Natural Planted Tank

[DeepSeaFishin]

I am planning on moving forward with my Natural Planted tank. Its a 10 US Gallon sitting underneath my 30 gallon. I read up on a book that explains how adding soil and plants will benefit from each other in the tank. If any of you know about Diana Walstad, she created several tanks via top soil and plants. Basically the tank runs itself and all fish are perfectly healthy. She apparently does a 60% water change every few months. I find that amazing, I of course would be watching the water params more carefully and not adding fish right away. I also would do water changes more often.

I plan on using NO Co2 injection, NO fertilizers, and NO other chemicals besides the decholorinator. This tank is going to be low cost and low tech. Excess fish food and waste will fall to the bottom and I hope that this will be absorbed and that will take place of the liquid fertilizers that one would use. Also the top soil underneath will provide enough nutrients for some low cost plants to thrive. The tank has roughly 2 watts per gallon and will have around 12 hours of sunlight, if anyone has any comments on lighting and siestas drop me a comment. All of the information I'm telling you has been gathered by this book.

For filtration I have a Hang on side filter. Its not really a HOB because it hangs on the inside of the tank. I personally dont
think it will look bad after some plants grow high enough to cover the rear of the tank. Aeration is via a airstone inside this HOI (Hang On Inside ) filter. Also have a small heater.

I might as well go ahead and type out the plan for the tank now. I guess one can say this is my little project to take up some of my spare time while I'm at home.

• I first will test the top soil via a bottle. I'll take a 2 litre soda bottle and place some soil at the bottom, followed by a layer of gravel. I will let that sit for a weekish, and test the water parameters and also check for discoloration of the water. The soil itself I will let sit out on a tray for a few days to allow the ammonia to burn off. It releases most the ammonia if its in a thin layer.

• I plan on draining all the water out of the 10. There is nothing in it, so I will shut everything off and drain it completely. Then I will let the excess water dry out for around 24-48 hours. After this point in time I will go ahead and add one inch of the aired out top soil. I will let that sit another day to make sure as much ammonia is let out as possible.

• I will then proceed to plant some various plants while I'm adding 1.5 inches roughly of brown aqaurium gravel. Then the tank will be filled up with 50% water from my 30 gallon and 50% decholorinated tap. I will wait 1-2 months to triple check and make sure that the tank is perfected safe for fish. Then I will add some one inch convict fry and go from there. I will post as many pictures as I can of this project and make a good experience of it.

 

[DeepSeaFishin]

Here is a list of the plants I plan on attempting to plant and grow:

Java moss
Java fern
Lace Java fern
Narrow leaf Java fern
Cryptocoryne sp.
Anubias sp.
Guppy grass
Hornwort

 

[frozenbarb]

if those plants dont work, but you wanna make you look good by growing alot of plants go with duckweed

im sure these wont die on you

 

[fishbone]

This sounds like a really good project. i'll be very interested to see how it pans out. Is it just the bog standard topsoil from a garden center that you will be using? I'm off to read up on Diana Walstad, I'm intrigued...

 

[Maximumbob]

The Walstad book is a very interesting read, whether you are into high tech or low tech planted tanks. Its like the opposite end of the spectrum from Amano.

 

[jaarus]

Nice plan - will keep an eye on your progress

make sure to post some piccies!!

 

[lljdma06]

Nice plan - will keep an eye on your progress

make sure to post some piccies!!

Yes, do post pictures and make a journal out of this. There aren't a lot of true Walstad-type tanks here. Would be an interesting learning experience for everybody. Remember, though, she doesn't stock heavily with fish, so you're going to be limited in that respect, especially with at 10g. If you want to create the look of a lot of fish without the bioload that comes with it, I'd opt for a micro-rasbora species. I also think that they'd do pretty well in the setup you've got planned too. You could probably add a small-leafed hygro to the list and possibly some rotala depending on your lighting levels. It would look nice and create the illusion of size, especially if you chose smaller fish species.

llj

 

[DeepSeaFishin]

April 27, 2007

I have taken pictures of the tank that will be transformed. I just have a DIY sponge filter running in it, the tank used to be a hospital/fry tank, thus for that divider in there. But anyway, here is the tank that is going to become naturally planted. I am still browsing and pricing / looking for topsoil. Ill post the next phase once I get some topsoil. I know I know theres a few inches of water missing, but since there is nothing In it there no need to put water in it.

Specs:

- 10 US Gallon
- Hang on Inside Filter
- Airstone
- Heater (Not the in the pic because I didnt want to waste electricity)

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[DeepSeaFishin]

I'm going to attempt to keep this under 30-50$. I have everything I need really except plants and topsoil.

 

[Biulu]

Sounds very interesting! Is there anything on the web about this Walstad?

 

[lljdma06]

Sounds very interesting! Is there anything on the web about this Walstad?

Just google Diana Walstad and you'll get tons. The book by her is called "The Ecology of the Planted Aquarium".

llj

 

[DeepSeaFishin]

**Update May 17, 2007**

Currently I have been very busy with school/work and havent gotten around to the tank. However, I am purchasing topsoil very soon, within the next week or few weeks. Once I have that then I have the greenlight to start setting this thing up. I do have a question about my lighting, its a 10 gallon from walmart. Stock lighting, which I assume is non-fluorescent. I have a 18 watt bulb that is a screw in variant, so Ill have to make a DIY fixture I guess. All will commence soon.