"Akvaristen" wrote in message . net...
In an attempt to lower the pH (and make fish and plants happy)

The reason why you sometimes find plants in low pH water is from
springs, decomposition etc where the water has lots of CO2.
So rather than softening the water in attempts to lower pH, simply add
what the plants want, CO2. Don't monkey with the KH or GH if it's
above 3 degrees.
It is myth that plants prefer soft water.
Both myself and Claus have shown a number of places with excellent
submersed plants growth in hard waters.
This also extends into planted aquariums.

A _few_ fish like softer waters, but even they are fine in the 3-5KH
range.

in my 50 gl
planted tank with Cardinal and Red-eye tetra's, I am going to experiment
with my change-water. At the moment I have a pH of 8.2 and KH of 8 in the
tank.

I kept these fish at higher KH's, 10, Gh 24. They did well, they did
not breed, but they did pretty well.
But softening with peat is not going to improve plant growth nor is
using peat going to add any significant amount of CO2 for this set
up.
The only way peat gives off CO2 is from decomposition(rotting slowly).
It lowers pH through humic acids, and exchange of buffers, not from
CO2 evolution.

I am using a commercial "natural" Co2 system based on fermentation.
Clearly it is not doing as good as it should. I have been using it for a
while, but neglected to refill. I may swith to "pure" Co2, but have some
space limitations.

Well if you forget often, the Gas tank CO2 is much better.

I also recently increased the lighting to 110W 7500K. I
am using tap water. I have now setup a 32 gl Rubbermaid with 8 qts of
Sphagnum Peat Moss (100%), no fertilizers (I certainly hope) in a
pillowcase. The water is stirred by a powerhead and has already turned dark.
I plan to let it sit there for a week, then use it for waterchanges. I will
be tracking the pH along the way.

Well, recall that other acids will influence your pH readings if you
use something other than CO2 gas.

My question to the group is, have anyone tried similar thing? Are there any
pitfalls?

Yes, and yes.
Try CO2 gas.
If you want softer water for the fish, use RO, also you'll get good
drinking water from the RO.

The peat thing is good for breeding but the fish should do fine w/o.
You can try both since it's not $$$. See what you are willing to deal
with. If you like the results, go for it. But realize with more light,
you'll need more CO2, no amount of peat will make up for
this.................

The general premise I use is take care of the plants, then the fish
are fine.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Any comments are appreciated.

Peter.