# Why peat moss?



## mrdanz (Aug 4, 2011)

I have tried looking around the web for why peat moss is almost always recommended as an ingredient with vivarium soil but haven't found much. Is it nutritious, does it help keep air in the soil? the reason why I ask is because I have coco fibre, tree fern fibre, and sphagnum moss that i want to mix for my vivarium but I was also going to add peat moss just because most soils seem to have it, but if it doesn't add nutrients I might as well replace it with something else.


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## Nismo95 (Jul 30, 2011)

I only ever use peat moss on my backgrounds. I like to chop of tree fern and mix that in with peat when I lay silicone on the GS and cover in that mixture. For soil I always use ABG mix from Josh's frogs. Its great stuff. I did however in one tank due to time restraints and what I had on hand use coco fiber and peat moss as a substrate. Went heavy on the peat though. and all my plants thrive in it. Peat is just really good for plants to grow on, acidic maybe? I can't remember what I have read I just use it heavily.


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## mrdanz (Aug 4, 2011)

hmmm well I read somewhere that peat moss is decayed plant matter so if it is nutritious or acidic maybe thats why? 
anyway i think ill just use organic potting soil with my plants and rely on the frogs poop to enrich the rest of the soil. thanks for the info


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

Nismo95 said:


> I only ever use peat moss on my backgrounds. I like to chop of tree fern and mix that in with peat when I lay silicone on the GS and cover in that mixture. For soil I always use ABG mix from Josh's frogs. Its great stuff. I did however in one tank due to time restraints and what I had on hand use coco fiber and peat moss as a substrate. Went heavy on the peat though. and all my plants thrive in it. Peat is just really good for plants to grow on, acidic maybe? I can't remember what I have read I just use it heavily.


 ABG mix has peat moss in it


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

mrdanz said:


> anyway i think ill just use organic potting soil with my plants and rely on the frogs poop to enrich the rest of the soil. thanks for the info


 Organic potting soil will retain far too much water in a humid vivarium, and quickly compact or turn to muck. I'd recommend staying away from it and going with a mix similar to ABG.


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## mrdanz (Aug 4, 2011)

just ordered some ABG from joshs frogs. i really wanted to try to avoid ABG as much as possible because ive already dumped money on the other substrates but if everyone seems to be getting good results with it i might as well get it


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

I've gone about 5 years before changing it - ABG mix really holds up!


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## Ivan M (Apr 11, 2012)

How much ABG would I need to order for a 40 gallon? I am setting up my first PDF tank and want to do it correct. Thanks in advance.


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

this is the way to get the gallons of ABG, however many inches deep x length x width all divided by 231.


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## Ivan M (Apr 11, 2012)

goof901 said:


> this is the way to get the gallons of ABG, however many inches deep x length x width all divided by 231.


Ok cool thanks for that.


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