Modified Walstad set-up tips?

[licerbob]

Hello every body!

So I am thinking of starting a new tank kind of based on the Walstad method? but I don't really know all that much, I have a basic Idea of what I want to do, I have not started this tank at all yet. I am still in the "research" phase

I have a 36 Gallon tank that I was planning on using for this project, I want to get eather 3 Alpine Newts or 3 Smooth newts (vulgaris vulgaris) but I have not decided yet and I can't figure out if they are fully aquatic? I know they both are during their breeding season but I don't know when that is either... I am willing to put in land space if they need it. I will buy them when they are still in the aquatic juvenile stage tho

other animal life I was thinking about some ephippia water flies but I can't tell if they require drying the eggs in between generations before they will hatch? Also dose any body know a type of FRESHwater fiery shrimp that's eggs do not need dried? I was looking into some red tailed fiery shrimps but they are from a vernal lake so the eggs need to be dried before they will hach.

I will probably put lots of ghost shrimp in there to clean haha because those are the only shrimp my local stores have and I think they are pretty cool . I saw some really nice deep blue shrimp on line somewhere that were AWESOME but like 7 bucks a pop plus shipping. Bumble bee shrimp are cool too but nowhere sells them here

Not sure about any snails? Mystery? Rams horn? tips on snails? I know there are some that work really well in planted tanks because they dig and aerate the soil.

Maybe some guppies to breed and just be there as small feeder fish.

Freshwater clams? they burrow down and you can never see them but they filter the tank well

Plants! I want to try to put a carpet plant in the tank, probably dwarf baby tears. Besides that I was thinking some water sprite and I really do not know what else to put in? I really like the fluffy looking plants like Green Cabomba but I think they might look a little out of place... Have never seen an Anabas or a java that I thought was pretty and I don't want plant that just look like grass. Maybe some Water lilies or pennywort? Pellia Monosolenium Tenerum looks cool and big and fluffy but it's pricey and I have heard good and bad about growing it? I have no idea... the tank will be room temp which for me is average about 22-24 C water temp.

Tank details!!! 1st sand substrate will work for this right? The tank light will be an aquion bulb either full spectrum of floramax. I have a floramax bulb on another tank I have and it seems to work very well! I would feel really bad without a filter but i know in this type of set up your not supposed use one but I have read about having the filter but instead of carbon using lava rocks to add extra space for the bacteria to grow, also the filter would add water movement and circulation. Also will have a bubble stone on the opposite side.

I think that's everything?

sooooo yea I have a lot of research to do still before I start this tank... Any and all tips would be much appreciated!!!

dose anyone know any really good priced online dealers or stores that sell shrimp and plants and stuff in Va, Fredericksburg + Stafford area? PM me about it if you do

Thank you everyone for taking your time to read this all!

 

[licerbob]

Ack I forgot to mention Water cress as a possible floating plant or water hyacinth. (if my store ever gets them in stock again! >:/ )

 

[BBradbury]

Water Filtering Plants

Hello licer...

I don't think you can go wrong including Chinese Evergreen in a low maintenence tank set up. It's by far the best water filter available. The plants are inexpensive and available at Lowe's and Home Depot. Just rinse away all the potting mixture and emerse the roots in the water, with the leaves above. Position a small HOB filter close to the plant to aerate the roots and your tank will require very small, frequent water changes.

The more plants you emerse, the fewer the water changes.

B

 

[jetajockey]

Really really easy lily plants, dwarf lily and red tiger lotus. Both look amazing and will do great even in low tech setups.

 

[trennamw]

I'm asking a lot of the same questions myself but the one bit I can answer is, look into Malaysian trumpet snails. The research I did suggested they stir substrate especially well, and while they reproduce like crazy the population limits with the amount of food available. Also you can get the for free a lot of times, pet stores consider them pests. I out in iust a few and each night that I go to bed thinking "gonna have to vacuum gravel tomorrow", I wake up to a very clean tank.

So far I just have a 29 gallon with a few plants, low lights, lotta small fish, but I do think the snails (even the pond snails) are good helpers. Plus ghost shrimp, Otos, and Pygmy striped loaches (to help keep the pond snails from taking over).

The mystery snails are beautiful but wow do they poop.

 

[aqua_chem]

When you say Walstad method, what does that mean to you? Are you planning on going without a filter?

My concern for this tank is that it's trying to do too many things at once: Walstad, amphibians, guppy breeding, clams, plants, baby tears carpet, etc. Each one of those requires a different setup and considerations, and I don't think you'll be able to accomplish many of them well (some of those are actively contradictory, eg Amphibs will probably eat your shrimp). Rather, you should focus on one, maybe two if compatible, and try to do it well before adding another aspect to the tank. Walstad with some hardy shrimp would be a good place to start probably, then branch out.

 

[licerbob]

When you say Walstad method, what does that mean to you? Are you planning on going without a filter?

I thought it meant self maintaining more or less.

I probably won't do the clams I'm just brainstorming right now. Generally shrimp are to fast and kind of "pop" away to be caught by newts (newts are super slow lol)
Guppies are the easiest thing ever to breed

This video is were I got the Idea from

 

[licerbob]

OOOOw wow!! so pretty!! Definitely will put in a tiger lilly!!!

 

[licerbob]

Malaysian trumpet snail yes, that's the one that I saw somewhere! thank you!

the only loaches I have seen in my local store are clown loaches which are totally awesome but they need a heated tank, and golden dojo loaches which are just more expensive versions of the weather loaches that they no longer cary

 

[licerbob]

When you say Walstad method, what does that mean to you? Are you planning on going without a filter?

-- self maintaining more or less? this is were I got the idea from:

I probably won't do the clams, i'm just brainstorming right now. Guppies are like the easiest thing in the world to breed and breed in just about any tank you put them in...

Shrimp are generally way to fast and tend to "pop" out of the way of the very slow moving newts...

I currently have 2 aquariums, 1 is semi-planted semi-fake plant tropical community tank (guppies, platies, mollies, ghost cats, neon tetras, cloud minnows, M and F betta, a clown loach, mystery snail, clams, and 2 fiddler crabs) (cabomba, pennywort, wisteria, 1 anarchus, and something the pet store sold me as wisteria that is not wisteria), the other tank is cold water planted 2 axolotls tank w/ ghost shrimp, penny wort, water lily, and a really big water sprite

 

[trennamw]

Walstad's book is worth the $20. It's on kindle and iTunes too. Barr Report is worth reading too.

The book does suggest a filter and sometimes something to give some water movement.

The heavily planted tank according to my research takes more setup, more knowledge, and then requires fewer water changes than plant less. Also less maintenance than systems that use high light and co2. Growth is slow and so you trim plants less.

Plants that have some existence above the water line are from what I understand. My perception from the book is that plants, a heater, an internal filter, shrimp, snails, and community fish are a simple setup.

One aspect of using dirt from what I've read is it wears out so to speak at about 6 months. This is why I'm looking into the Barr approach too.

I have a thread going asking similar questions, I got some good answers there.

I don't know that any of the above are facts, it's just where I'm at in my research.