In article ,
says...
That's a neat idea, and it sounds like it would work very well, but keep in
mind that peat will leach humic acids and tannins into your water which can
lower the pH and stain the water a tea colour. Personally I love black
water, but some people can't see the beauty in it.

I thought I remembered reading something about peat lowering the ph,
so I wouldn't have gone for this - my ph is naturally low to start
with. In fact when I sent hubby (who is home from work because I'm
sick and not capable of caring for five kids right now) to the
aquarium shop today, he was instructed to ask about this. He's come
home with something that looks like "LITH" on the receipt - looks
like crushed porous stone - and instructions to put it in the tank
inside a stocking - which, since it fits with what I've been told
here in the past, and with what I've read, I'll do. Tomorrow, when (I
hope) I'm able to sit up for more than two minutes.

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FishNoob hides under the covers again