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Hi all,
I posted before that my plants in my 90g are fading. We decided generally that it is a lack of nutrients in the new gravel. I didnt go with flourite under the gravel, even though half of me wanted to, should have I think now. However, I am wondering if I can perhaps "plump up" my gravel by adding some things to it. One thing I was considering is Peat Pellets. You know the kind that are round like a disc and swell up in water? If I put some of these around the plant roots, would it add any nutrients?
I would like to find a way to naturally soften my oh so hard well water, and I think peat would do it. I am going to put some into the filter, but was thinking it would help in the gravel as well. The gravel is deep, about 4 inches, maybe a bit more. Small and round.
Is there anything else I could add to help enrich the gravel? Would the peat work? Should I maybe plant these plants in little clay pots with soil in them until the gravel establishes itself?
C02 is an idea, but wont be right away, or until I could find it at a good price. Besides, i dont think it will help the soil and that is my first concern in this new tank.

[span class="edited"][Edited by Sneaky_Pete 2004-08-15 22:36][/span]

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Hi Pete,

I know you addressed this to Frank but he doesn’t seem to be around. So while you are waiting you can read my $0.2 to pass the time.

If you do think it’s the gravel that’s the problem (any particular reason?) yes there are ferts you can add. Personally I would be very wary of Peat Pellets. Peat or any kind of natural garden type soil can be a little too rich for the confined space of an aquarium and can just lead to a whole host of other problems. I would go with one the substrate ferts designed to do just what you are looking to achieve, add some nutrients to a gravel bed while you wait for the aquarium to create it’s own juicy bed of mulm. Tetra’s Initial Sticks would be a great choice, there a few other bead type ferts available to get the substrate started, IMO any of these would be a better choice.

The other problem with Peat is the effect on pH. I know that you want to use peat to lower your pH but this is better done thru the filter rather then use in the sub. Think of it, how much peat do you need to drop your pH to your desired level? You probably don’t know and I doubt if anyone could tell you and this is the problem. You put peat in the substrate and your pH drops too much or not enough, then what do you do? You’ve got to dig up your substrate to either add more peat or remove some and this can go on ad finitum until you get the desired effect, very messy and troublesome, and all the while dispersing additional nutrients into the water column for the algae to dine on. By putting the peat in the filter it is easy to adjust as needed until you get the desired effect without constantly tearing up the substrate. I think Frank would agree with this as I learned all this from him anyway!

Anyway I’m not saying what you propose can’t work, just to my mind and there are easier and safer ways to achieve what you want.

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

you can read my $0.2 to pass the time

Wow, you give 20 cents. :88) Watch out people, it's a big spender.

Anyways, I think you'd be better off buying real plant ferts. They sell ones that stick in the gravel. It wouldsave you a lot of time fiddling with your pH and stuff.

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They shade the glow of it with their mossy-misty costumes,
They wear masks of silk, porcelain, brass, and silver,
So as not to mislead with their own, ordinary faces.

Well, bensaf, the gravel is new, so nto enough nutrients have built up yet. Some of my plants are truly doing very poorly. I am trying to figure out an inexpensive way to help the plants out. I have looked for root ferts and have come up empty! I may have to order some through Big Als Online. The reason I want to add peat is really to not just lower PH but soften the water a bit. Quite a bit actually. My well water here is a PH of 7.6 with a GH of 286+ ppm. Thats pretty hard water. I think my angelfish and other south american and asian softwater fish would really prefer a softer water, and chemicals are too expensive and I worry of possible future problems due to chemicals.


Come Play Yahtzee With Me!
http://games.atari.com
Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames

Ok I'm Irish,must have got my conversion rates mixed up

Pete,
Understand the reasons for using peat and they are sound and peat is a very good way of doing it, and you're right chemicals are not a good way to go. But definately you'll have more success and an easier time by using the peat in the filter rather then the substrate.I'm sure you can find Tetra Initial Sticks somewhere online and they are a perfect solution for what you want.

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

If you're looking for the cheapest way to condition that new gravel to make it liveable for plants, I'd go to the gardening section of a department store or home improvement store and buy some Jobe's Plant Spikes for Ferns and Palms. I say those because they contain less phosphorus than the others. It will provide the macro ferts your heavy root feeders need.

AP makes a cheap " legitimate" fertilizer as well which is pretty cheap, even after shipping if you have to buy it online.

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?planta&1092861605 is 50 for under 2 bucks. The same person is selling 500 for under $11 at the moment as well.

I agree that it is easier and more cost effective to use fertilizer tablets rather than adding any other sort of gravel enhancement. If you would like the effects of peat in your tank, I would add it to your filter and still go with fert tabs for the actual needed plant nutrients.

Just my 6 cents.