30g "el natural"

vanadium · 11-04-2012, 05:56 PM

Hello, i'm introducing my 30 gallons. I started this tank July, 1st. It's a low tech tank based on Walstad method. I'm from France !

Tank :
Capacity : 30 gallons
Size : 100 x 30 x 40cm

Soil :
1 inch organic potting soil (ph 6.5, 60% organic, without any ferts)
1 inch JBL Manado

Light :
2x Ikea Tertial with 23w Philips Tornado 865 CFL. I used afternoon siesta as recommended by Diana to keep consistent CO2 level.
On: 9am - 1:30pm
Off: 1:30pm - 5:30pm
On: 5:30pm - 10:00pm

Filtration:
Dennerle Nano Eck internal Filter for water movement. No filter media. Was previously an Eheim 2076 Pro 3e. (overkill, and wanted to try without it)

Ferts:
None

CO2:
None

Heater:
Rena 100w, 21°C.

Aquascape:
African Wood

Plants:
Anubia Barteri
Anubia Nana
Anubia Nana Petite
Pogostemon Helferi
Cryptocoryne Wendtii
Vallisneria Tiger
Vallisneria Gigantea
Microsorum Pteropus
Microsorum Pteropus Narrow
Ceratophyllum Demersum
various floating plants

Tank mates:
5 male guppys born in my last tank
about 70 red cherry shrimps
various snails

Tank maintenance is very simple : occasional trimming, feeding, water top off. No Ferts, No CO2, no water change, no gravel cleaning.

I first had a 20 gallons high tech tank. But i got tired of the needed maintenance, tank was unstable, regularly plagued by algae without any reason. It could not run without CO2 and regular water change were needed to keep algae into check.

I discovered then Diana Walstad's book by reading some topics here and decided to give it a try after we moved. So far, i'm extremely happy with the tank ! It's so stable, i can really enjoy watching my tank as a peaceful slice of nature.

Repteel · 11-04-2012, 06:20 PM

I like it!

tinkerpuppet · 11-06-2012, 02:49 AM

I love it! Very peaceful!

vanadium · 11-06-2012, 05:49 PM

Thanks

This tank is very healthy from the beginning. I must say thank you to Diana Walstad, i followed her book "Ecology for a planted tank" to design this one.

iadubber · 11-06-2012, 05:50 PM

Looks wonderful!

andrewss · 11-06-2012, 07:58 PM

good job

vanadium · 11-06-2012, 08:03 PM

I recently removed my canister filter. I was using an Eheim Pro 3e 2076 with 6kgs of filter media. I now use a simple internal Dennerle Eck Filter. As explained by Diana Walstad, filters are competing with plants for ammonia.

No nitrites spike seen, the internal filter is running with some filter media of the canister filter. But, i must admit, there are only 5 fishes and about 100 shrimps in that tank.

11-04-2012, 05:56 PM	#1
vanadium Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: France Posts: 13	30g "el natural" Hello, i'm introducing my 30 gallons. I started this tank July, 1st. It's a low tech tank based on Walstad method. I'm from France ! Tank : Capacity : 30 gallons Size : 100 x 30 x 40cm Soil : 1 inch organic potting soil (ph 6.5, 60% organic, without any ferts) 1 inch JBL Manado Light : 2x Ikea Tertial with 23w Philips Tornado 865 CFL. I used afternoon siesta as recommended by Diana to keep consistent CO2 level. On: 9am - 1:30pm Off: 1:30pm - 5:30pm On: 5:30pm - 10:00pm Filtration: Dennerle Nano Eck internal Filter for water movement. No filter media. Was previously an Eheim 2076 Pro 3e. (overkill, and wanted to try without it) Ferts: None CO2: None Heater: Rena 100w, 21°C. Aquascape: African Wood Plants: Anubia Barteri Anubia Nana Anubia Nana Petite Pogostemon Helferi Cryptocoryne Wendtii Vallisneria Tiger Vallisneria Gigantea Microsorum Pteropus Microsorum Pteropus Narrow Ceratophyllum Demersum various floating plants Tank mates: 5 male guppys born in my last tank about 70 red cherry shrimps various snails Tank maintenance is very simple : occasional trimming, feeding, water top off. No Ferts, No CO2, no water change, no gravel cleaning. I first had a 20 gallons high tech tank. But i got tired of the needed maintenance, tank was unstable, regularly plagued by algae without any reason. It could not run without CO2 and regular water change were needed to keep algae into check. I discovered then Diana Walstad's book by reading some topics here and decided to give it a try after we moved. So far, i'm extremely happy with the tank ! It's so stable, i can really enjoy watching my tank as a peaceful slice of nature.

11-06-2012, 02:49 AM	#3
tinkerpuppet Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Calgary. AB, Canada Posts: 325	I love it! Very peaceful! __________________ Tinkerpuppets 10gal Do-over Tinkerpuppets low tech 29g

11-06-2012, 07:58 PM	#6
andrewss Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: ohio Posts: 381	good job __________________ 5 gallon nano journal: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=194294 2 gallon nano journal: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=194519

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11-04-2012, 06:20 PM	#2
Repteel Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 40	I like it!

11-06-2012, 05:49 PM	#4
vanadium Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: France Posts: 13	Thanks This tank is very healthy from the beginning. I must say thank you to Diana Walstad, i followed her book "Ecology for a planted tank" to design this one.

11-06-2012, 05:50 PM	#5
iadubber Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Dbq, IA Posts: 66	Looks wonderful!

11-06-2012, 08:03 PM	#7
vanadium Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: France Posts: 13	I recently removed my canister filter. I was using an Eheim Pro 3e 2076 with 6kgs of filter media. I now use a simple internal Dennerle Eck Filter. As explained by Diana Walstad, filters are competing with plants for ammonia. No nitrites spike seen, the internal filter is running with some filter media of the canister filter. But, i must admit, there are only 5 fishes and about 100 shrimps in that tank.