# peat as bottom layer?



## Storkas (Feb 21, 2011)

Hey!
Storkas from Sweden reporting in.
This is my first post here at APC, and I predict that there will be many more.
I´ve been in this hobby for about eight years and I have tried both low-tech and high-tech setups.
Ive just read the ecology of the planted aquarium, and had my first go for it in a 10 gallon "test tank".

My plan right now is to go LT in my main "living room" tank. But I have some problems.
Here in sweden it is impossible to find unfertilized soil in shops. I have written one manufacturer and two different shops about it and gotten the answer that unfertilized soil just isn't wanted by customers so theres no need to have it in their catalog.

I really want to know exactly what I put in my tank an I was thinking maybe exchange the soil for peat under the substrate.
*
What is the downside of using peat vs soil as a bottom layer?*

What I want from the peat is just co2 production basicly.
I plan on adding PMDD to the tank when needed. Adding traces etc each week for 3 weeks and then stopping the fourth to let the plants have the rests.
The difference between "el natural" and "low-tech" could be huge, but I just want a working plan that would work for a heavily planted aquarium.

So what do you think?


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## aquabillpers (Apr 13, 2006)

I suggest you look for "topsoil", the kind that one would buy to fill holes and depressions in his yard. I'm sure people don't buy the much more expensive enriched soil for that purpose.

Here it costs about $1.50 for a 40 pound bag.

Good luck.

Bill


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## potatoes (Jun 25, 2010)

I feel like peat would make your water really soft and acidic. It also wont have a mineral componant, and wont have nutreints as available as the humus in soil, and due to the nature of peat, will decompose very slowly. You dont even have to buy the soil if you cant find it. Go into a clean forest and scrape away the O layer, then dig up some dirt. soak, dry and screen it. You can also test the soil for nutrients if it is reassuring.
+1, go for topsoil if you can find it. it is normally not fertilized


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

I have pure peat in a paludarium with carnivorous plants. As a substrate in a planted tank it did not work well. Too light and loose. Plants never stayed planted, and any disturbance at all to the water and the bits of peat lifted up and sailed through the tank for a few hours. Some settled on the leaves, and some collected at the surface. 

I would not recommend peat as a substrate in a full tank. 
In the shallow carnivorous set up it is OK.


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## Storkas (Feb 21, 2011)

Thank you for your answers!

The plan was to have a small layer of peat under a usual aquarium gravel type. And I do think its a good plan. because it takes long time to decompose I will have a slow carbon addition over a long time from the peat. I'm not talking much at all, just some on the bottom, then maybe some soil over/mixed with that, then some typical planted aquarium substrate like eco-complete, easy care substrate or similar product.

I'm going to give this a shot if none of you guys warn me 

Anyone tried to use these types of substrates (eco-complete, ecs or ada) over a soil based substrate?


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## mr greenjeans (May 24, 2004)

I would say go for it. On my latest npt I just covered the bottom of the tank with peat, no depth at all really, just enough to cover. Over that I put soil dug from the yard (basically mississippi river silt garden soil), mixed with about 20% worm castings and a small amount of laterite for the extra clay component. So far it's been my fastest growing and bet looking tank. 

I think it's because of the enriched soil, not sure what the peat is doing but the next tank I will set up the same way.


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