Walstad Keepers?

[The_Little_One]

I'm curious if anyone out there is keeping/kept a walstad method tank? I'm thinking about switching my 75 gallon over, or starting up a 29 gallon (might do a 20 long instead). I would love advice, feedback, and any tales from experience. Please advise?

Thanks.

[jvision]

I had a 20gal for about 2yrs, and actually used sunlight instead of artificial lighting. The back wall looked like it had a moss wall, but it was hair algae, and the fish swam a little crooked in winter b/c they orient themselves to the light. I had tremendous growth for a while, but after about 18mos the tank crashed; I tried resetting w. WCs, but it just didn't recover. I've read that most people have to 'recharge' the soil after a couple years - to much work for this guy.

[The_Little_One]

Thanks Jason.

Anyone else have experience with the Walstad Method? I like the concept of a relatively self-sustaining set-up that only requires water changes twice a year... Especially with the low stocking I'll have.

Edited May 9, 2012 by The_Little_One

[Sprucegruve]

im not 100% sure what you guys mean by walstad Method.

do you guys mean just a planted aquarium,with natural decorations,and sunlight instead of t8's or t5's?

I had a 20gal for about 2yrs, and actually used sunlight instead of artificial lighting. The back wall looked like it had a moss wall, but it was hair algae, and the fish swam a little crooked in winter b/c they orient themselves to the light. I had tremendous growth for a while, but after about 18mos the tank crashed; I tried resetting w. WCs, but it just didn't recover. I've read that most people have to 'recharge' the soil after a couple years - to much work for this guy.

'recharging' the soil, how could someone do this?

could i get away with just adding seachem fert tabs?

[ckmullin]

have a tank which is similar. I don't call it the 'Walstad Method', I like to think of it as the 'Smart Way' to have a fw planted tank.

[ckmullin]

i'd give ya as much advice and tips that your ears can handle!

[jcgd]

have a tank which is similar. I don't call it the 'Walstad Method', I like to think of it as the 'Smart Way' to have a fw planted tank.

Ironically, I see it as the dumb way to have a planted tank. No offence intended. I just don't understand why anyone would only want to do water changes twice a year. Go stand in the closet... now open the door once around xmas and look out. Close the door and don't open it again until the following summer. Eww.

Also, soil is a pain in the butt to deal with. Chances are you'll have some sort of issue, algae, issues uprooting plants, etc.

Lastly, I've never seen a pretty natural planted tank although this is a personal thing. It's just, you don't typically have fantastic, perfect, healthy growth in a Walstad tank. The plants generally grow slowly and it literally takes you six months to develop a scape, if you even have the patience to get there. And really, natural isn't a word that really describes a Walstad tank. Natural is non-limiting light, ferts and co2 and heavy water changes. As far as natural is concerned, a "natural", "Walstad", or "low tech" tank is as far as it gets from nature. If you want to imitate nature you must provide lots of co2, lots of fertilizers and lots of light. Only the light will get you into trouble with algae so it's good to tone it down.

Edited May 10, 2012 by jcgd

[ckmullin]

we disagree on this

Smart way because this is the pinnacle of creating a natural environment, an all in one.

Unless there is farm fert runoff, runoff of phosphates or the always good cowpie, it's not a natural environment to dose co2, excel, metricide or ferts. In the 'real'environment nature breaks down...be it organics/mineral (and whatever else you'd like to put here that decomposes), that is the true source of natural building blocks and in one of my tanks, natural...what I emulate. A self sustained ecosystem. Anyone can dose...I'd like anyone to emulate a natural self-sustaining ecosystem.

I have both. I have a high tech tank with the works and a natural tank but i prefer the natural tank over the high tech.

Your opinion and my opinion are both personal preferences.There is no 'right' way. To that i'll add the cavet...the right way is the way that particular aquatic enthusiast finds most interesting and peruses.

If you want to imitate nature you must provide lots of co2, lots of fertilizers and lots of light.

And I would have to disagree with this. The items mentioned are variable almost anywhere on the planet with different species evolving specifically to those conditions. The old fart but smart Darwin comes to mind.

[Fisher]

Your opinion and my opinion are both personal preferences.There is no 'right' way.

Oh. So the "smart way" is, in your opinion, is the right way for you, because it's your preference. That's probably how Darwin accounts for monkeys that hadn't evolved... they all got the memo, but some of them didn't think it was a smart idea.

'recharging' the soil, how could someone do this?

could i get away with just adding seachem fert tabs?

I was thinking about using aquasoil a while back and stumbled on a brief by Tom Barr on recharging... he suggests the aquasoil values deplete over time. So recharging is done on the surface (i.e. fert tabs), in the water column, or by replacing the sediment. I'm lazy so I haven't evolved yet.

Say The_Little_One, maybe send a pm to ubrOke. He has given me some solid science to think about so he might have some insights on this. He has a few tank photos on here that you can have a boo at. Let us know what kind of start you go with.

Here's to you! :beer:

[FishTankBoy]

I had great success with mineralized top soil walstad style for 8 months. If you go with rosette plants (swords, crypts, lotus, aponogetons), you will prosper. The problem came when the bottoms of my stem plants got so laggy and shed all its leaves. When you uproot the plant which you are never suppose to do, the soil gets released into the water column and toxifies the water. This leads to fish death and water changes.

In order to have no water changes, you need a very small bioload. Definetely a lot of plant load on the surface to hide the surface scum. If you plan on having a mechanical filter, you sure need to keep up with maintenance on that, otherwise go with a power head. You also need a proper balance of lighting to match the type of plants you have, or algae will take over.

In the end, I don't recommend it as I had short lived experience with it (i'm used to having an aquascape thrive for 2 - 3 years before I tear it down completely and rebuild). I would prefer a ADA Aquasoil or Fluval substrate instead. These substrates are essentially the same thing (high nutrient) but dont' break down as quickly.

[Becky]

I am planning on setting up my new 36 gallon bowfront as a Walstad tank. Just gathering up some materials, replacing the light in the hood, and reading everything I can, and watching utube videos.

I am excited to give this a try.