# Beginner: 29 gallon Walstad Method Tank



## iwyllpa (May 26, 2009)

Hey everyone!
I've been researching on several forums and FAQ pages and I discovered the Walstad Method and I've fallen in love with it - it is exactly what I'm looking for! Searching for "Walstad Method" led me to this forum. I've done a fair bit of research so I get some of the basic guidelines but I'm looking for some more specific help. I'm looking at setting up a 29 gallon tank - 12.25 in (~31.1 cm) long X 30 in (~76.2 cm) wide X 18.75 in (~47.6 cm) tall - with lots of plants, a few fish, and of course low tech. Here are my questions:

-How many plants? I've read around about plants and it looks like I'll need some duckweed (or some other free floating plant) at the beginning to keep algae down and then start putting in some rooted plants, but how many? I want a fairly heavily planted (and lightly 'fish-ed') tank but I haven't found any guidelines on just how many plants to put in.

-How many fish? I want at least one small school of a hearty fish (since this is my first try) and I want to make sure that I get enough fish that they don't freak out since they aren't in a school but other than that I'm not sure how many to get. I suppose I could get as many as 15 or so but I want fewer fish and more plants (with the goal of minimal cleaning.)

-How many invertebrates(if any)? I'm considering getting some sort of shrimp (since I just like how they look) but I'm not sure how many and what sort of invertebrates I might need to keep my tank fairly clean.

-How much lighting? I've read around about rules of thumb on watts/gallon but none take into consideration daylight through windows. I plan to have this tank in my living/dining room which has a large bay window facing South and a smaller window facing West (both have curtains on them but the do let in some light.) I have a standard hood for the tank so I plan to have lighting in it but I want to minimize the amount of lighting I need by taking into account the sunlight from outside. I'm also fine with having slower growing lower light plants (because, again, that would minimize the amount of upkeep I have to do since the slow growing plants don't have to be trimmed as often.)

-Filter? I know that I don't need (and probably even don't want) a normal fish tank filter since the plants will be fulfilling that purpose, but do I need anything for water movement?

-Anything else? I have an air pump, (it was given to me with the tank) do I need it? The house tends to stay around 68F in the winter and about 75-80F in the summer, do I need a heater? Oh, and what about some sort of food dispenser? I want to be able to leave the tank for up to 2 weeks so I would love some sort of food dispenser than can be set up to release food every day (or however often is needed.)

In general, I'm looking for very easy to care for hearty plants, fish, etc. that can stand a fair range of temperatures and water conditions. I'm willing to have some more plain and 'boring' looking plants and fish if that means they'll be more likely to survive. Also, does anyone have a good link to a post about resealing a tank? Since I got the tank I have used, I figure I plan to reseal it before I fill it up (and many people on another forum have suggested that I do so) but I'm not exactly sure how.


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## Calcimoo (May 15, 2009)

iwyllpa said:


> Hey everyone!
> 
> 
> > I've been researching on several forums and FAQ pages and I discovered the Walstad Method and I've fallen in love with it - it is exactly what I'm looking for! Searching for "Walstad Method" led me to this forum. I've done a fair bit of research so I get some of the basic guidelines but I'm looking for some more specific help. I'm looking at setting up a 29 gallon tank - 12.25 in (~31.1 cm) long X 30 in (~76.2 cm) wide X 18.75 in (~47.6 cm) tall - with lots of plants, a few fish, and of course low tech. Here are my questions:
> ...


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## Jane in Upton (Aug 10, 2005)

Hi,

Calcimoo gave very thorough answers, but I wanted to add my two cents as well. And DO get the book and read it!



iwyllpa said:


> Here are my questions:
> 
> -How many plants? I've read around about plants and it looks like I'll need some duckweed (or some other free floating plant) at the beginning to keep algae down and then start putting in some rooted plants, but how many? I want a fairly heavily planted (and lightly 'fish-ed') tank but I haven't found any guidelines on just how many plants to put in.


In a fresh setup, with newly-submerged soil, you want to stock the plants heavily, with fast growers to make use of the first flush of nutrients. Floating plants are recommended because they have the "aerial advantage" - they can get CO2 from their exposed surface, and are a great nutrient sink, including being a heavy metal sink, which is very important if you want to introduce invertebrates (they have a higher sensitivity to metals, particularly copper, than fish). Also, having their root systems in the water column uses up nutrients, including iron, which is important to keep algae at bay. Also, some plants which don't form much of a root system, but float around just below the surface actually have an anti-algae effect (see "Alleopathy" in the book). Personally, I've grown to believe that Salvinia and Hornwort both are great for keeping algae from getting the upper hand in a fresh setup.



> -How many fish? I want at least one small school of a hearty fish (since this is my first try) and I want to make sure that I get enough fish that they don't freak out since they aren't in a school but other than that I'm not sure how many to get. I suppose I could get as many as 15 or so but I want fewer fish and more plants (with the goal of minimal cleaning.)


For most tetras and rasboras, the bare minimum to get any sort of schooling behavior is 5. Of course, 7 is better, and 9 is better than that, and you could probably house a dozen in your size tank. There are anecdotal reports of schooling behavior being stronger with an odd number of fish if there aren't many of them. Personally, I don't think the fish know how to count , but the "odd number" principle is a visual basic in garden groupings, too, so I'll subscribe to it. BUT..... Don't introduce too much right at the onset. While an El Natural tank is capable of supporting fish very early after setup because of the presence of beneficial bacteria and the filtering power of the plants, it will be a new setup for you, and the more you can keep variables contained (like over-doing it on the fish load) the easier it will be to get your tank settled in. Do add fish, but just not a huge amount. Starting with a group of, for instance, 9 or 10 harlequin rasboras (or similar) and 3 otocinclus would be fine. One of the few difficult things about El Natural is having patience! Once established, you'll have a better sense of what your fish load can be, and can add more then. With the benefit of plants as natural filtration, many folks are able to have a pretty high fish headcount. Personally, I keep a rather light fish load.



> -How many invertebrates(if any)? I'm considering getting some sort of shrimp (since I just like how they look) but I'm not sure how many and what sort of invertebrates I might need to keep my tank fairly clean.


You'll find both pro-snail and anti-snail opinions out there. If you're thinking about shrimp, I'd wait a little while to add them (couple of weeks), as they are particularly sensitive to water parameters. Amano shrimp are the well known algae eaters, and deserve their reputation.



> -How much lighting? I've read around about rules of thumb on watts/gallon but none take into consideration daylight through windows. I plan to have this tank in my living/dining room which has a large bay window facing South and a smaller window facing West (both have curtains on them but the do let in some light.) I have a standard hood for the tank so I plan to have lighting in it but I want to minimize the amount of lighting I need by taking into account the sunlight from outside. I'm also fine with having slower growing lower light plants (because, again, that would minimize the amount of upkeep I have to do since the slow growing plants don't have to be trimmed as often.)


Ditto on Read the Book!



> -Filter? I know that I don't need (and probably even don't want) a normal fish tank filter since the plants will be fulfilling that purpose, but do I need anything for water movement?


Generally, the plants are the main bio-filter. Some filtration can even compete with the plants for nutrients, and unless there is some contaminant in the water you want to remove, carbon is not necessary, as it will remove valuable dissolved organic compounds from your water. That said, water movement is good to keep temperature and nutrients mixed. Especially if you're going to use natural light, you'll want to mix the water as it warms to avoid hot/cold pockets for the fish.

Heater can be optional, depending on your choice of fish. With White Clouds, its not necessary - in fact, they prefer it a little cool.



> In general, I'm looking for very easy to care for hearty plants, fish, etc. that can stand a fair range of temperatures and water conditions. I'm willing to have some more plain and 'boring' looking plants and fish if that means they'll be more likely to survive. Also, does anyone have a good link to a post about resealing a tank? Since I got the tank I have used, I figure I plan to reseal it before I fill it up (and many people on another forum have suggested that I do so) but I'm not exactly sure how.


Well, this method is the most self-sustaining that I've come across! DO read the book - you will be very glad you did!

Best of luck with your setup!
-Jane


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## Tominizer (May 13, 2009)

I've been told by a fairly reliable source that if your tank is leaking, toss it or use it to prep water for water changes. Tanks are not that expensive and considering all the time money and effort expended into what goes inside the tank, it's not worth risking a leaky tank.


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## Jane in Upton (Aug 10, 2005)

Tominizer said:


> I've been told by a fairly reliable source that if your tank is leaking, toss it or use it to prep water for water changes. Tanks are not that expensive and considering all the time money and effort expended into what goes inside the tank, it's not worth risking a leaky tank.


I TOTALLY agree with this!

I've had an old, re-used tank leak... Ugh... and I dealt with the middle-of-the-night siphoning, and transferring of occupants to buckets, and the mess (ugh! its amazing just how large a puddle even 10 gallons can be, spread 1/4" deep) ....and.... WHEW! I've determined that if someone had walked up to me in the middle of that stressful chaotic scene and said "Hand me $70 and all this will have never happened" (cost of a new 30 gallon tank), I'd have done it in a heartbeat! And THAT is how I easily justify spending the $$ on a new tank these days.

So, unless you're willing to TEST your sealing job by filling the tank in a place which won't get ruined by leaking (like, in a garage or on a porch) and leaving it for about a week to make sure you've done a successful job... I'd advise against this.

If you were re-sealing an unusual tank, like the stainless steel Metaframe ones, for instance, for the "Look" of it, I could see the incentive, but other than that, there is no real reason NOT to just use a new tank.

I've read advice saying that after 10-15 years, the seal is not to be trusted, even in a good tank that's been in continuous use. Algae can get in small cracks between the silicone and the glass, and act like a small crowbar as they grow, prying the sealant away from the glass.

Its not worth the risk! Thanks for bringing that up, Tom! I was reluctant to even touch that subject - too many bad memories, LOL!
-Jane


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## Calcimoo (May 15, 2009)

Another reason to wait til Petco has their $1 a gallon sale days. 30 gallon tank = $30

Classifieds are great too. People buy their kid the whole setup and the kid totally screws up. That stuff costs alot of money and they sell it dirt cheap just to get it out of their sight. Or sometimes it's a adult that had some really awful luck, air stone clogged and blew the air line and drained their tank on the floor, back syphon, the first time they were away over night. Those tanks and all the stuff included go real cheap too. I got 2 of the most beautiful bowfronts with wooden stands that way. The one sells $650 new back east, I got it for $90, 48 gallon, stand has shelves on the outside like regular livingroom furniture. Not fish stuff shelves either. It was only 2 years old. 

Jane, you are a really nice lady. I had 2 tanks totally taken over by Murphy's Law one night. I walked into the livingroom about 2 a.m. and heard waterfalls running. A canister filter just out of nowhere and a powerhead for no reason I ever found both at the same time decided the livingroom needed watering. The waterfalls were power filters just about out of water to pump and the water falling way down. Murphy is a really mean little b4sturd. Two tanks at the same time, both fine when I went to bed. About 45 gallons of water I figure. Good thing Murphy likes fish, just hates livingroom rugs.


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## Jane in Upton (Aug 10, 2005)

Calcimoo said:


> Another reason to wait til Petco has their $1 a gallon sale days. 30 gallon tank = $30


*Heartbeat rising already*... OOooh, Oooh... WHEN does this happen, and how do I find out about it? *Pant*, *Pant*....... Should I sign up for their flyer or something?



> Classifieds are great too. People buy their kid the whole setup and the kid totally screws up. That stuff costs alot of money and they sell it dirt cheap just to get it out of their sight.


Oh absolutely! I've gotten some through Craigslist that way. Especially if its not too old, and they seem honest when saying it wasn't a leak problem, but a fishkeeper problem (poor fish!).

Sounds like you got a GORGEOUS setup... bravo!



> Murphy is a really mean little b4sturd.


LOL! I couldn't agree more! And why is it always in the MIDDLE of the night?????? Your "waterfall" sounds particularly exciting :doh: .

Here's to good sealants and dry floors :tea:
-Jane


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## Calcimoo (May 15, 2009)

Only *Sunday* mornings, you go to petco.com, click the get your local circular, just put in your zip.

I think the one time they have it every year is around Labor Day, a week before if I remember right. But prepared to be there when the doors open. They have it again like in February or somewhere's in there. Farmers, same sheet, different day, CRS major time. can't remember shat


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## Jane in Upton (Aug 10, 2005)

Be ready at the door, huh? *eyebrows raised*


I'm picturing the old Filene's Basement Wedding Dress sale... when it would make the local news to see hoards of young women, pressed up against the door and nearly trampling the poor sales clerk who unlocked it. The stampede was to get wedding dresses for rock bottom prices. More than one cat fight would usually break out as the women frantically pawed through the racks of designer wedding dresses. 

I hope the "dash to the aquarium tanks" is more civil, LOL! I'll keep my eye out for that sale!
-Jane


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## Calcimoo (May 15, 2009)

Hey, I bought tanks 2 different times on those sales, 45 gal, $45. 

I got there at 2 minutes after they opened, live a long ways too. A man even older than me got there same time. They only have a few tanks each size usually, sometimes only one. We eyed each other and dashed for the door. He beat me. He ran in around to the tanks and grabbed 2 smaller ones. Then we both laughed. Then we both realized the employees as usual had no idea what was in the circular and had to wait for them to go look. duh Meanwhile more people came in grabbing more tanks. If you want it, you get there, not like they have a warehouse of those things sitting out back. I got the euro 28 bf on half off sale, they only had 2 of them. It is a beautiful tank, came with the glass canopy and a really decent light fixture for $75. I was a happy camper. I have an end table, sturdy, square, bigger than the tank right at the end of the couch. Had run out of the barn after morning milking, changed and drove like a madwomen to get there, had to race back to do winter barn chores. You think I'd have that tank for $150!!!???? But like I just told you, don't be afraid to get beyotchy at lazy employees who would have bought that tank themselves if they had paid attention. Unless you live where there are all kinds of stores to buy tanks. The fish store guy charges double of what everyone else does. $36 for fluval carbon, $18 online There's a half inch dust on everything in his store, I think he sucked too much fish water.


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