Peat - Onyx - Sand substrate

C

CorydorasLover

AC Members
Jun 17, 2005
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Hello all,

I am planning to set up a South-American biotope and have been browsing the net for the past couple of weeks, trying to find some good pointers and advice.

I have decided to use peat in the substrate, and I want to combine this with Seachem's Onyx sand at the deepest layer. The top layer will be a combination of sand and small gravel.

I have a couple of questions that I could use some answers to.

1. What is a good amount of peat to use? Volume wise, 1 peat : 10 sand?

2. Does anybody have experience with peat substrates? Perhaps even in combination with Onyx sand?

I did a search through this forum before posting my question, but couldn't really find much information.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
I use only a dusting of peat at the bottom of the substrate in new setups. Using a significant amount of peat under a substrate as fine as Onyx sand sounds like asking for an anoxic substrate. Not in my fish tanks.
 
if you mix sand and gravel, eventually all the gravel will end up underneather the sand because it is heavier and larger. when things get shaken up by fish or when you vaccum the sand will get moved up and the gravel will slowly sink down. your better off just getting one or the other.
 
I believe that is a backward sorting - over time, the finer material moves downward and the large material is left at the surface. So the sand will be the base, the gravel the surface. Deep vacuumimng will remix the components, but you do not deep vacuum planted tanks very often - only when dividing and replanting.
 
When I plant pond plants, I use a mix of 1/3 topsoil, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 playground sand. I also mix poly-bonded fertilizer in with them as well without any ill effects to the fish. I would imagne that mixing peat and sand won't hurt things as your plant roots will keep things moving somewhat. Hell, a few Malaysian Trumpet Snails, and you've got a churning substrate. I would use a 1:5-1:8 ratio of peat and sand.
 
I added about 1/2 to 1 inch of peat to the bottom of my tank, then covered it with 2-3 inches of play sand.

I did it to add a little bit of nutrients to the subtrate during start up. You`re using a subtrate designed for plants. Why do you want peat in your subtrate?
 
Thanks for the feedback so far. I appreciate it.

I also believe that the gravel will stay on top and the sand will actually go down; that is my experience, at least.

Fishseller, I'd love to put some Malaysian Trumpet snails in there, but I want to stay true to my biotope.

Charby, I want peat in my substrate because of several reasons. Peat is said to affect water conditions (a drop in PH, and a slight coloring) which would move my water conditions closer to the ones you can find in the South American amazon region. Besides that, I believe that peat will enhance my plantgrowth.
 
I sprinkle peat add 1/2" of sand and then top it off with 1" of flourite and they stay that way for the entire year. Even with MTS, they don't go burrow 1" so the sand on the bottom never get disturb. The only that you'll disturb them is when you gravel vac and when you pull any plants have an established root system.
As for the peat, it won't be enough to give you a descent black water after a couple of water change. Drop dried leaves and drift wood for that.
 
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