# Another Walstad Naturescape



## Tim Harrison (19 Jan 2016)

Been hectic after moving house, and have serious scaping withdrawal symptoms so I spent the afternoon, well...scaping...
Large pebbles from a Devonshire beach a bit of manzi, and recycled 4 spp of Crypts, 2 of Anubias, Xmas Moss and a bit of B. heudelotii. 
It's all a bit haphazard and not really thought out but it's low maintenance and I'm sure it'll grow in OK.


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## darren636 (19 Jan 2016)

Nice peninsula .


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## Greenfinger2 (19 Jan 2016)

Hi Troi, Nothing beats a bit of scaping glad to see you have wet hands again 

Love the wood and stones nice selection of plants too   Looking forward to seeing the plants grow in


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## Tim Harrison (19 Jan 2016)

Thanks Darren and Roy, it needs re-jigging a bit but I'll let it grow in first


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## Andy Thurston (19 Jan 2016)

Troi said:


> It's all a bit haphazard and not really thought out


It'll probably end up looking more natural. 
Looking good Tim,
Watching


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## Tim Harrison (19 Jan 2016)

Thanks Andy, the plan is to pretty much leave it to it's own devices with a little intervention every now and then


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## Boxerbrad (30 Jan 2016)

Wonderful looking tank, just seen this. What substrate is it may I ask?


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## Tim Harrison (31 Jan 2016)

Thanks, it's 1:1 mix of Westland aquatic compost and moss peat, capped with a couple of cms of Unipac Limpopo Black sand.


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## Boxerbrad (31 Jan 2016)

Wow it looks great 
Is how are the plants coming along?


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## Ryan Thang To (31 Jan 2016)

hey tim
tank look great. wood is really nice i got some my self. glad your back scaping

cheers
ryan


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## Tim Harrison (31 Jan 2016)

Thanks brad, the plants are doing ok...still early days tho'.
And thanks also Ryan, it's the same old Tom Barr manzi...the present to myself that just keeps giving


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## PARAGUAY (1 Feb 2016)

Really like the rocks.


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## Tim Harrison (1 Feb 2016)

Thanks Paraguay...did I already mention they were free too

It's been well over a week since it was set up, so the critters will be going back in today after a 50% water change. Hopefully, the plants will have had chance to put some roots down and won't end up floating on the surface...I'm  a bit worried the Cory catfish will have a bit of a field day rooting around in the sand, they've been in a bare bottom holding tank for a good while.


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## faizal (2 Feb 2016)

Nice one Troi... Looking forward to seeing this grow out.


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## Tim Harrison (2 Feb 2016)

Thanks Faizal, I think the plants have settled in already and are starting to take off.


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## nayr88 (3 Feb 2016)

Love these set ups!!
Please share more about the tank! Filers and lighting used.

Will you be stocking heavily or dosing anything additional?


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## Tim Harrison (3 Feb 2016)

Thanks nayr.
T8 lighting 2x15w - photoperiod 8hrs (split 4x4hrs with 4hr siesta), APS external 1000 l/h. 2ml of TNC complete a week to start up - the plants have been in a bare bottom holding tank so need a bit of help, but it'll be run without soon.
It's planted heavily with young plants they'll fill out the tank nicely when they've grown. And yes the bioload is high but not excessively so.


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## faizal (6 Feb 2016)

Any update photos please Troi....how big is the tank by the way?


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## Tim Harrison (6 Feb 2016)

Hi Faizal....no updates yet not much has changed really, such is life in the slow lane. The tank is a Fluval Roma 90 with the lid etc removed 60 x 35 x 45cm (h). Volume 90 litres.


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## Manisha (13 Apr 2016)

I really like the Walstad aquarium - The manzanita is particularly nice in this ☺ Growth is slow, what time frame would you expect for this to mature? Would it be 6 - 12 months perhaps?


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## Tim Harrison (13 Apr 2016)

Around 6 months is about right, although I've been pushing this with more light to try and get it to mature quicker and as a result it's got serious algae issues...well that and total neglect and a very high bioload = high organics = algae.
You can usually get away with neglecting a mature Walstad type tank for the most part, that is if the lighting is on the low side.
Obviously, this one is relatively immature and I'm paying the price. Not too worried though since I've now reduced the lighting intensity and once the plants begin to dominate I'll hopefully be able to get the algae under control.
Maybe I'll post a warts and all pic later...but it is pretty bad


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## Greenfinger2 (13 Apr 2016)

Hi Tim, Sorry to hear of the Algae prob. I feel your pain Hope you sort it out soon.


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## zozo (13 Apr 2016)

Hi Tim, i might be considered cheating and not done when advertising with a Walstad setup..  I guess, dunno, actualy how this works in the aquascaping world.
But aint Glut an option, just to jumpstart a low tech invironment and get it over the hill in it's first stage and keep the algae at bay?? Or is this considered a death sin and doping offence? 

Actualy i did the first 3 months, tho my tank aint Walstad principl it;s just an inert substrate clay cone zozo setup.. But still it kinda worked ok, now since the initial diatom and hair algae atack is over which was huge btw, i'm back to low tech. Got a little bit of BBA roaming around, but not realy exploding..  But so far i seem to be over the hill.  

Me too i hope you get it out, how ever you work around.. But just curious..


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## Tim Harrison (13 Apr 2016)

Thanks Roy, I'm sure I'll get it under control...eventually. 
Hi Marcel...the thought had crossed my mind more than once, but so far I've resisted the temptation. However, now I think I've tackled the cause I just might sneak some in every now and again...on a regular basis - but don't tell anyone


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## zozo (13 Apr 2016)

I can imagine the challenge behind the idea and feeling of being able to get it running without it and is kinda sport by itself..  it also crossed my mind not to use it.. But at the other hand i use it in the high tech to batlle algae so why not dope my low tech with it..  I find it to expensive to keep using it.. All tho it cost me a pogestemon stellatus i thought could do low tech, but it doesn't, not in my setup it died with in a month not dosing glut. Trying limnophila aromatica instead now.. No idea yet..

Good luck Tim..


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## Tim Harrison (13 Apr 2016)

Thanks Marcel..._P. stellatus_ doesn't do well for me either low-energy. Good luck with the _L. aromatica_.


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## sciencefiction (16 Apr 2016)

Nice setup Troi. Looking forward to the development.


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## faizal (22 Apr 2016)

If it was someone new to planted tanks...they'd probably be worried by now...but i'm sure you would turn things around in no time Troi....Looking forward to more pics.


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