# Peat with Leonardite



## aquaverde (Apr 15, 2003)

I set up two 10s with this combination over the weekend. I used about 6 oz. of each, quite a lot. Don't have any idea how well it will do. The lignite thing is fairly new, the only person I know who has done it to date is John Wheeler and he doesn't post in this forum.


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

I'll bite, what are 'Black Diamond', 'Leonardite', and 'lignite'? Please include with your answers a 2 paragraph suport manual describing why you would put them in an aquarium and what benefits you expect to see. I expect all chemical equations to balance and or biological processes mentioned to include alternate senarios including the no action senario. :wink: 

Seriously, whatcha talking about?


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## Arvo (Jan 3, 2003)

Diamond Black, leonardite and lignite are similar. See:

http://www.ductile.org/magazine/1999_2/leonard.htm

http://www.plantlighting.com/growlights/growlights_139.php

http://www.genhydro.com/diamondb.html

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=257

I'm planning on using Peat and Diamond Black as organic substrate additives in conjunction with mulm. The exact amounts are not yet defined, but they will go under Eco-Complete topped with Onyx Sand as Eco-Complete seems to be on the light (weight) side.


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

Ok, now that I know what you are doing I'm gonna go stick my head in the sand and pray that it all goes well for you. As an aside, do you already have planted tanks, and practice at battling algae?


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## aquaverde (Apr 15, 2003)

That's all the encouragement _I_ need, Sean. I put half a dozen Jobe's sticks in there as well. What do you think, urea in the water column and I'll be good to go?

/Disclaimer: Do NOT do this at home.

Oh, BTW, an extra added benefit- the water is turning sort of a nice shade of brown. Looks like I won't be needing that blackwater extract after all!
  :? :shock:


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## Arvo (Jan 3, 2003)

Yes, I have had planted tanks for awhile. Have battled algae, mostly successfully, for over 25 years. Using organics (i.e., peat, mulm, soil - although I'm not partial to the potential mess with soil) in the substrate has not proved to be a cause for algae outbreaks. Jobes sticks have however, when disturbed. I would only use Seachem Flourish Tabs, if anything. With a sufficient topping to the peat - 3+" - the water did not noticably discolor.


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## aquaverde (Apr 15, 2003)

Arvo said:


> With a sufficient topping to the peat - 3+" - the water did not noticably discolor.


That must be the difference.

The first tank I did was an existing setup. I couldn't get it really well-drained, so, as I mixed things and built the top layer, stuff tended to migrate upward, with the cap being about 2". The second setup was new, and I made it with almost 3-1/2" cap over the enriched part. No real discoloration in that second tank.


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

I'm glad to hear its an experienced person doing this, at least if it is a problem you'll fix it and not clog up the Algae forum. :wink: Keep us posted on your success.


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## Raul-7 (Oct 17, 2003)

I might use some when setting up my tank with Vladimir Simoes method...I might try bat gauno mixed with castings, that should be a potent additive, but with the help of the lignite it should keep it from leaching into the water.


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## aquaverde (Apr 15, 2003)

I had some worm castings, but chickened out on them.


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

aquaverde said:


> I had some worm castings, but chickened out on them.


Go for it, how bad could it get? :wink:


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## Raul-7 (Oct 17, 2003)

Remember to mix a 50:50 of sand:castings. Should I mix lignite into the castings/bat gauno or layer it ontop of it? Would using FoxFarm Planting Mix be a bad idea, it *contains:* composted forest humus, sphagnum peat moss, earthworm castings, vermiculture compost (bedding material and manure), sandy loam, fossilized bat guano, granite dust, Norwegian kelp meal, dolomite lime and oyster shell (for pH adjustment).


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## Arvo (Jan 3, 2003)

Bear in mind, whatever you do or choose to experiment with, leonardite is an organic additive. Think of it as a longer term peat. My thinking is to use it either with peat or instead of peat. It's in what amounts/proportions that I'll be tinkering with.


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

Oh, I'll be standing way back over there, hoping nothing goes wrong for you. roud:


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## Arvo (Jan 3, 2003)

Thanks Sean.  I don't really anticipate any major problems with the amounts that I'm considering. The only thing that comes to mind is the potential for the substrate to become too acidified. I wouldn't want to have start thinking about too much aluminum! :shock:


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

Acid leaching is one of the drawbacks of using peat substrate amendments. Deep rooting plants is one way to combat that problem. A handful of dolomite or crushed coral on the bottom of the substrate is another.


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## Anonymous (Mar 2, 2003)

Gonna go with Crypts mostly.


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## secretagent (Mar 13, 2004)

Well another thing is the PH dosnt it go down with peat??? I might be wronge but correct me If I am. :?


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## aquaverde (Apr 15, 2003)

Yes, acid, by definition, lowers pH.
Yes, acid, by definition, lowers pH. But like Sean said, it has to leach into the water column to do it.

I have no acid leaching into the water column that I have been able to detect in my 20. But I didn't use a large amount of peat, and it is capped by a good 3" of substrate above the peat- including Onyx sand, which would neutralize it anyway.

I got a little sloppy on the 10, only capped about 2", and it was so wet when I mixed it that the peat layer (which had several magnitudes of order more peat and leonardite than the 20), just sort of migrated upward as I built things up. There are a lot of tannins in the water in this tank now. Another 10, that I started fresh with, has identically the same amount of peat and leonardite, but it is mixed into the bottom inch, and was capped with 3" dry substrate. There is zero leaching of tannins in this tank. The water is crystal clear. You have to be careful to contain the peat part. That, of course, is easy, right up to the first major rescaping/replanting.


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