How does peat do its voodoo?

[spinjector]

I've heard a zillion times that peat "softens and acidifies" aquarium water.

Well the acidification part is easy to guess, BUT how does soften water?

Does it perform some kind of ion exchange like water softener resins? No matter which way I think about it, the water softening part seems like urban snake oil.

 

[ashdavid]

Peat moss softens water by binding the calcium and magnesium ions in water , and while doing this it releases tannic and gallic acids into the water. These acids attack the bicarbonates in the water, and in doing so reducing the water's carbonate hardness and pH.

 

[spinjector]

Ahh wow. Thanks. Didn't know it was that complicated.

 

[ashdavid]

Not a problem spinjector!