Peat blocks

[Bumblebee]

So I bought some peat for the snails and well the garden center me and my sis went to didn't have any normal peat, so got a bag of a big peat block, and I've never used that as a substrate in the tank before, so how do I well, prepare it? Is it just to put it in a bucket of water or something and for how long?

[coyote]

I've never used a peat block, so I guess soaking it in a bucket and checking it after about 30 minutes would be the way to go. Using warm water might make it moisten up faster than cold water.

How dense is it? As dense as a coir block? If so, it might take longer to moisten.

[Bumblebee]

Hmm have no idea how coir blocks are But well it do seem to be quite dense. Had a really tough time to try and break some pieces of it.
Most annoying thing is that its a big block containing 125 liters, and only container I have that it fit in, is the bathtub lol

[crossless]

I think best is put small piece at the time in water so you don't get too much peat.

Does the packet say "this packet gives you x litres of peat" that could give you hint how much you get from one block when you divide it with how many blocks you have in packet. Then you just divide one block always about half till you get that amount what you need. Then cut piece out of it and add little bit water at the time.

I have for plants some coir blocks they expand really fast when I pour hot water on them. Maybe needs good stir so it gets moisture evenly.

[coyote]

I've had to use a screwdriver and a hammer to break off pieces of coir to soak, because my tanks are too small to reconstitute the whole brick all at once.

[Bumblebee]

Well the peat i have really confuses me I did try and change the substrate in the snails tank right after I had gotten home with the new peat, and I had absolutely no idea that the peat very well could be rather frozen, since it was stored outside the shop, so this morning I tried to see if I could break some pieces of it, and it actually went way better, I could even easily crumble some of the pieces I broke off

[danikat]

I've got no experience with peat blocks but I usually buy coir blocks and I find the best approach is to use a hammer to break chunks off (or a saw) and then soak them in a bucket of water. I usually put water in gradually and take some of the coir out as it turns into soil, otherwise you can end up over doing the water and get mud.

[aerliss]

I have lots of big plastic storage boxes we use for moving and just use those for soaking coir blocks. If I only need a small chunk I use a saw on them... well, okay, I use a serrated kitchen knife... works though.