Another Walstad Method bowl

nwilso20 · 03-12-2012, 01:04 AM

In December, I set out to set up an overgrowl jungle like shrimp bowl. I had it sitting on my desk at work for about 2 months, then brought it home so that I could redo the substrate.

Equipment:
-12 inch bowl from Michaels
-Desk lamp from target
-13w CFL 6500k bulb
-Bowl filter from my LFS

Plants:
-Duckweed
-Microsword
-Dwarf Sag
-Various types of Vallisneria (Or so I seem to remember purchasing them as different types)
-Essentially I was going for anything green and overgrown.

Substrate:
-Currently a layer of Organic Miracle Grow capped w/ some small gravel.

I tried potting soil capped w/ sand, but it didn't out well, then I went with just sand for the first 2 months the bowl was up. I got excellent growth for a few months, then everything started dying back, so I re-did the tank w/ the soil so that hopefully it can grow out a bit more full.

Fauna:
While in my office at work, I had a group of RCS, but after I brought it home and redid the substrate I temporarily put my RCS in a 10 gallon and moved a group of about 8 Ghost Shrimp over into this tank while it resettles. In addition there is a mystery snail inside helping keep things cleaned up.

-------------------------------------------------
I noticed I'm having a little algae pop up on the sides since the redo. I probably wont clean it off unless it keeps growing, I expect the other plans will overtake it shortly.

May 7th:

March:

December:

wicca27 · 03-12-2012, 05:04 AM

nice

AquaKai · 03-12-2012, 10:08 AM

Your bowl looks great! Like the little filter thing that you have in it! So cool

nwilso20 · 03-12-2012, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AquaKai

Your bowl looks great! Like the little filter thing that you have in it! So cool

Thanks! It really doesnt need the filter in it, but after I re-did the bowl, I stuck it in there because it was in a cycled tank, wanted to make sure the bowl kept going strong.

I also found some pictures from when the bowl was first set up:

**FisheriesOmen** · 03-12-2012, 03:46 PM

Looking great! Looks a lot like Newman's good work.

pedropete · 03-12-2012, 04:52 PM

great bowl! it's inspiring me...

**acitydweller** · 03-12-2012, 11:18 PM

nice work. what kinda of filter is that? i didnt knwo they had canisters so small. nice

nwilso20 · 03-13-2012, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acitydweller

nice work. what kinda of filter is that? i didnt knwo they had canisters so small. nice

Its just a small internal filter:
http://www.aquariumconnection.com/detail.php?ID=36947

nwilso20 · 05-07-2012, 01:48 PM

Here are some photo updates:

The light isn't nearly that bright, but my cellphone takes exceptionally cruddy pictures.

The bowl continues to fill in nicely. For the last month I've basically ignored it completely, only doing water top offs. I've though about trimming it all down fairly low so that it might grow back a bit more dense but for now Im content to just let it be while I work on other projects.

Newman · 05-07-2012, 11:51 PM

do not trim that low. just enough to keep the plants from growing out of the water and drying out. trimming low can risk taking out the meristems in which case your plants will stunt severely. learned that lesson with vals. its an issue with all grassy plants. looks great btw! needs some colorful shrimp

nwilso20 · 05-08-2012, 12:55 AM

Thanks Newman! Your bowl was definitely a large inspiration for me.

Definitely agree about needed some colorful shrimp. When I moved it from my office back home (also when I went from just sand to capped potting soil) I pulled the red cherries out and put some ghost shrimp in. I'll likely try to add some more very soon!

But I snagged up these two rimless 12 gallon tanks that may take up some of my time!:

I think one will be freshwater, and I may do a reef tank in the other.

**xenxes** · 05-08-2012, 02:31 AM

Wow, where did you get those 12gs? Look nice!

Chrisinator · 05-08-2012, 02:46 AM

Awesome rimless tanks!

**FisheriesOmen** · 05-08-2012, 02:58 AM

. . . <-----Jealousy

nwilso20 · 05-08-2012, 01:21 PM

A friend who works at my LFS had them custom made from a tank manufacturer in Florida and he was going to use them both as reef tanks, but then decided to set up a 200g reef...

So I got them for $20 each. They seem very well constructed, seals are very nice, overall very nice.

Now I just need a plan for them.

03-12-2012, 01:04 AM	#1
nwilso20 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 21	Another Walstad Method bowl In December, I set out to set up an overgrowl jungle like shrimp bowl. I had it sitting on my desk at work for about 2 months, then brought it home so that I could redo the substrate. Equipment: -12 inch bowl from Michaels -Desk lamp from target -13w CFL 6500k bulb -Bowl filter from my LFS Plants: -Duckweed -Microsword -Dwarf Sag -Various types of Vallisneria (Or so I seem to remember purchasing them as different types) -Essentially I was going for anything green and overgrown. Substrate: -Currently a layer of Organic Miracle Grow capped w/ some small gravel. I tried potting soil capped w/ sand, but it didn't out well, then I went with just sand for the first 2 months the bowl was up. I got excellent growth for a few months, then everything started dying back, so I re-did the tank w/ the soil so that hopefully it can grow out a bit more full. Fauna: While in my office at work, I had a group of RCS, but after I brought it home and redid the substrate I temporarily put my RCS in a 10 gallon and moved a group of about 8 Ghost Shrimp over into this tank while it resettles. In addition there is a mystery snail inside helping keep things cleaned up. ------------------------------------------------- I noticed I'm having a little algae pop up on the sides since the redo. I probably wont clean it off unless it keeps growing, I expect the other plans will overtake it shortly. May 7th: March: December: Last edited by nwilso20; 05-07-2012 at 10:31 PM..

03-12-2012, 10:08 AM	#3
AquaKai Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ohio, USA Posts: 105	Your bowl looks great! Like the little filter thing that you have in it! So cool __________________ "Believe you can, and you're half way there." ~Theodore Roosevelt

03-12-2012, 03:46 PM	#5
FisheriesOmen Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8/100%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: AppleValley, MN Posts: 820	Looking great! Looks a lot like Newman's good work. __________________ The Fraternity of Dirt #97Just because its dirt doesn't make it low tech Salty & Sassy~~~ #000

05-07-2012, 11:51 PM	#10
Newman Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (17/100%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: North NJ Posts: 2,156	do not trim that low. just enough to keep the plants from growing out of the water and drying out. trimming low can risk taking out the meristems in which case your plants will stunt severely. learned that lesson with vals. its an issue with all grassy plants. looks great btw! needs some colorful shrimp __________________ http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pl...rimp-bowl.html

05-08-2012, 02:31 AM	#12
xenxes Gotta Catch 'Em All (View User Tanks) PTrader: (37/100%) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,663	Wow, where did you get those 12gs? Look nice! __________________ A: [2g x2] [5g] [5g-S] [6g] [9g] [20g] [24g] \| T: [Balcony] [Nano Wabikusa] \| Shrimp Blog

03-12-2012, 05:04 AM	#2
wicca27 Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: May 2009 Location: Fort Knox Posts: 2,668	nice

03-12-2012, 04:52 PM	#6
pedropete Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 71	great bowl! it's inspiring me...

03-12-2012, 11:18 PM	#7
acitydweller ओं मणिपद्मे हूं (View User Tanks) PTrader: (121/100%) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: New York, NY Posts: 6,011	nice work. what kinda of filter is that? i didnt knwo they had canisters so small. nice

05-07-2012, 01:48 PM	#9
nwilso20 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 21	Here are some photo updates: The light isn't nearly that bright, but my cellphone takes exceptionally cruddy pictures. The bowl continues to fill in nicely. For the last month I've basically ignored it completely, only doing water top offs. I've though about trimming it all down fairly low so that it might grow back a bit more dense but for now Im content to just let it be while I work on other projects.

05-08-2012, 12:55 AM	#11
nwilso20 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 21	Thanks Newman! Your bowl was definitely a large inspiration for me. Definitely agree about needed some colorful shrimp. When I moved it from my office back home (also when I went from just sand to capped potting soil) I pulled the red cherries out and put some ghost shrimp in. I'll likely try to add some more very soon! But I snagged up these two rimless 12 gallon tanks that may take up some of my time!: I think one will be freshwater, and I may do a reef tank in the other.

05-08-2012, 02:46 AM	#13
Chrisinator Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (24/100%) Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NJ Posts: 1,788	Awesome rimless tanks!

05-08-2012, 02:58 AM	#14
FisheriesOmen Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8/100%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: AppleValley, MN Posts: 820	. . . <-----Jealousy __________________ The Fraternity of Dirt #97Just because its dirt doesn't make it low tech Salty & Sassy~~~ #000

05-08-2012, 01:21 PM	#15
nwilso20 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 21	A friend who works at my LFS had them custom made from a tank manufacturer in Florida and he was going to use them both as reef tanks, but then decided to set up a 200g reef... So I got them for $20 each. They seem very well constructed, seals are very nice, overall very nice. Now I just need a plan for them.

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