Peat moss...Help!

[Haydn24]

Oops oops oops! I ment 4-6Dgh

 

[Haydn24]

So about 50ppm hardness..

 

[jpappy789]

You should be fine with straight tap IMO.

 

[msjinkzd]

I agree, i doubt with hardness at that level you n eed to worrry about softening it.

 

[Haydn24]

I wasn't concerned about softness. Just pH...

 

[msjinkzd]

peat lowers pH by reducing the hardness. I believe how it works is that the organic compounds in peat chelate (or bind) to the ions like Ca++ and Mg++ in the water and remove them, lowering the gH and therefore allowing the pH to drop.
Are you testing your pH from the tank, or from the tap? Are you allowing it to sit out for 12-24 hours before testing the tap water?

 

[Haydn24]

Okay, that makes sense. Thanks. I'm measuring out of tank and it's about 7.6.. Out of tap is about 7 after 24 hours. I think I will just leave it rams should be fine with that right?

 

[KarlTh]

peat lowers pH by reducing the hardness. I believe how it works is that the organic compounds in peat chelate (or bind) to the ions like Ca++ and Mg++ in the water and remove them, lowering the gH and therefore allowing the pH to drop.
Are you testing your pH from the tank, or from the tap? Are you allowing it to sit out for 12-24 hours before testing the tap water?

GH is not related to pH. Removing Ca++ and Mg++ will not lower pH. It's the bicarbonate (KH) you need to remove, and peat moss does this by the tannic acid reacting with the bicarbonate. The softening and acidifying actions of peat are separate.

 

[Haydn24]

Hmm :/ lol

 

[msjinkzd]

GH is not related to pH. Removing Ca++ and Mg++ will not lower pH. It's the bicarbonate (KH) you need to remove, and peat moss does this by the tannic acid reacting with the bicarbonate. The softening and acidifying actions of peat are separate.

Thanks for clarifying Karl!


Regardless, your rams and other fish should do fine in your source water