# What kind of peatmoss ? Does it matter ?



## tinman (Nov 3, 2009)

Ok I'm going to use peatmoss and play sand from homedepot to do a planted tank ( still thinking about Eco complete and bbb) 

Homedepot have various varieties of peat moss does it matter which one I pick?? 

Also how much would I be needing for a base of 30x12 inches. 

Also just pear moss with play sand of around 3 inches would work good for plants ??


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## tinman (Nov 3, 2009)

Also if I go with Eco complete how Many lbs would I need for a 2 inch thck layer for the dimensions mentioned above ??


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

tinman said:


> Ok I'm going to use peatmoss and play sand from homedepot to do a planted tank ( still thinking about Eco complete and bbb)
> 
> Homedepot have various varieties of peat moss does it matter which one I pick??
> 
> ...


Get the canadian sphagum peat moss in the plastic wrapped "bails" out in the garden section beside the bags of rocks mulch and so on. They are about 1'x1'x3'. and about $11 or so

Not the small bags with added fertz for $5 or so. like 8"x12" and only a couple inches thick.

A single "bale" would be enough for many tanks.

I use ~1" thick peat moss 1" thick sand, and 1" pc select (which home depot will not have but aquarium gravel or pea gravel from home depot can be used as well).


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

tinman said:


> Also if I go with Eco complete how Many lbs would I need for a 2 inch thck layer for the dimensions mentioned above ??


2 bags would probably do it for a 29g, maybe a little more than 2". If you mix a little with your existing gravel, maybe just one bag.


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## mec102778 (Feb 17, 2011)

I'm trying the sphagum long fiber in my little 10Gs. No idea yet plants don't look like they are doing anything good or bad. But I'll blame the store I bought them from not my setup.


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## tinman (Nov 3, 2009)

My existing gravel is sand lol 
And I have see Eco complete to be black 
Lol it would be soo ugly to mix them  


My tank is a tall so the base is only 70% of a regular 30 gallon and half of a 30 long lol


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I bought a plastic-wrapped 3 lb bail of Sphagnum peat moss from Home Depot and put it in my tank a few weeks ago as a bottom layer. Some advice if I may...

1. Peat moss needs to be soaked and submerged to sink and stay at the bottom in your tank. It also needs to have the floaties skimmed off before introduction to the tank. I did both, and had great success with no cloudiness.

2. Peat moss packs down. I bought a bale that looked to be the same size as my tank, and ended up with 2" in the bottom of the tank when it packed down. EVEN so, I still had a little much.

3. My plants love it!

4. I've heard you can mix things like potting clay in for a good source of iron and other nutrients. I went with a box of API's Laterite for my iron source.

5. The play sand has very little nutritional value to plants. It's more of an anchoring system because plants love getting their roots into it. When the roots go deep and get into the peat moss, THAT'S when they get their nutrients. WASH THE PLAY SAND THOROUGHLY. Even if it's used.

Just my thoughts, some based on experience...


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## tinman (Nov 3, 2009)

ok i finally ordered a bag of eco complete and thinking about keeping my sand as the bottom layer and adding eco gravel on top of it 

good enugh??


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## balutpenoy2oy (Dec 17, 2010)

before adding eco add slow release fertilizer , you can use osmocote + and follow label instruction....yes that what use indoor and outdoor plant and very good to aquatic plant also.*old dude*old dude


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