# Peat Moss Ammonia



## robert_jun (Aug 19, 2010)

Trying to find some good peat moss from my local stores. 

I have purchased Uni Gro Premium organic peat moss. nothing on the bag claims it has fertilizer.

Though when I did some test results it has a high Ammonia reading, is this normal for all peat moss to have a high Ammonia reading ( 2 +with API test kit ) ? or do I have the wrong peat moss.

cheers 
:fish10::betta::fish10:


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## LPUIG73 (Jul 18, 2010)

robert_jun said:


> Trying to find some good peat moss from my local stores.
> 
> I have purchased Uni Gro Premium organic peat moss. nothing on the bag claims it has fertilizer.
> 
> ...


I used MiracleGro Sphagnum Peat Moss as a subsrate after a friend recommended it to me for growing Banana plants. MiracleGro does provide a guaranteed chemical analysis. On the 8 QT bag, the analysis says:

Total Nitrogen...0.05% (0.02% Ammoniacal Nitrogen/0.03% Nitrate Nitrogen)
Available phosphate...0.02%
Soluble potash...0.04%

I cycled and filtered the water with carbon. I had no problem with ammonia after the initial cycle. MiracleGro is fertilized. It does say so on the packaging.


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

LPUIG73 said:


> I used MiracleGro Sphagnum Peat Moss as a subsrate after a friend recommended it to me for growing Banana plants. MiracleGro does provide a guaranteed chemical analysis. On the 8 QT bag, the analysis says:
> 
> Total Nitrogen...0.05% (0.02% Ammoniacal Nitrogen/0.03% Nitrate Nitrogen)
> Available phosphate...0.02%
> ...


What size tank did you use that bag on. how many bags do you think I would need for a 40g breeder tank. 36Lx18w


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## LPUIG73 (Jul 18, 2010)

The 8qt bag of peat moss I bought for less than $6 was for a 20L tank (30x12in). I was also using the peat moss only as a base for the Banana plant's roots. This was an experiment, as I said, based on a recommendation. I used a layer (maybe 2" deep) of peat moss covered by another layer of very fine gravel to weigh the peat moss down. 

The one downside to using peat moss is that water clarity does suffer. The water gets a tint that is yellowish/brownish. It didn't matter to me. Water clarity was not a factor in my case. The fish were also not affected by the discoloration. My goal was to see how well I could grow nymphoides aquatica (bananas) with the peat moss and the end result was excellent.


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

Thanks I was looking at only doing about 1"of the peat as a base also and adding about 2" of clay floor absorber on top. So seems I might get away with just one bag.


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

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