The way I maintain my tanks means I am in total control of what happens. I can use any substrate, I control the plant nutrients, I control the water quality and I don't need to over feed the fish. Its very simple and straight forward.
I am in control of what happens too, just not total control unfortunately but I doubt it you have total control either. You can also use almost any substrate in this type of tank too, but as a cap to the soil.
I don't need to control any nutritients or co2, so less work for me there, neither do I have to spend money or time on them. And there's no reason why the water quality would be any worse than yours or anybody elses. I don't overfeed my fish either, but I can afford to overfeed without consequences. And I can go on holidays without worrying about the slightest thing. So yes, even simpler.
It takes time for the tank to mature and balance out. Maintaining an established and matured walstad sure is easy but how easy is it and how long does it take to get to that stage?
Get to what stage? The second tank above is not even 3 weeks old and I've trimmed some of the plants twice already. From this:
To this:
Do you think that everyone can achieve this?
Just because you are accustomed to your method does not mean it's any easier than a Walstad type of tank. When starting a planted tank for the first time no one is immune to mistakes. For example the OP thinks that 1.5W of light per gallon is low tech and depending on the type of light tubes used that could be in the medium high tech range already and a recipe for disaster.
Basics should be known regardless of method. Makes it easier as a prevention method.
But yes, Walstad type of tank is totally easy to setup. It's not a rule, it's a very good guide with certain things more important than others, or at least can be tweaked to one's preferences, and even improve it.
I know that many many people try and fail at walstad tanks. It's all a bit hit and miss and there is no real control over any peramiter in the tank. You can just hope that the fish waste is enough for your plants
Without pointing out a particular case I can't tell you why some people failed. I am certain a lot more people failed at keeping plants via other methods too. And in regards to controlling the tank, as long as you understand that the biggest limitation is CO2 and CO2 demand depends on the amount of light given to the tank, then you'll get it right, especially if you understand that co2 may need to mechanically be distributed to the plants via some extra flow if the tank is large enough. Fertilzers will hardly be a problem in a Walstad tank, but even if they are, then one can combine methods and just dose minimal amounts if they wish, though I haven't done it.
You can wonder if there are enough trace elements in the water and what about the water quality can you be sure its ok for the fish?
Do you refer to the lack of water changes these tanks are often associated with ? You know, in a tank full of healthy growing plants, the water quality can easily be better than that from your tap water. That's nothing to do with the method of keeping plants. Despite everything, one can do water changes in a Walstad tank too without consequences to the "method" or plants or fish. I've done it. And why do you think the water quality in your type of tanks is any better? That applies to any method. CO2 is toxic to fish and especially to inverts, yet people inject CO2 in high tech tanks.
You can just hope that the fish waste is enough for your plants
In practice there's nothing to worry about and it's enough no matter how complicated it sounds to you, but as I said no one is stopping anyone from adding some ferts once in a blue moon if they think the plants need it.
The way i do it means that anyone can have a sucessful healthy planted tank without any hassle or messing about
There's no hassle or messing with a Walstad tank, less messing or worryng than your own tanks for sure. I am totally not sure why you think it's so difficult. For a person like you that has already kept a planted tank, it should be a breeze and a big relief compared to your own methods. It seems the concept of it looks too complicated to you and you think it's full of flaws, but in reality it works wonderfully.
I sometimes like to quote some famous people and Albert Einstein said that: "Condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance"
Just try it for youself, then make up your mind. Otherwise you'd be fooling yourself and others.
