hi Muzammil, a bale of peat is a large bundle, a meter wide. We can buy it here in the U.S. at the garden center to plant the flowers in our garden. I don't know if it would be available there.

My understanding is that peat softens water by natural ion exchange , the more the use the better the effect. There is another thread about this now with a pic of a peat bomb if you can get more quantity:
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=62977

[Muzammil]

Hi Muzammil, a bale of peat is a large bundle, a meter wide. We can buy it here in the U.S. at the garden center to plant the flowers in our garden. I don't know if it would be available there.

My understanding is that peat softens water by natural ion exchange , the more the use the better the effect. There is another thread about this now with a pic of a peat bomb if you can get more quantity:
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=62977

Thanks a million brain! Thats very helpful and informative too. I will get more quantity and make a peat bomb. And will tell you about the results.

Thanx
Muzammil

[Muzammil]

Hi!

Just an update.
I have tried to make small peat bomb and that worked too. My discus spawned 3 times but ate the eggs(dont know why?). The peat moss I was using got used up and I leave the pair in the tap water. They spawned again and this time no egg eating. Unfortunately, after 36-48 hrs all the eggs got white even those which got black after 36 hours. I just did a 20% w/c after 24 hours.

Now, the breeding season is going to off as temp. has touched 30 degrees and in a couple of days will cross 30. Will try again, in the next season.:)

Thanks every one who tried to help me in any way.
And I must say that you guys are great!:thumbsup:


Thanx
Muzammil

[alron2]

Muzammil,
How about the water that comes off the refrig. or air conditioner? Isn't it basically distilled water?
Ron