Using peat to tint the water

[neon]

I have a 55gal tank with real driftwood and live plants. I would like to get the yellow tint back in my tank and how much peat moss would I have to use for a 55gal tank? Also does it matter on the brand of the peat moss that I use? I basicly want to make black water biotope. I know that I can not have any carbon in the filter. :confused:

[Orange Crush]

Why not use fluval's peat media for filters. Definately cannot use carbon because it will remove any tannins.
Just be aware that peat will soften your water...

[neon]

I don't have a fluval canister filter on my tank but a hob filter. Will I be able to put the fluval peat media in my filter?

[Orange Crush]

Yes. I do not know if they come in media bags or not or how big they are if they do but, you can always buy your own filter media bags and put the amount of peat in it that will fit into your filter with whatever else you have in there.:)

[nwehrman]

The fluvial peat pellets or sera peat are convienient .... Just buy a media bag and can add to any type of filter.

[Chicago Discus]

it will lower your PH and if you don't use the same amount every time you do water changes the PH will bounce all over the place.............Josie

[Chicago Discus]

you can boil peat down about three cups of peat to 15 cups of water and make an extract but again it will lower your PH so you need to start slow and be consistant..................Josie

[neon]

So how often should I replace the peat in the filter? When I do water changes so I should add peat to the new water as well. Do you have to boil the peat what if you do not boil what will happen? When boiling the peat does it make the kitchen stink and does it ruin the pot as well?

[Orange Crush]

You could keep it simpler by putting some mopani wood in the tank instead.....

[TNT77]

Or blackwater extract. :)

[Chicago Discus]

Or blackwater extract. :)
Taras right if just want the tannin look just use
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff509/snoopodus/AKMBWE16.jpg

[Orange Crush]

I was wondering about the extract, I would think that it would get very expensive to use if you had to redose everytime you do a water change.
Would the extract increase the TDS?

[Chicago Discus]

im not sure I never used it I only have used peat moss boiled or through a filter

[neon]

Where can I buy some mopani wood ?

[Orange Crush]

Amazon sells ZooMed mopani wood that has been sand blasted clean. Some people will boil it but then you loose the tannins. I have at least 10 pieces for 3 of my tanks, I love the stuff. Just a heads up, sometimes I will get this slimey, mucas like film on it after a few days in the tank. It is safe for the fish and will go away (some people think it is just sap leeching out). However if you have plecos they will gobble it up happily and it does not come back after that. I believe there are other online aquatic/pet sites that sell it as well.

[TNT77]

Amazon sells ZooMed mopani wood that has been sand blasted clean. Some people will boil it but then you loose the tannins. I have at least 10 pieces for 3 of my tanks, I love the stuff. Just a heads up, sometimes I will get this slimey, mucas like film on it after a few days in the tank. It is safe for the fish and will go away (some people think it is just sap leeching out). However if you have plecos they will gobble it up happily and it does not come back after that. I believe there are other online aquatic/pet sites that sell it as well.
Funny how you mention that slime my discus even my rays for some reason love it. Only thing with wood is you do eventually loose the tannins. Small pieces only take a couple days but larger pieces will last up to a couple months if its really thick wood.

[Orange Crush]

Funny how you mention that slime my discus even my rays for some reason love it. Only thing with wood is you do eventually loose the tannins. Small pieces only take a couple days but larger pieces will last up to a couple months if its really thick wood.

Lol. That is why I have so many pieces! They stop leeching tannins so I buy more! However, I do find that it lasts much much longer than what you stated. Small pieces last months for me and the large pieces that I bought a year ago still have a little bit. I wonder if that is because you have yours in a discus tank and you change the water frequently?

[TNT77]

Lol. That is why I have so many pieces! They stop leeching tannins so I buy more! However, I do find that it lasts much much longer than what you stated. Small pieces last months for me and the large pieces that I bought a year ago still have a little bit. I wonder if that is because you have yours in a discus tank and you change the water frequently?
Probably why it doesn't last as long I do 50-75% every day on my tanks.

[neon]

How low will the peat lower the ph if my is 7.8 and the GH is 300 also KH is 300? My tap water is the following ph 7.2, KH 120, GH 150. I do my water changes every two days and they are 50%. So what cause the ph go up not down I have driftwood.

[TNT77]

How low will the peat lower the ph if my is 7.8 and the GH is 300 also KH is 300? My tap water is the following ph 7.2, KH 120, GH 150. I do my water changes every two days and they are 50%. So what cause the ph go up not down I have driftwood.
Have you checked your water from the tap after it has aged? It could be that it is raising higher than the 7.8 in the tank and the driftwood is lowering it. Also depending on the size of the tank it can take alot of driftwood to alter ph.

[neon]

Yes that is after 24hrs and my tank is a 55gal. And have few live amazon sword plants as well.

[TNT77]

Yes that is after 24hrs and my tank is a 55gal. And have few live amazon sword plants as well.
No I mean have you tested the water aged...as in not been put in the tank aged?

[neon]

Yes I have tested the water before I add it to my tank after it had be sitting for 24hrs. And thats level readings.

[BillyinNYC]

In addition to peat, wood, and blackwater liquid additives, there's also filter material like Magnavore Pura Amazon Media and others that have the same effect...might be an option for you, though the peat would be the easiest/most cost efficient in long run I think.