Well, i have to owe a big thanks to you! I've been watching your videos and learning from you and your methods, so thank you so much, I appreciate all you do and ive learnt so much! 😊
You had a nutrient leak from the soil. A much thicker sand cap is needed at startup. It seems to have balanced out now though. Walstads are NOT as easy as we first think huh? I struggled too at the beginning! Keep up the content and glad you're back!
Thanks for showcasing this tank eventho it didn't end up as you expect, overall its a good informative video ❤, I'm hoping you would do more walstad aquariums in future
It was my first attempt but thankfully its actually matured into a trouble free tank and is now home to some shrimp! Just took a little longer to get it there, i definitely learnt a lot from this tank and definitely intended to do more in the future 😀
i have found some soils unsuitable for aquariums - always the ones I buy from a landscape supplier (where I get my sand and other hard stuff). Had similar experiences to your tank here. Usually you know within 2 days something looks wrong and is often the water colour being off. Once you find a good soil you stick to it. Soil outside (with plants already growing in it) is my preference. Walstad warns about this in her book and recommends a soak test in a jar before you use it. I would recommend how I started. Get a bucket, put some garden soil in it (just soil and water). Put a hardy stem plant in it (something that grows above the waterline) and leave it outside in summer a few weeks so it gets some sun or at least strong daylight, making sure to keep it topped up with water. If you get growth all is good. If that does not work you are wasting your time - the soil is no good.
That's a really good idea....and one i should definitely have tried! I think part of my issues was using far too much in a very small scape! But I'll know for next time, and I'll definitely try your tip! Thanks 😊
Hi Rachael, your tank looks great, but I think the problems you have been having are because you don't have enough substrate. I think in your tank, you're approaching it like an aquascape if you were using commercial aquasoil. In a nature aquarium, you have to take a different approach. I have 10 cm deep substrate across the entire tank, not just a pile at the back. Inoculating with pond mud provides a lot of beneficial bacteria and critters (like copepods, etc). These clean the tank from day one. I also add snails straight away. Don't be frightened about the tank not being cycled.... if you set up a nature aquarium properly, it's basically cycled from the start. I add snails on the first day, shrimp after the first week, and then fish around week 3 once everything is stable. But deep substrate everywhere is the key.
I think this is great advice. Deep substrate is crucial. I’d go further and cap with 2” of sand and plant stem plants that she mentions in her book like Pearl weed etc….
Also, you want lots of organic material in the bottom of the substrate. If you try this again, don't use clay soil from the garden. Use a good quality potting mix. I add lots of dead leaves from the garden, and mix it through the substrate. Then I add pond mud (with pond water) to this. I collect it from a pond that has clear water and fish living in it. You're trying to recreate a complete ecosystem. It's not just fish, bacteria and plants, but all the layers of life in between - protozoa, zooplankton, small invertebrates and so on. Don't be frightened about 'nasties' getting in. Nature doesn't sterilise anything. The tank will self balance. If you have a good mix of organisms, you will have predators in there that will eat the parasites. Plant the tank heavily with stem plants, not just at the back, and put a sand cap of 2-3 cm on top of the substrate. Add wood. Don't boil it. Nature doesn't have a stove, and wood falls into ponds and streams all the time. Don't do water changes. Just top it up with water when the water gets low. Add dead leaves every few weeks to feed the ecosystem. You'll be surprised how well it works
@johncatsoulis 100% i couldn't agree more! It's a lesson learnt for sure! Ive been reading and learning more about deep sand substrates, and youre exactly right when you said i approached it like an aquascape, because i think i subconciously did as its what im used to, and i think i was scared of going too thick with the sand as in aquascaping its kindve a no no, probably more for aesthetic reasons but having read up on anoxic and anerobic bacteria and how they play a part in deep substrates i can recognise where ive gone wrong but thankfully it seems to be doing much better now its definitely a different approach but one im glad to be learning about, its all very interesting!
Awh thank you, im not sure what the light is but it is just a little led ring light on a wooden base, i found it on amazon, and its actually really quite good and effective considering it was only a cheap little thing!
Great update mate, those two bettas are amazing! I had the same thing happen with the Limnophila Sessiliflora in my 8G recently and I think it had something to do with placing the roots too deep in the substrate rather than letting them make there own way down to the nutrients.
Definitely, and i wonder if because mine were trimmings, they didn't have any developed root systems to help with the nutirent uptake so hopefully they assimilate with the soil and bacteria down there better by rooting them selves into it, i inagine there roots will find where they need to go better than we can!
Good update Rach. My little bowl did the same thing, although plants were OK. I thought it was a nutrient overload. And had thick scum on surface. Dont have you patient's and pulled it apart. Now rebuilt with fluval stratum and going really well.
I nearly didn't have the patience and was about to scrap it but then i was like noo i wont be beaten 😅 ive used fluval startum once before and had good results, tbf , its probably quite an underdog as fars as aquarium soils go
@REscapes well its looking good now. My mistake was way too much aquatic compost in the bowl. Lesson learnt. My 30cm cube is going crazy and plants growing like mad, but put far less aquatic compost in there. Its all about trial, error and learn hey. Can't wait for the big project, hurry up 😂
I had this happen with a blackwater tank a while back. I think the soil you used was a bit too nutrient rich and the sand cap wasn't deep enough. Always something to learn in this hobby isn't there! 😅
Nice save Rachael! You took all the right steps, added sand, plants, and lots of love.
Well, i have to owe a big thanks to you! I've been watching your videos and learning from you and your methods, so thank you so much, I appreciate all you do and ive learnt so much! 😊
Congratulations on bringing the tank back to life. Very nice!
A few fish will be perfect.
amazing results. thanks for sharing and caring
You had a nutrient leak from the soil. A much thicker sand cap is needed at startup. It seems to have balanced out now though. Walstads are NOT as easy as we first think huh? I struggled too at the beginning!
Keep up the content and glad you're back!
Yeah they definitely require a deeper understanding than i first realised! But ive definitely learnt a lot from it that i can apply on the next one 😊
Thanks for showcasing this tank eventho it didn't end up as you expect, overall its a good informative video ❤, I'm hoping you would do more walstad aquariums in future
It was my first attempt but thankfully its actually matured into a trouble free tank and is now home to some shrimp! Just took a little longer to get it there, i definitely learnt a lot from this tank and definitely intended to do more in the future 😀
i have found some soils unsuitable for aquariums - always the ones I buy from a landscape supplier (where I get my sand and other hard stuff). Had similar experiences to your tank here. Usually you know within 2 days something looks wrong and is often the water colour being off. Once you find a good soil you stick to it. Soil outside (with plants already growing in it) is my preference. Walstad warns about this in her book and recommends a soak test in a jar before you use it.
I would recommend how I started. Get a bucket, put some garden soil in it (just soil and water). Put a hardy stem plant in it (something that grows above the waterline) and leave it outside in summer a few weeks so it gets some sun or at least strong daylight, making sure to keep it topped up with water. If you get growth all is good. If that does not work you are wasting your time - the soil is no good.
That's a really good idea....and one i should definitely have tried! I think part of my issues was using far too much in a very small scape! But I'll know for next time, and I'll definitely try your tip! Thanks 😊
Looks like amonia burn. In such a small tank it's harder for the small amount of plants to keep up.
Hi Rachael, your tank looks great, but I think the problems you have been having are because you don't have enough substrate. I think in your tank, you're approaching it like an aquascape if you were using commercial aquasoil. In a nature aquarium, you have to take a different approach. I have 10 cm deep substrate across the entire tank, not just a pile at the back. Inoculating with pond mud provides a lot of beneficial bacteria and critters (like copepods, etc). These clean the tank from day one. I also add snails straight away. Don't be frightened about the tank not being cycled.... if you set up a nature aquarium properly, it's basically cycled from the start. I add snails on the first day, shrimp after the first week, and then fish around week 3 once everything is stable. But deep substrate everywhere is the key.
I think this is great advice. Deep substrate is crucial. I’d go further and cap with 2” of sand and plant stem plants that she mentions in her book like Pearl weed etc….
Also, you want lots of organic material in the bottom of the substrate. If you try this again, don't use clay soil from the garden. Use a good quality potting mix. I add lots of dead leaves from the garden, and mix it through the substrate. Then I add pond mud (with pond water) to this. I collect it from a pond that has clear water and fish living in it. You're trying to recreate a complete ecosystem. It's not just fish, bacteria and plants, but all the layers of life in between - protozoa, zooplankton, small invertebrates and so on. Don't be frightened about 'nasties' getting in. Nature doesn't sterilise anything. The tank will self balance. If you have a good mix of organisms, you will have predators in there that will eat the parasites. Plant the tank heavily with stem plants, not just at the back, and put a sand cap of 2-3 cm on top of the substrate. Add wood. Don't boil it. Nature doesn't have a stove, and wood falls into ponds and streams all the time. Don't do water changes. Just top it up with water when the water gets low. Add dead leaves every few weeks to feed the ecosystem. You'll be surprised how well it works
@johncatsoulis 100% i couldn't agree more! It's a lesson learnt for sure! Ive been reading and learning more about deep sand substrates, and youre exactly right when you said i approached it like an aquascape, because i think i subconciously did as its what im used to, and i think i was scared of going too thick with the sand as in aquascaping its kindve a no no, probably more for aesthetic reasons but having read up on anoxic and anerobic bacteria and how they play a part in deep substrates i can recognise where ive gone wrong but thankfully it seems to be doing much better now its definitely a different approach but one im glad to be learning about, its all very interesting!
@boebender definitely going to add pearl weed, i have some growing put so im going to put the trimmings in 😊
Nice one
Second times a charm! And hello from my fish room in Chicago.
Thanks for watching! 😊
Lovely tank Rachael and I really love the fish bowl on the other side of it. Is that a Bioscape Landscaoe LED bamboo light you’re using for the bowl?
Awh thank you, im not sure what the light is but it is just a little led ring light on a wooden base, i found it on amazon, and its actually really quite good and effective considering it was only a cheap little thing!
Nice to see you got things sorted.
Its the wood, same happened to me couple times. I have even tried to boil it and used the wood again and same happened.
Great update mate, those two bettas are amazing!
I had the same thing happen with the Limnophila Sessiliflora in my 8G recently and I think it had something to do with placing the roots too deep in the substrate rather than letting them make there own way down to the nutrients.
Definitely, and i wonder if because mine were trimmings, they didn't have any developed root systems to help with the nutirent uptake so hopefully they assimilate with the soil and bacteria down there better by rooting them selves into it, i inagine there roots will find where they need to go better than we can!
Good update Rach. My little bowl did the same thing, although plants were OK. I thought it was a nutrient overload. And had thick scum on surface. Dont have you patient's and pulled it apart. Now rebuilt with fluval stratum and going really well.
I nearly didn't have the patience and was about to scrap it but then i was like noo i wont be beaten 😅 ive used fluval startum once before and had good results, tbf , its probably quite an underdog as fars as aquarium soils go
@REscapes well its looking good now. My mistake was way too much aquatic compost in the bowl. Lesson learnt. My 30cm cube is going crazy and plants growing like mad, but put far less aquatic compost in there. Its all about trial, error and learn hey. Can't wait for the big project, hurry up 😂
ive been waiting for this!
I had this happen with a blackwater tank a while back.
I think the soil you used was a bit too nutrient rich and the sand cap wasn't deep enough.
Always something to learn in this hobby isn't there! 😅
Haha! There definitely is! But yeah I definitely agree that its a mix between high nutrients and not a deep enough cap!
😇
It’s harder than I make it look 💁🏻♂️
Shoulda stuck with your top soil recommendation 😅