# New Walstad tank, mold on old food



## bigdreams (May 12, 2015)

Hi everyone,
I set up a Walstad inspired tank about two weeks ago, things seem to be going ok, starting to see some algae growth, need to keep eye on that.

I have been avoiding doing gravel vacs but don't see how that can be avoided in this task. I noticed some left over food on the substrate that had been taken over by water mold (fungus). I took it out. What do others do? I don't see how I can"feed the plants"as per Walstad's book and not worry about these fungus growing everywhere.

I have cory pandas and rasboras in the tank, with Aquaclear 30 filter for now. Don't want my pandas to get cotton fungus on their bodies! 

Thanks!


----------



## HDBenson (Jan 26, 2015)

If it isn't getting eaten and is rooting then you are feeding too "generously", lol especially if the cories aren't eating the leftovers. Might be due to ammonia since its a young tank(there being leftovers by the cories that is)...


----------



## Mariostg (Sep 6, 2014)

+1 feeding too much. Either decrease food distribution or increase cleaning crew team. If you take the exemple of my 75 gal, it has never been vacuumed and its been up for almost a year. Or maybe a year now... lost track. My filter, an Eheim 2215 is probably considered lower side of filtering flow rate judging by what I read but everything is fine.

Give your tank some time.


----------



## Eutexian (Mar 11, 2015)

when you say its a walstad 'inspired' tank.. what do you actually mean?

for excess food to be broken down by the heterotrophic bacteria.. you need 'Heterotrophic' bacteria in the soil. so the soil needs to be 'alive'. sterilised soil wont cut it.. it will need to 'cycle' just like a filter does, inasmuch as the bacteria that surrounds us in the air needs to get into the aquarium and then into the soil which will be a fantastic place for it to grow and reproduce. if food is sitting on the substrate and not being broken down then you need to add creatures that will do this. Walstad recommends snails. maybe add a few 'decorative' snails to your tank.. they will help clear up any leftover food, convert this into waste which will then go on to supplement the soil with nutrients that the plants will appreciate and as a side effect produce humic substances that will make the entire ecosystem healthier for the fish and help deal with the micro toxins that enter the tank via the food. excess metals and so on.

I grossly over feed my fish. actually i don't just feed the fish.. I'm feeding the entire ecosystem. any uneaten food rapidly vanishes. this is how it should be. its early days for you.. but it'll happen given time.


----------



## bigdreams (May 12, 2015)

Hey everyone, thanks for the responses. I tried following the book as closely as possible, but there seems to be many "interpretations of the text" on the web, makes me think I missed some important subtext while reading the book. I used miracle grow organic choice potting soil, dumped it in the tank, (1"), then about .5-1 inch of PetCo black sand on top of that. Didn't mineralize etc. Planted it (with some plants from Aquabid, maybe weakened from the transit?), I let it sit for a week with lights, including siesta as per book, did some water changes, then added the cory pandas and rasboras, and 4 MTS, which seem to be multiplying. I have aquaclear 30 with prefilter sponge. My swords didn't do a good job staying in place, so got uprooted, so there is some soil/wood chips on the substrate. I have some tannins in the water, which my 50% weekly water change fixes, trying to do twice a week PWC but a bit tough due to work.

I think I am over feeding, I tend to do that, didn't feel like I am but must be.


----------



## Mariostg (Sep 6, 2014)

When you say the book, I suppose you make reference to the Walstad book. If that's the case, I had to read it at least twice. It's a reference book, I think it must be read and read again. You probably read that she adds food according to the size of the tanks, not really the amount of fishes in the tank. Maybe break the food in smaller pieces. If you don't have snails, you should consider it. Pond snails will do. I have those as well as MTS. For some reason, in on of my tank, MTS won't survive.

You seem to have lots of plants which is good for a starter. Not sure how big your tanks is, but the amazon sword get big. 

Give the tank to settle, be patient. That's the fun part to see it evolve. Then throw in some planter to grow emersed plants


----------

