# Anyone Use Diane Walstad Method for Low Tech Tank?



## Malakian

I don't understand. Isn't the whole walstad approach more directed to low tech than anything? If so, yes, a lot of people use the walstad method with good results, I'll sure someone will chime in. I haven't personally tried it yet.

I see you want to add nutrients every week two weeks but very little water changes. Unless you somehow mange to dial in the ferts to exactly what the plants use at all given times, or under dose which we all know isn't the best, nutrients will likely build up over time.

Bump: wait, you wrote both "No Ferts" and "Add nutrients/trace elements". I'm sorry, might be just me but I am confused


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## Mariostg

My 4 tanks are walstad. 

Comparing your maintenace plan to mine:
No/very little water changes, top off water as needed 
-- I never change water.
No Ferts 
-- I add K2SO4 and iron chelate.
Monthly filter change and cleaning of glass. 
--Clean filter when flow gets very low. Glass cleaning???
Monthly testing of water once tank is establish and when adding new fish
--When adding fish.
Trim plants as needed, no rearranging of plants.
--almost weekly
Add Nutrients/Trace elements every two weeks (still trying to get handle on this)
--as per above
Daily feeding of fish, of course
--of course.


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## DHElder

Malakian said:


> snip
> 
> I see you want to add nutrients every week two weeks but very little water changes. Unless you somehow mange to dial in the ferts to exactly what the plants use at all given times, or under dose which we all know isn't the best, nutrients will likely build up over time.
> 
> Bump: wait, you wrote both "No Ferts" and "Add nutrients/trace elements". I'm sorry, might be just me but I am confused


Still learning. Just figured out things like Flourish are ferts.  So I would have to see how the tank is doing and maybe add a little if needed. The two weeks idea come from different source as they felt with the Walstad method, nutrients would get out of balance over the long run, so you add small doses over the mentioned time period, then take a break roughly every two months with the dosing to allow to get used up.



Bump: Thanks Mariostg. I'll need to look up what K2SO4 is.

So no algae build up on the glass that you need to clean it? 

So plants grow well enough to have to trim weekly? Wasn't expecting that since I keep reading slow growth for plants. One article mentioned it as a down side for the method.


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## dcutl002

I just started a Walstad 10 gallon. about 1 - 1.25 inches of dirt with about 1/4 inch of gravel cap. I plan on adding more gravel later on. Been going about 2-3 weeks and just finished a water change. No fish yet. I planted it with some free floating Downoi from another tank and it seems to be doing well. One thing I noticed: there are a bunch of tiny white worms about 2 mm long and very skinny. I hope they are still there when i add fish...free fish food.


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## BBradbury

*Low Maintenance Tanks*

Hello DH...

Research the use of land plants, specifically Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) in freshwater tanks, to reduce or even eliminate the need for water changes. it can be done as long as you prepare the land plants and set up the tank correctly. The process is a little time consuming, but pretty easy to do.

B


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## pink4miss

DHElder you've picked 2 great sources for info. walstad and tom barr. i purchased Diana Walstads book and it helped me figure out how to combat an algae issue i was dealing with in my 17 gallon. her book sits along side of my tank now.


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## Mariostg

DHElder said:


> Bump: Thanks Mariostg. I'll need to look up what K2SO4 is.
> 
> So no algae build up on the glass that you need to clean it?
> 
> So plants grow well enough to have to trim weekly? Wasn't expecting that since I keep reading slow growth for plants. One article mentioned it as a down side for the method.


K2SO4 (potassium sulfate) is one of those "dry fert". Amongst other are potassium nitrate and potassium phosphate. It's much cheaper than any prepared solutions.

No algea build up. In normal conditions, there will be little algea as the plants eat up the elements before the algea can. Also, snails, Otocinclus are part of the cleaning crew in my tanks.

Indeed, fast growing plans must be trim weekly. You can have a very successful low tech planted tank. My angels love the Amazon sword and large anubias.

Bump:


pink4miss said:


> DHElder you've picked 2 great sources for info. walstad and tom barr. i purchased Diana Walstads book and it helped me figure out how to combat an algae issue i was dealing with in my 17 gallon. her book sits along side of my tank now.


Walstad book is a must. I have both electronic and paper copy.


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## BrynnaCC

I run three Walstad tanks, no water changes, only topping off, no ferts. I trim the faster growing plants weekly for nutrient export. My oldest is a 10 gallon that's been running for a year with 15 small fish and several cherry shrimps. Nitrates never get over 20, and I haven't run into any algae. These tanks are a dream!


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## Malakian

DHElder said:


> So plants grow well enough to have to trim weekly? Wasn't expecting that since I keep reading slow growth for plants. One article mentioned it as a down side for the method.


I see you are getting a lot of comments on the method so ill just butt out of that conversation with my limited experience regarding this 

But my guess is the people referring to "slow growth" is probably comparing it to a high tech with Co2. This does not mean it will grow super slow by any means, just slower 

PS: Both Tom and Diana are the matriarchs of there fields, and in my opinion some of the best "aquarists" (I may have invented a word here) out there. Great source to choose!


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## adive

By all means go ahead with the Walstad method. I have an outdoor walstad with native fish in it. Its the most neglected and best tank I've had, extremely low maintenance, very less algae, clear water, no electrical tech on it. The initial 2.5-3 months were not that smooth but after that the tank really settled well and now its 1+ years old. I (had to) use garden soil. After a year I do sometimes supplement with root tabs as the nutrients in the soil seem to be diminished. I have never vacuumed the substrate.

One downside maybe you have to be careful when wanting to rearrange plants. I think a water change after doing that helps settle things.


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## Eutexian

DHElder said:


> So plants grow well enough to have to trim weekly? Wasn't expecting that since I keep reading slow growth for plants.



depends how 'preened and pampered' your end result is going to be.. I have a rampant jungle and really like it this way.

it went from this on day 5:










to this on day 15:










I followed a lot of the 'Walstad' methodology with a large number of fast growing plants at the beginning. these keep the tank going until the slower growers catch up - put on enough 'mass' to take over and maintain the balance. I had to go in with a machete. but have since reduced the fast growing plants substantially and now any gardening is every other week. or when needs must.


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## Mariostg

Eutexian said:


> I followed a lot of the 'Walstad' methodology with a large number of fast growing plants at the beginning. these keep the tank going until the slower growers catch up - put on enough 'mass' to take over and maintain the balance.


It's actually a very good way to get the tank going... Your tank looks nice.


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## DHElder

I appreciate all the responses even if you haven't used the Walstad method as any information is helpful. Eutexian, really like how your tank turned out. Has me psyched to get my tank up and running.

Most of my equipment arrived today but my wife wants to redo the living room first before I get the tank running so for now, I will have to just look at tank with my driftwood and rocks and imagine what it will look like.  About a two month wait. Oh well, more time to research plants and fish though I think I have a pretty solid list with plants and fish to match the tank, water and lighting. Though I should get the water tested to see what it's make up is.

One side note: my wife is looking forward to the tank as she had 29 gallon tank for about 10 years before she meet me. She's baffed about the idea of water changes and how often some folks do them. She just cleaned the sand as needed, feed the fish and topped off the water. She had a filter, heater and air stone with hooded light. All decorations were plastic. She had little issues keeping fish. Think they had 1 disease in 10 years of running the tank. So it is going to be very interesting putting this all together and see how it all works!


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## dcutl002

I think the tank is awesome!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## nchmi28

I'm not sure if it's exactly a "Walstad" tank, as I have not actually read her book, but it is very low tech. 
Java Moss (tucked into crevices), Staurogyne repens, Cryptocoryne (not sure which), [STRIKE]Banana Plant[/STRIKE](been moved), Vallisneria_spirali (one stem between the rocks), Anubias nana, and Anubias barteri var.









^right after I set the tank up, back in Febuary.
Since the plants I've added are: Red Ludwigia (Ludwigia repens), Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) and some moss I found in the woods.








(taken on 4/9, I had just done a large water change after I had stirred a bunch of stuff up.)
The current tank inhabitants are 1 Amano Shrimp 3 Cherry Shrimp, 3 Nerite Snails, an unknown and ever changing number of pond snails and 1 Scarlet Badis. 
I think the Nerite snails are the most helpful thing to the plants. The second picture was taken the day after adding the first 2. You'll notice the front rock has a strange pattern on it, that's how much algae 1 of the snails ate in that amount of time. The other one cleaned the brown slime off the Anubias leaves. A few days later I was able to get one more. Since the picture has been taken I think the Crypt, in the front, has grown another inch. They are eating and pooping Machines and the plants love it. The only plant that is struggling is the Creeping Jenny. I don't add any ferts, and I rarely feed any food other than adding live critters for the Scarlet Badis to hunt, from time to time.
The substrate is about 1" of Miracle Grow potting soil, covered with .5" of play sand, then topped with pea gravel. There is a small heater that keeps it at about 76*F. 
The lighting is a 60 watt dim-able LED hung above the glass lid that I turn on about 1/2 power in the morning and turn off before going to bed.
Currently the filtration is a small pond pump that sits on top of a couple of sponges and draws water up behind the drift wood to the other side of the tank. I'm considering switching it over to a DIY sponge filter because I think it may have sucked up one of my shrimp. 
I clean the poop from the front of the tank about once every other week, just because I don't like the way it looks. My Nitrite, Nitrate and Ammonia levels are almost always at 0, so I figure I must be doing something right. I hope all of this is helpful, If I left out anything out please let me know. Best of luck to ya.


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## HDBenson

I have only been toying with Walstad style tanks since September. I'm on my third one now, and dry starting a fourth. The first was an experiment that I broke down after a month. The other two have been up for 5mo and, 3 mo. For a low-tech approach this is a good method. It does have its boons though. It takes a lot of patience, a lot of work beforehand(reading, preparing, planning). But, after set-up its def a sit back and relax type of gig compared to High-tech. I also find that Walstad allows ME to have plants that normally don't fare well in an average low-tech set-up for ME. All-in-all, I say it's worth trying. Do a small tank to try it out(I used a 10g). Then if you like it go up in size to maybe a 20g long or, 29g.


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## DHElder

Sounded good and tank looks good to me nchmi28. I just finished my plant portion of the plan today now that I have the driftwood and rocks where I want them. Fast growing plants will be Narrow Leaf Temple, Bacopa Carolina, Wisteria, Gold Creeping Jenny, most will be 2 bunches or ten stems. Medium growing plants will be Cryptocoryne undulata (2), Java Fern (1). Slow growing plant is Anubias nana Narrow leaf (2) for driftwood.

The Creeping Jenny is the one I have some concerns about also as Planted Aquariums Central has it listed as medium light plant. All others in my list are low light. This is to be trimmed as a midground plant but I might replace with that with a Cryptocoryne wendtii Red which is low light midground plant.

Wisteria is suppose to be medium light also but most of the low tech tanks setups I saw on YouTube, it came recommended as a plant to get.


HDBenson, I already bought a 20 gal long as I plan to enjoy both plants and fish so I giving my future fish a little bit of swimming room.  I think it will work better for the Walstad method also. Even if I need to do water changes, still small enough of a tank to work with.

About 1/4 of the tank will be open gravel, with middle level of the tank will open about 6 inches wide with a length of about 25 inches. Midground plants will be kept trim to be about the same height as the driftwood, about 5 inches high.

Average fish size for the tank will be 2" with 3" max size. Shooting for about 5 fish top level (danios /guppies), 10 mid level (tetras/platies/swordtail) and 5 false julii cory for bottom feeders. They all eat the same fish food so should make vacation feeding easy.


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## HDBenson

I have Lysmachia nummularia in two of my Walstads and they do great. Bright green ALMOST yellow. Also, wisteria.. another good one in both my current tanks. if you can get your hands on it Hygrophila polysperma "sunset" is great one for a color pop.


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## DHElder

HDBenson said:


> I have Lysmachia nummularia in two of my Walstads and they do great. Bright green ALMOST yellow. Also, wisteria.. another good one in both my current tanks. if you can get your hands on it Hygrophila polysperma "sunset" is great one for a color pop.


I do have Creepy Charlie (Lysmachia nummularia) on my list as a possible plant so it is good to hear it does great. Didn't find anything on the website I am using for Hygrophila polysperma.


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## HDBenson

Creeping Charlie and Creeping Jenny are two different plants from what I understand. Some nurseries may label them the same thing but Lysmachia nummularia is Creeping JENNY. Creeping CHARLIE is Glechoma hederacea. Use the plants profile on here for the H. polysperma. It's the fourth tab to the right at the top of the page. I wouldn't have 10 swordtails in a 20g long. They need elbow room, lol. Perhaps one swordtail as a centerpiece? These tanks are so low(regarding depth) that it'll be easier to just have a school of danios/tetras/guppies. They will utilize all levels. I have tetras AND danios in my twenty long and both of them utilize all levels of the tank.


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## DHElder

HDBenson said:


> Creeping Charlie and Creeping Jenny are two different plants from what I understand. Some nurseries may label them the same thing but Lysmachia nummularia is Creeping JENNY. Creeping CHARLIE is Glechoma hederacea. Use the plants profile on here for the H. polysperma. It's the fourth tab to the right at the top of the page. I wouldn't have 10 swordtails in a 20g long. They need elbow room, lol. Perhaps one swordtail as a centerpiece? These tanks are so low(regarding depth) that it'll be easier to just have a school of danios/tetras/guppies. They will utilize all levels. I have tetras AND danios in my twenty long and both of them utilize all levels of the tank.


I'm glad you corrected me on the plant. Starting to get an education on how things are named.  I guess I looked it up wrong at the plant site as they do call it Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'. I'll make a correction to my notes as I liked the coloring of that plant.

I was only thinking two swordtail max along with tetras and platies.  But if the fish you mentioned use all the depths of the tank for a 20L since it is shallow, I might just get 1 swordtail as you suggested for a center piece or maybe a couple of platies. From what I understand, all livebearers will eat algae so I was thinking of both platies and guppies as possible fish to get. Still haven't decided on my final mix as I am stilling learning.

Do you think bottom feeders like a false Julii Cory catfish should even be in the tank? Are they beneficial or would they throw off the Walstad method as that says to use liberal feeding for fish?


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## nchmi28

DHElder said:


> Do you think bottom feeders like a false Julii Cory catfish should even be in the tank? Are they beneficial or would they throw off the Walstad method as that says to use liberal feeding for fish?


Are you supposed to feed liberally to also feed the plants? I think the plants like the food more once it has passed through a fish, It's already broken down then. The caution about corys is that they should have a softer substrate, like sand. My son has 4 dwarf corys in his tank and they always have their little barbells sifting through the top layer of the sand, hunting for bits of food. They are fun to watch.


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## DHElder

nchmi28, according to LiveAquaria.com, "A smooth sand or gravel substrate is needed because of the easily damaged barbels." 

Same for FishChannel.com, "Provide a smooth sand or gravel substrate so they can search for food without damaging their sensitive barbels."

I made sure the gravel I bought was on the small size so I think they would be okay if I got them.

For my notes on Walstad: Fish waste (Mulm) and uneaten fish food will be quickly converted by soil bacteria into its component chemical parts so that plants can use them for their nutritional needs.

Of course if my tank is overstocked, the conversion might not be too quick.  I went with gravel instead of sand so hopefully things will react better with soil bacteria. And maybe the bottom won't look to gunky either as you are not suppose to vacuum the substrate. 

Current plant count for my plan is 24 stems / 2 potted plants / 2 Anubias on initial planting. Suggestion was to plant the stems about an 1" part so I need to see how my tank looks and see how it is working. The tank is suppose to be highly planted from the start so will do at least a two week cycle. Won't add fish until I'm sure the water is safe.


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## benjaf

I seem to have a tank which is somewhat similar to what you are setting up. I found it quite surprising how well the idea of using soil works!
It's at 14G with ~1" organic potting soil topped with ~1" fine gravel. Plants include a LOT of brown or red ( not sure) crypts, an anubias and a nymphea taiwan.
Livestock consist of 10 small tetras, some platys, a bristlenose and a whole lot of shrimp and snails.
The tank has been up for 2.5 years now and still going strong. I do a partial water change when I clean the canister ( ~ 2 times / year), but other than that the only maintenance is trimming the plants and topping off the water every few weeks, and feeding the fish.
No ferts or nutrients added. Ever.
Please keep in mind, crypts will spread like a plague when given soil substrate! I started with 3 - now the entire tank is overgrown. They have a huge root system, so removing them will stir up massive amounts of soil.
Other than that, if you can get your hands on floating plants they will be a huge help in the beginning. They suck up nutrients from the water like there is no tomorrow, making them ideal for maintaining a balance while the rest gets established.
Good luck!


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