Peat ?????!!!!!!!!

["Simone Vicini" <svicini@lcnet.it>]

> <snip>> In a previous email it was said that one should boil peat for 15
min
> before
> >  using. 
> >  I am thinking about using peat in one of my tanks and wondered why
this
> was.
> >  Is it to release toxins? or to break down the peat somehow?
> 
> It "activates" the tannins and reduces the risk of introducing unwanted
> pathogens, like parasites and infectious bacteria.

How does this work? How temperatures near 100° C activate peat? If I put
peat in the hoven for half an hour at 100 °C, will this work as well?
Boiling will take out tannins from the peat, wont it?

Sorry for all these questions!!!

I'm using peat for aquarium use, and I never boiled or cocked it in the
microwave, and now that I hear this, I'm just wondering if I've always done
wrong!

I use to put it between the sponges in the bio-filter, so it doesn't remain
on the top floating, then after some time it sinks.

Thanks a lot
Simone Vicini (svicini@lcnet.it)


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