# 30g "el natural"



## vanadium (Nov 4, 2012)

Hello, i'm introducing my 30 gallons. I started this tank July, 1st. It's a low tech tank based on Walstad method. I'm from France !



*Tank :*
Capacity : 30 gallons
Size : 100 x 30 x 40cm

*Soil :*
1 inch organic potting soil (ph 6.5, 60% organic, without any ferts)
1 inch JBL Manado

*Light :*
2x Ikea Tertial with 23w Philips Tornado 865 CFL. I used afternoon siesta as recommended by Diana to keep consistent CO2 level.
On: 9am - 1:30pm
Off: 1:30pm - 5:30pm
On: 5:30pm - 10:00pm

*Filtration:*
Dennerle Nano Eck internal Filter for water movement. No filter media. Was previously an Eheim 2076 Pro 3e. (overkill, and wanted to try without it)

*Ferts:*
None

*CO2:*
None

*Heater:*
Rena 100w, 21°C.

*Aquascape:*
African Wood

*Plants:*
Anubia Barteri
Anubia Nana
Anubia Nana Petite
Pogostemon Helferi
Cryptocoryne Wendtii
Vallisneria Tiger
Vallisneria Gigantea
Microsorum Pteropus
Microsorum Pteropus Narrow
Ceratophyllum Demersum
various floating plants

*Tank mates:*
5 male guppys born in my last tank
about 70 red cherry shrimps
various snails

Tank maintenance is very simple : occasional trimming, feeding, water top off. No Ferts, No CO2, no water change, no gravel cleaning.

I first had a 20 gallons high tech tank. But i got tired of the needed maintenance, tank was unstable, regularly plagued by algae without any reason. It could not run without CO2 and regular water change were needed to keep algae into check.

I discovered then Diana Walstad's book by reading some topics here and decided to give it a try after we moved. So far, i'm extremely happy with the tank ! It's so stable, i can really enjoy watching my tank as a peaceful slice of nature.


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## Repteel (Jan 8, 2012)

I like it!


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## tinkerpuppet (Feb 13, 2010)

I love it! Very peaceful!


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## vanadium (Nov 4, 2012)

Thanks 

This tank is very healthy from the beginning. I must say thank you to Diana Walstad, i followed her book "Ecology for a planted tank" to design this one.


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## iadubber (Jan 23, 2012)

Looks wonderful!


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

good job


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## vanadium (Nov 4, 2012)

I recently removed my canister filter. I was using an Eheim Pro 3e 2076 with 6kgs of filter media. I now use a simple internal Dennerle Eck Filter. As explained by Diana Walstad, filters are competing with plants for ammonia.


No nitrites spike seen, the internal filter is running with some filter media of the canister filter. But, i must admit, there are only 5 fishes and about 100 shrimps in that tank.


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