# Diana Walstad - ecology of the planted aquarium



## dan4x4 (12 Feb 2016)

Bought the book, I'm about half way through it. Just want to say I'm enjoying it and its very interesting and in depth. I also find its well set out in a way that makes sense, anyone getting into this hobby would highly benefit from reading it.

Her tanks don't use added co2, the soil substrate provides co2 in her tanks.

I had been thinking of moving to co2 but can't see the point anymore now that I have educated myself about all options.

walstad method will be cheaper and less hassle than high tech - definitely the right way forward for me. Also I think its as close to nature as you can get when it comes to the hobby which I really like.

Ill post some pics up when I get round to resetting the tank.


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## alto (12 Feb 2016)

I've not read the book in years but check your edition for updates/edits as she has changed/clarified some details since it's initial publication


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## Tim Harrison (12 Feb 2016)

Another convert...it's amazing what you can achieve the Walstad Way, it takes a little longer but it helps enormously if you choose your plants to suit. It's how I started over 35 years ago as a child.


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## dw1305 (13 Feb 2016)

Hi all, 





dan4x4 said:


> Bought the book, I'm about half way through it. Just want to say I'm enjoying it and its very interesting and in depth. I also find its well set out in a way that makes sense, anyone getting into this hobby would highly benefit from reading it.


<"Ecology of the Planted Aquarium"> I always recommend it to people, I think it is the book that should be essential reading for any-one who wants to really understand how aquariums "work".  





alto said:


> check your edition for updates/edits as she has changed/clarified some details since it's initial publication


 I think she has suggested that some water movement is a good idea since the initial publication. <"Personally I don't see some biological filtration in the filter as a problem">, and I like regular small volume water changes, but other than that there isn't a lot I don't agree with in the book. 

cheers Darrel


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## EnderUK (13 Feb 2016)

it's a very good book and it would a be a great method except for me it's far to messy. I like to play around with my setups more than I probably should. Explaining to the lass why the new carpet is covered in mud after a rescape would a be a real problem for me.


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## Jose (13 Feb 2016)

I agree its a great book but. You should see the whole picture. If you try this method your plants will have co2 from decomposition yes but only up to maybe around a year. After this period you could also start running out of certain nutrients. I dont think its a method for the long term or for pickier fish species. Also it wont let you keep many species of plants and there is a lot of trial and error. If it were a great method then I think you would see many more great tanks using it. I do love the book though.


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## Tim Harrison (13 Feb 2016)

Not necessarily...I've tried to explain why in my tutorial. But whether you go high or low energy, or anywhere in between (hybrid -energy), soil is a cheap and very effective substrate.


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## Jose (13 Feb 2016)

Yes but her method is not only about soil. Its also about adding nothing else (just fish food) to the tank and keeping it as a natural system.


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## Tim Harrison (13 Feb 2016)

Yeah I know, but it's still not necessarily so...although I was also thinking about soil as a substrate in broader terms. Maybe something for Dan to consider as well.


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## Jose (13 Feb 2016)

I think soil is a fine substrate yes, for most any tank. You dont need to pay the price of ada amazonia. Even inert gravel can work in any tank.


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## darren636 (13 Feb 2016)

How deep does a soil layer need to be in order to get things moving?


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## Tim Harrison (13 Feb 2016)

Not really that deep. I've used anything from a few cm to around 10cm with similar results. Depends on the scape design I suppose.


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## Jose (13 Feb 2016)

I think Diana says the right height in her book so that you dont get anaerobic conditions in it. She also mentions the height of the sand on top of the soil.


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## Tim Harrison (13 Feb 2016)

Yes she does...it's important if the soil substrate is to be replenished with nutrients from the water column. The capping material needs to of a grain size and thickness that allows for easy transference of nutrients and gasses, not least O2 to maintain a healthy oxidised microzone.

But I also think there is an element of having to write very responsibly when you're producing a book of this nature to leave margin for error and prevent people getting in to trouble.

With regards the depth of the soil, like I said usually a few cm is enough, but I have used much deeper soil without any problems. Sediments become increasingly anaerobic with depth, but that's not usually a problem for us since macrophytes are adapted to cope.


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## dan4x4 (13 Feb 2016)

With regards to depth she says 1 inch, she also states that the fertilisers are replenished by fish food. She goes into a lot more depth but fish waste and left over food build a mule up in gravel above soil then feed the bacteria in the soil. she states in the book the she has had aquariums running for 7/8 years this way. she does back up her theory with experiments, she is also a microbiologist so I trust she knows what she's talking about


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## dan4x4 (13 Feb 2016)

she also states to add crushed coral if your in a soft water area like myself. seriously though definitely worth a read. Im going to start buying the stuff i need to convert which so far isn't much at all! although I have not got to the lighting part and I'm going to look to buy some water lettuce.


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## dan4x4 (13 Feb 2016)

Finally I have the third edition


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## dw1305 (14 Feb 2016)

Hi all, 





dan4x4 said:


> she also states to add crushed coral if your in a soft water area like myself.


It doesn't have to be crushed coral, <"Oyster or Cockle shell chick grit"> is a cheap, more environmentally friendly, option. She needs higher dKH partially because she doesn't do many water changes, and the problem then is that <"bio-acidification"> consumes the carbonate hardness (dKH), and there isn't any mechanism for restoring it. The reason you need some dKH is because during nitrification ~7 mg of carbonate hardness (expressed as CaCO3) is consumed when 1 mg of NH4+ ions are oxidized. 





dan4x4 said:


> I'm going to look to buy some water lettuce.


PM me if you can't find any, you can have as much as you like for P&P. I have _Pistia, Salvinia_ and_ Limnobium_ because with some tanks one doesn't grow very well, and you have an alternative floater. I tried_ Phyllanthus_ as well for a while, but it tended to be out competed, and eventually I just let it dwindle away.

cheers Darrel


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## dan4x4 (14 Feb 2016)

Thanks Darrel that would be brilliant. I think I might have to read it over again cos it is quite in depth but I definitely want to try her methods.

Maybe I could offer you some cuttings in return, also I would be happy to pay P&P.


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## alto (15 Feb 2016)

you might check online for interviews/podcasts with DW ...


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## dw1305 (17 Feb 2016)

Hi all, 





dan4x4 said:


> Maybe I could offer you some cuttings in return,


Swap would be fine, it is a good way to keep plants in the hobby.

cheers Darrel


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## Soilwork (17 Feb 2016)

I was a huge fan of this book, read it at least 4 times and preached the contents in another forum.  I did a build thread. At the end of the thread I had switched over to high tech injected

It just didn't work for me. I found the reason was that I was trying plants that had a high carbon affinity.  My plants withered until I was left with jungle val, the odd crypt and Anubis and tons of BBA.

Since joining this site I now would like to try vigorous surface agitation and water changes.  Nutrients were not a problem in this tank.  Carbon and perhaps oxygen were.  It's no surprise the carbon chapter in her book is the weakest.  

Low tech tanks definitely can be done but there's lots to consider.


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## Bugnal1 (4 Jun 2016)

I've just set up a tank in the Walstad method it will be interesting to see how it works out.


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## SandstoneSturgeon (7 Jun 2016)

This book opened my eyes to many possibilities.  I think the biggest thing of value that I have taken away from it, is the fact that you don't need to have the expensive CO2 if you use this method.  Two of my tanks are Walstads and happy, active fish inhabit both.


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## kadoxu (15 Aug 2016)

After reading this book I feel like I can get a degree in Chemistry! Awesome book, though... Chapter XI - A. "Typical Pathways for Beginning Hobbyists" is like reading about myself... lol


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## Tim Harrison (15 Aug 2016)

It is and awesome book, but like you mention it can be a bit involved and not necessarily accessible to all...that's what UKAPS is for


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