Re: Peat filtration.(tangent)

[Frauley/Elson <fraulels@minet.ca>]

Hi Michael (and anyone else following this thread),
I don't have orchids, but I'd say you do...
We ARE talking about two animals. Now, do we need to use latin names for
moss? Uh oh. 
It's kind of a point about trade names. What we get here (I'm in eastern
Canada) isn't identified as from NZ, and it's cheap. It often doesn't
even have a label, just a price in marker on the bag. I always thought
it was Canadian spaghnum, and it still may be. I'll check at my local
garden centre the next time I go.
It's entirely brown, very dry and most likely sun-bleached/dried. It
takes about a week to sink. You can buy it in big clear plastic bags at
garden centres. I thought that was what the original post was referring
to as I didn't think about regional product distribution. We'd never get
redwood moss up here. There are peat bogs that supply the international
market just a day's drive from here, and "unmined" bogs 4 hours down the
road.
I have (I swear) kept Neolebias tetras in a 10 gallon full of the stuff
for 3 months. It came out messy, but identifiable (often still in
strands), and the tank was hopping with juveniles. In heated tanks
(23+), it lasts a couple of weeks maximum and isn't worth the trouble.
Interesting. I'll take a trip to my garden guy this week and find out
where this stuff is from.
-Gary
>         Sorry Gary, but we're talking about two intirely different animals!
>         The spaghnum sold for orchids is New Zealand spaghnum that is harvested
>         alive and dried and bleached. There is some coming in from Tasmania
> that
>         in some cases will start to grow if not fertilized and the water is
> good.
>         There is also some bogus *NZ spaghnum* that actually comes from Chile.
>         It's crap!
> 
>         The green moss I've been refering to ISN"T spaghnum. It dosen't belong
>         in an aquarium and if you want your orchids to grow well, don't use it.
> 
>         I have 10,000 orchids growing in NZ and Tasmanian spaghnum and it must
>         dry a little between watering to insure longevity.  Keeping it
> submerged
>         in an aquarium will cause it to break down rather quickly.
> 
>         Michael
> 
> --
> Michael Serpa * Bay Island Orchids

> 
>


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