Walstad Setup Aquarium.... Pros and Cons? Experience/ Opinions

[captmicha]

I didn't read the whole thread but here's what I've learned:
Pros:
Fantastic root growth
CO2 is produced
No gravel vacuuming
You can get away with less filtration (I would never use no filtration unless the tank was incredibly understocked)
Not quite but almost self sustaining in terms of some nutrients, etc.
Cheaper than other substrates

Cons:
You have to wait for the tank to "cure" and algae blooms to die down, nitrates and ammonia to go down, etc.
Water changes can be messy even if you're careful and use a plate to dampen the water flow.
Hard to move around plants since they grow so compactly into place (this may be another con since plants shouldn't get root bound)
Gas pockets
Fish who burrow either can't burrow into dense roots or can make a mess by kicking up dirt into the water column
CEC can't be that great (or can it??)

Um, I can't think of anything else right now. Too tired.

If you do do the dirt method, please create a journal, I'd love to see how it goes. Hopefully soon, I'd like to set up a shrimp tank this way.

 

[Optimus]

Cons:
You have to wait for the tank to "cure" and algae blooms to die down, nitrates and ammonia to go down, etc.
Water changes can be messy even if you're careful and use a plate to dampen the water flow.
Hard to move around plants since they grow so compactly into place (this may be another con since plants shouldn't get root bound)
Gas pockets
Fish who burrow either can't burrow into dense roots or can make a mess by kicking up dirt into the water column
CEC can't be that great (or can it??)

If I may...

Algae blooms as a direct result of dirting is something I've never heard of so please elaborate. The plants grow to fast to allow even the faintest measure of nitrate to remain (i use api and nutrafin kits) I recommend using your filter to keep algae at oppm in every aquarium regardless of the setup.
Water changes are less messier and less time consuming since you no longer need to disturb the substrate. The 1.5 - 2" of dirt is capped with 2 inches of gravel protecting the dirt from being disturbed during the wc.
Strong root growth punctures any gas pockets that may occur making compaction a non issue.
cec is outstanding. The nutrient retention is boosted by the bacs in the soil which break down fish waste, mulm, shrimp skins etc and store that as nutrients for the plants as and when they need them.

op

 

[RisiganL.]

I hope* to start up a walstad journal very soon. I now have all the components but none of the living things. I got the tank second hand and it is pretty messy, so I'm gonna use this weekend to clean it up. Now I have to decide what I am going to put in it! Throw in some ideas on my thread plz!!!

 

[jetajockey]

I didn't read the whole thread but here's what I've learned:

Well why not?

 

[captmicha]

Algae blooms as a direct result of dirting is something I've never heard of so please elaborate.

Phosphates from organics breaking down?

Well why not?

Too tired and attention span too short.

 

[jetajockey]

Too tired and attention span too short.

Too tired to read the thread but not too tired to give advice?

 

[captmicha]

It's a selective tiredness. :/

 

[silentcircuit]

Subtitle is "le tired."

I rest my case. Since... it needs rest.

 

[Optimus]

Phosphates from organics breaking down?

I'm still unsure how phosphates cause an algae bloom from dirting?

Organic break down will occur whenever you have fish but again, I don't get how you directly linked that to a con of dirting. My phosphates straight from the tap are the highest on the chart, my silicates are also extremely high but high P04 and or silicates alone don't cause algae, they need to be combined with at least one other imbalance. For instance: po4+nitrates=blue green algae. I realize you didn't read through the thread before responding but if you could clarify your thinking or point out the science here I'd greatly appreciate it.

My friend finished his cycle recently and I may be helping him set up his dirted tank so if I've missed something I'm eager to learn more about it.

 

[captmicha]

I don't know, but in a lot of reading, I've seen that phosphates are responsible for algal blooms. I thought phosphates were a by-product from the ammonia produced by breaking down of organics, such as what's found in dirt. I'm probably wrong...