# Diana Walstad setup - non treated water to start



## leemonk (20 Jun 2012)

Hi,

I am in the process of emptying out my tank in an attempt to create a Walstad style tank.

I have a quick question. If I fill the tank with untreated water to start with (not adding fish yet) will that kill off the beneficial bacteria in the soil?

I'm not overly worried about the metals in the water as the plants should take them up pretty quickly, at least that is how I interpreted the information in her book. But I am worried about killing off the bacteria that is present in the soil to start with.

I ask as I can get a direct feed from a tap to the tank which means I can fill it from a hose connection with no disruption to anything that has been planted and of course.... in record speed with no buckets being carried through the house and around the 2yr old monkey (son) and the 3rd old pug (more of a nuisance than my son).

Regards

Lee


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## LancsRick (20 Jun 2012)

My understanding is that yes, it will kill of the bacteria. What you could do though is run a direct feed to a container NEXT to the tank, fill that, treat it, then syphon into the tank. Repeat!


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## leemonk (20 Jun 2012)

Wouldn't that involve having the container above the tank?

I can treat the water as soon as it's in the tank. It wasn't the cost I was trying to avoid, it was the mess I'd create in the tank.

If I fill the tank through the internal filter adding the water dechlorinator at the same time, would that not work?

I know I'm looking for shortcuts, it's just that I always have a nightmare filling the damned tank and I'm going to be using soil with a sand/gravel cap, whcih means there is no room for error else I have a mudbath


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## Iain Sutherland (20 Jun 2012)

I dont see a problem as long as the first 3-4 inches, enough to cover the substrate, are treated water with enough dechlorinator for the whole tank you can then run the hose in.
Someone like Darrel (dw1305) would be able to say for sure if you are still worried.


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## Alastair (20 Jun 2012)

Get the end of the hose going into the tank, tie a plastic bag to the end and put in enough dechlorinator in the bag to treat for the whole volume of tank water going in, then just turn on and let fill. The bag also stops any disturbance to the substrate. That's what I did with mine 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## leemonk (22 Jun 2012)

Great idea.

I'll be doing that 

Thanks


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## Gill (22 Jun 2012)

Alastair said:
			
		

> Get the end of the hose going into the tank, tie a plastic bag to the end and put in enough dechlorinator in the bag to treat for the whole volume of tank water going in, then just turn on and let fill. The bag also stops any disturbance to the substrate. That's what I did with mine
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




Great Tip, will use this weekend on mine


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## Tim Harrison (23 Jun 2012)

There is really no need to worry about filling your tank with untreated water; that is unless the mg/l of the chlorine (etc) is above that recommended by the WHO. In this country the levels are usually a lot less; a residual 0.5 mg/l.

I have only ever rarely treated my water in the past and even then I just used water conditioner once the tank was full. I don’t bother at all these days, whether that is starting a tank from scratch or changing the water.

Any residual chlorine used for water treatment will simply dissipate within 24hrs anyway. So if you are really concerned just letting the water stand for a while will also work.

I don’t think that any bacteria will be too bothered about the residual amount of chlorine in our tap water and if you’re submerging a terrestrial soil for the first time it will be the least of their worries. 

Submerging a soil results in chemical and biological chaos anyway as it goes through the mineralization process, which takes about 2 months.


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## leemonk (24 Jun 2012)

Thanks for the replies.

Troi - I had read about this, but I'm not sure where. I had read that if I put enough water into the tank to make the soil very moist and a bit more workable this would speed up the mineralization process....... 

Though, being partway through Walstad's book, I know she doesn't really bother with all this and simple plants out the tank and puts fish in at the same time.

I plan to get this moving a little more this week, but I'm low on funds and need to try and source some cheap plants. So, if I can do that this week (found something decent on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-LIVE-AQUAR ... 3a64718e50) then I'll get cracking.

Regards


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## Tim Harrison (24 Jun 2012)

I always used to do the same as Diana; do it all in a day - soil, plants, and fish - and with no ill effects whatsoever. However, I always feel more than a little worried recommending the same approach to anyone else, in case it all goes horribly wrong.

I have found that the best way is to do as Diana does - add soil, water, plants the same day - but add critters a week or two later when ammonia levels have fallen to something approaching zero.

If you are going to use a filter also hook it up immediately; the ammonia given off by the soil as it mineralises will cycle your filter at the same time. Check out the link below.

http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f= ... 82#p198182

I think the August edition of PFK will include the first part of a two part article on the use of soil substrates across the energy spectrum.


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## sadoldgeezer (3 Jul 2012)

Hi..

Could i ask what "dirt" you used...i'm fascinated by this type of tank but only have 1 so am conscious of ballsing things up

Tks


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## Tim Harrison (3 Jul 2012)

Hi most people use John Innes No 3, or aquatic compost (B&Q's own brand, Westland, J Arthur Bowers - take  your pick they all seem to be fairly generic). I personally tend to mix all these composts with moss peat to a 1:1 ratio. Check out this coming August's PFK I think there might be an article on soil substrate planted tanks.


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## sadoldgeezer (3 Jul 2012)

Will look out for that...many thanks


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