Re: reducing water hardness for breeding discus

[BigJohnW@webtv.net (John Wubbolt)]

As far as I know using peat through your filter will lower the pH in
your tank, but I don't think it actually lowers the hardness.   You need
to remove ions from minerals in your water to lower the hardness.   In
given time the water that has been lowered pH wise will bounce back up
to it's original pH.   

As to boiling the peat that removes some of the tanic acid from the
peat.   It smells when you do that though and you need to be careful
what kind of pot you are using when boiling peat moss.   If you run
really hot water through the peat when its in a large net this helps
some too without having to boil it.  

Good luck
John


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