Question about using organic Peat Moss for KH

[Xalyx]

Ok so I hear a lot of people saying use Peat for KH can you elaborate on this? Put it inside the canister filter or inside the tank, does it make a difference? What do you use to contain it? Where do people get bags to hold filter material that still lets water pass through? Also how exactly does the remove KH, how long does it take, and how long can you use the peat before it must be removed/changed? Does it dissolve? Anyone have experience using it how effective is it compared to other methods?

[Darkblade48]

Originally Posted by Xalyx

Ok so I hear a lot of people saying use Peat for KH can you elaborate on this? Put it inside the canister filter or inside the tank, does it make a difference? What do you use to contain it? Where do people get bags to hold filter material that still lets water pass through? Also how exactly does the remove KH, how long does it take, and how long can you use the peat before it must be removed/changed? Does it dissolve? Anyone have experience using it how effective is it compared to other methods?

I used to put peat moss into my canister filter. The pH will decrease a bit, and you will notice that the peat leaches quite a bit of tannins, resulting in tea coloured water.

I used to use old pantyhose stockings - they work well.

[Xalyx]

Originally Posted by Darkblade48

I used to put peat moss into my canister filter. The pH will decrease a bit, and you will notice that the peat leaches quite a bit of tannins, resulting in tea coloured water.

I used to use old pantyhose stockings - they work well.

For how long

[Darkblade48]

Originally Posted by Xalyx

For how long

The tea colouration depends on several factors: how often you do water changes, how much, whether you use activated charcoal to remove the tannins, how much peat you use, etc.

In short, it is hard to say.

[stlouisan]

If you're doing regular water changes, isn't the kh of the tap water going to undo the effects of the peat?

[AirstoND]

Originally Posted by stlouisan

If you're doing regular water changes, isn't the kh of the tap water going to undo the effects of the peat?

I would say this depends on how heavily tank is planted, how big it is, and other growth factors.