To PEAT or Not to Peat...

Not all the stuff at home depot has fertilizers, but you need to check really carefully. The suggestion is a VERY thin layer of peat moss (which is great because they come in one cubic foot packages), and it will help lower the pH of the water. It is not necessary, but it probably wouldn't hurt.

If you are wary of peat, you can use mulm from a sponge filter or from the gravel of a fish tank to do the same thing, establish the bacteria and micro-organism population and give the plants their first bit of nutirent supply. When I first heard of using peat like this I was against it, people were putting down thick layers of peat under gravel and having all kinds of problems. When the advice was made more specific, to a thin dusting of peat, it made more sense to me and now I just try to make sure people understand 'the less is more' concept.

Yes, if you try this you want a THIN layer. It should be thin enough that you can still see through the bottom of the tank.

so, thin, and something w/o fertilizers etc from a garden shop? my wife is an organic gardener, I prolly have some in the garage then....

With such a small dusting of peat, would it really matter if it had fertilizers? I'd be more concerned if it had wetting agents.