Walstad method

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You're right. I wasn't going to be adding fish right away anyways, so it would give me chance to monitor it and fine tune what I need to. Guess it's looking like I'll have a new project.
 
So far I'm looking at doing this in a 20g tall instead of a 10g. I decided since the killies that Brookster will be sending are supposed to be jumpers, and since I want pothos and some other plants coming out of it (I'm passing this project off to the hubby as a way to have houseplants downstairs, ahem) I figured a 20g tall, with a lowered water level should work.

I have a Rapids mini canister filter that would work great on this tank.

And since the killies like lower light anyways, I've got grow lights for indoors plants that I can use.

This just might be doable, now to find a tank...
 
DragonFish71 said:
So far I'm looking at doing this in a 20g tall instead of a 10g. I decided since the killies that Brookster will be sending are supposed to be jumpers, and since I want pothos and some other plants coming out of it (I'm passing this project off to the hubby as a way to have houseplants downstairs, ahem) I figured a 20g tall, with a lowered water level should work. I have a Rapids mini canister filter that would work great on this tank. And since the killies like lower light anyways, I've got grow lights for indoors plants that I can use. This just might be doable, now to find a tank...
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oh man.. I meant to tell you that:/ I have a glass top on their tank.. It seems if I walk by the tank at night, with lights out, I'll hear a thud followed by a splash.. Could you use soft porch screen?
 
Brookster123 said:
oh man.. I meant to tell you that:/ I have a glass top on their tank.. It seems if I walk by the tank at night, with lights out, I'll hear a thud followed by a splash.. Could you use soft porch screen?
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I'm thinking with the lowered water level in a 20g tall and floating plants, it won't be an issue. But I do have screen and fluorescent light grating on hand.
 
DragonFish71 said:
I'm thinking with the lowered water level in a 20g tall and floating plants, it won't be an issue. But I do have screen and fluorescent light grating on hand.
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ahh yes.. Floating plants will definately solve the problem of jumping.. When I brought them home I had gotten some floating plants that were in the tank with them( name escapes me), some mornings I would find a crime scene in the tank, charges herbicide.. I don't know what went on but those plants were trashed.. That's enough off topic from me;)
 
I wanna add!!! Ive done a few tanks with organic soil and didn't ever have a tannin problem. My problem was algae and keeping trates under 40ppm. I really like the soil look but ferts and carbon are a must!
 
The point of using the organic soil (and the Walstad method) is that you don't need to use ferts and co2 and all the high maintenance stuff. Could use co2 dosing if your lighting is too high to keep it in balance.
My 75g is a mineralized soil with pool filter sand cap on it. 45 watts t8/t12. I don't use ferts or co2 on it and only got a little bit of algae in it due to the light bulbs spectrum shifting from being too old.
Had it set up for 5 years now with no algae out breaks.

My newest tank set up i'm going to try the Miracle Gro with a higher light and co2 injection to see what happens.
 
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Maybe it was my soil then. I had miracle grow organics with low light and no ferts or carbon at all
 
with using organic soil the food source (nitrates and ammonia) fed the algae instead of plants. Maybe you didn't have enough plants to use up the food source quick enough. Or too much light. Fast growing stem plants help with that.
Whatever method you use it's all about balancing the food source or ferts with the light and co2 to prevent algae growth. Too much or little of any one and the algae can grow.
An initial algae break out seems to be common with using the walstad method. So many nutrients readily available from the start. Maybe need to go overboard with the plants for the start and then scale back.
 
I planned to plant heavy from the start. I have tons of plants around here that need trimmed back, so it will be a forest from the get go. ;)

As for floaters, I have water lettuce, so I was thinking a few of them and call it good. We bring it inside from the pond for the winter, same with our water hyacinths.
 
He should make it priority number one! We here at AA are only so patient;) we want new tank pics!!
 
Congrats!!!! Hopefully they're understanding of time needed for fishy emergencies!
 
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