If you put a layer of peat under the gravel to encourage plants does it discolour the water at all? And don't you risk sucking it out when you clean the gravel? I presume you can't use peat with an undergravel filter.

Cheers again

Judy

sometimes it can discolour the water, if you put to much in of not enough gravel on top.

what i do is put lots and lots of cat fish in my tanks then i never have to touch the bottom of the tank, corys are great at keeping the gravel clean

I have 3 cory's, 2 chinese algae eaters, a botia striata and a khuli loach which between them all keep the gravel in my tank very clean indeed.

hope this helps you jude

B

I would assume the peat would lower the PH.

Make a pillow of the peat in old holeless pantyhose

Lay on top of the U/G filter plate,

then cover with gravel.

Fish can't disturb it

you can't vacuum it out

you can remove it easily once your desired need has been satisfied.

Alan

Hi Alan, I read with interest, your advice about the peat in pantyhose. I take it then that panty hose are safe for fishtanks. Also, do the roots of the plants push thru the material into the peat, and if so, how do you remove the roots from the peat if you have to dismantle the tank in the future. Never heard of this before, and really am interested in trying it myself. Also, how does it interact with the working of the UGF??? Thankyou, Judy

Are panty hose are safe for fishtanks?

Yep, just give them a wash, then rinse out any trace of washing powder.

Also, do the roots of the plants push thru the material into the peat?

They can do, I don't leave it there that long, you could place a log or stone over that area to negate this problem

How do you remove the roots from the peat if you have to dismantle the tank in the future?

I would just pull them out if it occured.

Also, how does it interact with the working of the UGF

No effect on it at all, the peat extract is straight into the system as you required it to be, keep up tests until your requirements are met, then remove pillow.

No Mess Charlie

Alan