peat

[Barrie]

what type/brand of peat do you use, how do you prepare it and what do you do after you've used it. Do you use it time and time again, do you boil it inbetween spawnings, do you smoke it?

Thanks people :-?

[alanmin4304]

I use the expensive imported palletized stuff from the pet shop. I put it in small netting bags and boil it in rainwater many times until it stops producing the colour I want. I keep them in plastic bags between boils. It is about $50 a bag but they break them down to smaller bags for about $8.00.

[Wok]

I just use the stuff from Kmart. Solid brick.

fish didn't mind

[Barrie]

stops producing the colour you want...? so it stops colouring the water at all?

Solid Brick... I take it that thats a brand name?

Thanks

[Wok]

solid brick is not the brand name

Just saw it a K Mart (it was like a solid brick) so bought it and used it.

had no problems with it.

[alanmin4304]

Any peat will do the job so long as it doesn't have added fertilizers etc. Each time you boil it you get rid of some of the solubles like tannin that you are after. There comes a point when it is leached out but is still useful for bottom spawners or egg storage.

[Barrie]

great

Thanks Guys

[Alan]

Barrie, you may recall the term Jiffy Peat, it was talked about last century and even mentioned in books of an English origin

You can get them from most Garden Centres, and as the "other" alan says, just make sure that they don't have fert additives.

They ate about 50mm across and 10mm thick, encased in fine mesh.

When soaked for about an hour, they have swollen to about 60mm x 60long.

Strip of the mesh, and you'll find a very fine grade of peat.

It is imperative that peat is boiled between uses, one, it kills any harmful germs, but it will also kill any dormant eggs, thereby cutting out the chance of mixing breeds.

A must in the NZKA.

KBK

[Barrie]

I think I still have some of those

ta

[evilknieval69]

I use peat from mitre ten. It comes in a big Yellow Bale of either 50 or 100L's and when wet it expands to twice the size. Its pretty cheap too. i payed $17 for a 50L, but i have seen them for $12 at other places....

[AquaNut]

Ive been using Hauraki Gold peat for the last two years. In fact ive just finished the big yellow bag and need to get some more. First I siv the peat to take out sticks and stones, feathers and all other large foreign matter. Then I boil the peat in my partners best pot and rinse it in a net untill there is minimal dirt colour being squeezed out of the peat. I find that its alot easier to remove as much dirt as possible because when it comes to hatching you can see newly born fry alot easier in clear water.

Cheers

Tim in 'The Fishroom'

[evilknieval69]

Ive been using Hauraki Gold peat for the last two years.

Yea thats the name of it. Hauraki Gold.

[Barrie]

Thanks for the help

I honestly appreciate it

[caserole]

I wouldn't use Hauraki Gold if you payed me.

It stinks( to wet ) and has to much sticks and stones in it.

I use Daltons peat, it's much finner and easy to sieve the large bits out.

Palm peat is also an option, I think that is what the peat blocks are.

jiffy type pots can be found at the local hydroponics shop as well, they do contain some fertiliser but as there intended for seedlings it's not much and can be mostly removed when saturating the peat by boiling.

[AquaNut]

The oracle speaks again.... thanks casarole.

Tim

[caserole]

Why would you say something honorable like that. :-?

[Barrie]

jiffy sound really easy and not very bulky to store...I will probably go that way

Again

Thanks