# 5 gal Walstad tank



## skylsdale (Jun 2, 2004)

Finally setting up a few tanks after taking a hiatus for a while. I set this little 5 gal tank up about a month ago, Walstad style with some mineralized soil/compost from the garden, a bit of Redart mixed in along with some dolomite dusted on the bottom...all capped with gravel. I may have added a bit too much dolomite as the pH is pretty high, but seeing as how the tank houses just a few guppies and shrimp, they actually prefer it. All the water flow comes from an Aquaclear with a sponge over the intake, as well as an internal sponge and filled the rest of the way with lava rock for increased biological activity/filtration. Lighting is a single 20-something PC in a chicken lamp suspended over the tank.


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## XMX (Feb 17, 2011)

The tank looks pretty good. The stem plants seem to be doing very well. Are you injecting any CO2 at all?


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## skylsdale (Jun 2, 2004)

Nope...that would defeat the purpose.


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## skylsdale (Jun 2, 2004)

Two months later and things are starting to really fill in.


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## fishyspots (Oct 7, 2011)

That looks great!! Hope my attempts turn out half as good a couple months from now!! How long did you wait before adding fish? Any issues with ammonia or nitrites from the garden soil and if so, how long after you set it up did they occur?


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## skylsdale (Jun 2, 2004)

I waited about a week or so before adding fish...right now there is just a single female Endlers livebearer in there. Because I mineralized it first, I didn't really have much of an ammonia issue. There was some algae I had to deal with in the beginning, but I probably had a bit too much light over the tank and it took advantage of all the nutrients in the water. I switched to a lower water bulb to let the plants grow without getting covered, did a trim, and then a couple weeks ago switched back to a higher watt bulb. Even get some occasional pearling.


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## mauve (Apr 20, 2010)

I'd get rid of that filter. 
There is no point stirring water and knocking out CO2. Let the plants do the filtering, + it is an eye sore 
The same goes for the heater and thermometer....


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

mauve said:


> I'd get rid of that filter.
> There is no point stirring water and knocking out CO2. Let the plants do the filtering, + it is an eye sore
> The same goes for the heater and thermometer....


Aquaclear filters, like the one on this tank, do not cause excessive splash or surface agitation when the water level is kept high enough. On Walstad tanks with very small fish populations, it may actually be a good thing to encourage gas exchange between air and water. That way CO2 levels in the aquarium remain at least in equilibrium with the atmosphere.

Plants filter best when there is good water circulation to distribute O2, CO2, and nutrients evenly throughout the tank. This is the reason why Walstad uses powerheads and filters (sometimes without media) on her tanks. I like to have filters on my tanks with nothing but lava rock as the filter medium. It is a great place for beneficial bacteria to grow, and does not reduce the flow from the filter.

As for the heater and thermometer, they may be necessary depending on the room temperature.


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## mauve (Apr 20, 2010)

I see 
I have the same tank sitting on the window sill and it is completely "off the grid".
The water gets pretty cold in winter, but it does not seem to bother the fish or the plants.


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## adadkins1 (Jan 3, 2012)

Very nice Walstad tank!


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