How to Set Up a Walstad Method Tank - Dirted Tanks for Beginners
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- čas přidán 22. 07. 2024
- Hey All,
Today I wanted to walk you through how I set up Walstad Method tanks (also referred to as Dirted Tanks).
There are some key items to consider and some pitfalls to avoid.
Hope you find this helpful.
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#DirtedTank #WalstadMethod #BlakesAquatics
Also... do you have any guidance for after this point? How did you plant? And can you start off with a few plants and let them grow significantly before adding fish?
Absolutely you can. Planting advice would be to use planting tweezers and be careful not to move laterally too much when doing so. Good luck 👍
Blake's Aquatics Amazing. Thank you!
@@BlakesAquatics I lower the water level to below the planting level (I design my scapes with this in mind) and keep spraying the plants while planting the new ones. It's extremely important to not let them float to the surface in these tanks, so I usually weigh them down with a just large enough stone that matches the scape otherwise (I don't like covering the dirt with either sand or gravel, it just travels through with time as you stick more plants in and you need to keep adding and it reduces the volume available to soil, just yiesh). I'm also extra, so I leave the top of my dirt naked in one of my tanks (it's super lushly overgrown, albeit not with low plants), it's the weirdest challenge 😂 In my glass lotus vases I cover the dirt with filter balls
As soon as I heard you say: "You can get rid of this clown vomit." I knew I had to subscribe. That has got to be one of the best lines I've ever heard on CZcams.
I wish cheap tanks in the USA looked that good.
Right
I got a 10 gal tank at Petco for I think $10. I believe it was on sale.
I got a used 55 gallon for $30 on Facebook. No scratches, no issues.
I also got a 30 gal and a ten gal, plus two heaters, 3 light bars, three HOB filters, and two air pumps for $50.
I kept the 30 gal tank and sold everything else separately for about $280.
Fish keeping is a cheap hobby, if you are patient
Right wtf at K mart? Where am I at right now? Frfr
@@ZanesFacebook yeah I got my 25gal w a stand, equip. Light, filter, heaters, cleaning brushes and 7 fish for $200 thx 2 FB too !
The CLOWN VOMIT got me 😂😂
I've done this in a 30 gallon. Nearly 3 years on I'm still having to trim the plants, no water changes and water peramiters are spot on. 👍
how much dirt did you put?
@@imalemon1050 About 2 inches of organic compost topped with about an inch of fine dark gravel, also added some clay in the soil to provide extra iron and nutrients for the plants, about a fist full of plain cold drying natural clay from a craft shop spread about in small chunks.
@@gardian1701 im setting up my other dirted tank in a coulpe days im going to give the clay a shot. did you mix the clay with the dirt?
@@imalemon1050 I just spread it around in small chunks, from a fist full, the roots should find it, didn't want the water getting cloudy. Make sure it's natural cold drying moddeling clay though. Another thing I wish I'd done while setting up was to plant loads of capeting seeds about half cm under the fine gravel and grew them up in about a cm of water before adding fish. My tank is only 28 gallon so you might want to use a quantity to suit your tank.
@@gardian1701 i haven't tried a carpeting plant yet but ill take your tips into considerations whenever i do want to try it. Thank you so much!
Great video Blake, I have learned something new with this video mate, keep up the amazing work mate, would love to see more videos like this project.
Never pulled the trigger on a dirted tank, all seems like to much drama but this video may have convinced me its possible
It's far easier in the long run, cheaper and less faffing about with fertilizer and co2
@@gardian1701 So many times the natural way is best. In the long run , like you say , it`s actually easier and once established and balanced , there really is not much to do at all.
Great tip about the sand around the outside. I am aiming to set one of these up... First video I've seen with that little gem!! Thanks!
Good luck!
Love this Blake, your intro was hilarious 🤣🤣 I haven't done my big aquariums yet because of all I've had going on 🙏but I do have a dirted jar and a 5 gallon and they are doing amazing. My next project the 33 gallon lowboy is the one I can't wait to do and get it planted!
You did a great job explaining the process. This is something a lot of people are scared to do, but in the long run it's a key to having a successful planted tank that can last for years! Thanks for doing this video.. and I believe you are going to love the results! I hope you have an amazing day! 👍♥️🌱🐟🌿🙏
Thanks Mary, it is an intimidating process at first so I tried my best to clear up what works and doesnt
@@BlakesAquaticsyou did a great job and I hope this encourages so many more people to try it ❤️🙏🌿🐟🌱
Never done a dirted tank but might have to give it a go one day. Good vid
I find that the filter that comes with this kit is actually Quite good, I have this same tank running with the original filter that a buffer up and a small sponge filter.
Great info. Many issues to consider with this method.
Glad it was helpful!
Years ago I did a dirted tank capped with an inch of fine silica sand and it grew plants really well
Great video thanks for making it. Im struggling to find something similar in my bunnings. They have on the bag "may contain added fertilizers" would these be an issue as i can not find any that say 100% organic. Thanks
hey thanks for the help man, i just bought my first tank at petco today, 10 gallon rimless for 50% off
Niceeee! seems to a super cost effective option to set up a tonne of small planted tanks!
"clown vomit" HOLY S*** I SPAT UP MY DRINK hahahaha sub'd just for that
HI.. can you recommend how much lumen led light required for 50 gallon dirted tank setup?
Very helpful!
I have a spare tank I convinced my wife was a quarantine tank. Might have to accidentally drop some stuff in and do a tank like this 🤣
I live in a apartment complex and we have access to huge patches on dirt and grass cns I use that soil since this wasted is my first experimental purpose aquarium
An Aussie tank dude! Subbed straight away
Haha awesome cheers
What kinds of fish or aquatic animals would be good for this set up?
GOOD EXPLANATION VIDEO :)
THANK YOU FOR SHARING :)
THANK YOU FROM ISRAEL :)
I am doing a 29 gallon hex tank using just a bag of plain top soil and have Sandy Creeks Aquatic sand for my cap
I like to use black sandblasting sand from a local hardware store because it’s around $20 CDN for a 50 lb bag.Ive found it tends to be harder for the plants to take hold in initially.Can you recommend any solution for this?
I loathe the lighter colour of pool sand,and black aquarium sand is too expensive.
I’ll be setting up a 40 gallon breeder soon and would like to gather materials before I get the tank.
Thanks!✌️❤️
Thanks for the video, what is the hassle with play sands? I have got one from Bunnings, would like to know before I use it. Is it going to choke the plants roots?
Its just really fine so very dusty to clean, compacts down in the tank and creates more of a mess than other sands. Its fine if thats what you already have but if i were recommending one to buy it would be filter sand instead
"rainbow clown vomit gravel" LOL!!!!
Hey Blake, just found your channel. Now I have to binge watch..:) where did you buy your sand from and is the sand ok for Apisto's and larger Geo's? (sand sifters)
Hi Rachy, glad to hear it.
The sand is from Clark Rubber and is called unicorn sand.
I personally wouldn't risk sand sifters like geos, rams or apistos in a dirted tank because they might disturb the cap too much and flood the soil into the tank.
In a non dirted tank yeah I have geos and apistos in with this sand with no issues.
Cheers
@@BlakesAquatics Thank you
Keep in mind where you are going to be placing your plants in the aquarium.. you don't need to put soil in areas where they won't be, making sure you cover the dirt with a 2 inch layer of sand. This is required to keep most (if any!) Ammonia to a minimum inside the water column.
Some ammonia will escape past the sand - that's uncontrollable but the biggest reason to cover the dirt is to simply keep the dirt from floating around in the aquarium.
Well I messed up but what type of sand do you recommend for the top layer?
I use pool filter sand
Thinking of doing this as a quarantine tank for shrimp I ordered and ultimately as a shrimp haven for breeding. Let's see how it goes 😅
Good luck 👍
Great video Blake. Can we use normal beach sand instead of the pool filter sand?
Sure
I'd be rinsing beach sand pretty heavily before using it in a freshwater setup. You'll also want to remove as many shells as possible. Shells will increase the calcium (hardness) and alkalinity (pH) of the water over time.
The only thing im having trouble with is the type/brand of organic soil. Most im finding has per-lite in it which i havent seen in either kinds used. Ive been to multiple stores and had no luck. Where is this brand sold from?
this one is from bunnings, australia. perlite is fine but just be aware that it floats, so best to either sift it out or put a strong cap on. best of luck!
Hey I have a 90 gallon I used compost did I mess it up ???
compost i believe should be fine as long as there are definitely no chemicals or pesticides in the mix. The other consideration would be that compost is extremely rich, so you would only use a very small amount.
What type of sand can I use - assume I can’t just grab it off a beach? And where can I buy it from?
If its legal to do so you can collect from a beach or river, just be sure to rinse thoroughly.
Alternatively pool supply store sell sand fajrly cheaply meant for sand filters on pools. Thats what i use
Blake do you need nutrient for the plants most of mine float
some liquid fertiliser is always good for floating plants
Nice video. Bought my first tank last week and was able to set it up a few days ago. But, This video made me realize that I may be over my head. My tank has a few plants in the soil. The soil is covered with river rocks. I’m waiting for the nitrites to 0 out. But, I’m not sure how long it will take. I have a 20 gallon with no fish.
Time and patience . You won`t regret it in the long run. Good luck.
how did it go?
@@sproggi cool. my fish is still alive.
@@Allknowingkeith awesome 😁
Why sift out the wood and other organics?
Blake if I was doing a 6ft tank how thic should I go with the dirt and sand about the same?
2.5cm / 1 inch dirt, 5cm / 2in sand in a big tank 👌
@@BlakesAquatics thanks mate, tomorrows lockdown project. Next for now find one of your dry start methods
i have a 4ft dirted tank and the growth is amazing using cheap 2 led spotlights from ebay.. used osmocote organic + soil from bunnings sifted with pool filter sand... been my favourite tank to play with out of all of them
Osmocote and potting soils for aquarium is asking for blue green algae and hair algae. But..if it works for you..
@@StanTheObserver-lo8rx never had a drama or heard of anyone else having a drama..
@@Anonymous-aussie wow,100% success and nothing went wrong with the combo of bright lights,soils,ferts,fishes and filters?..whoa. Congrats. I never would have guess everybody has the knowledge to get it right everytime..or even part.
@@StanTheObserver-lo8rx guess ya gotta dive in and have a go rather than observe 👌😉
K mart, wow havent heard that name in a while lol 😆
Hi Blake, any updates on how this tank worked out? Im trying to decide if I'll do filterless as well as dirted...
Hey Richard, it is still running and has grown in very nicely. It will be in my full fishroom tour
@@BlakesAquatics thanks Blake! Good timing with your reply, I set up the tank yesterday, pretty much as per your video!
Oh, I heard you will be doing a interview thingy with Riko at some point - looking forward to it! You're quite popular over here in the US/Canada!
Oh thanks thats so nice to hear 😄 i think the US is my biggest % of subscribers at 30% or so 💪. Yeah Riko is a good guy how could I say no
@@BlakesAquatics if you think of it, casually drop in the phrase "scooter pootin'" when you're telling him a story -- chat will explode!
@@richardmaccarthy101 🤔 is this some kind of trap haha ill have to google
Hol up... a cheap rimless tank? Where can i get this in the US?
Sorry im not sure, these are from kmart Australia
hello thanks for the info, is there is an update on
the tank ?
Gday, the tank is still running and thriving with shrimp. You can see an update in my fishroom tour video pinned to the channel page
@@BlakesAquatics Thanks
Thank's..
Welcome
Any update videos of tank planted?
Ive since moved house and packed it up. Latest update would be in my fishroom tour czcams.com/video/huIGAig_9j4/video.html
Do you use anything to provide water movement? I plan on setting up a 7.5 gal tank and was wondering if i needed a powerhead or something to aerate/move water
I dont no but an air stone would be a good idea for some surface agitation
Should I change water more than once a week? I’m loosing shrimp but the whole thing is carpeted.
depending one which shrimp the problem might be changing too much water. shrimp generally prefer lots of smaller waterchanges spread out rather than one big one.
Yah, don't change too much water. Try doing a 5-10% water change every day instead of a large/medium each week. Key is stability in the parameters. Experiment to find something that works for you. I have a 60l shrimp tank and I change maybe 3 liters each day. Takes only a couple of minutes and it won't shock the shrimp. Be careful to match the temperature. At least fairly close. But when you do small water changes the parameters/temp won't change too much either way. My shrimp is breeding like crazy.
I know it's been a long time since you posted this lol but do you think this could work with a dwarf gourami?
Yes absolutely
Is silica sand okay?
Yep i believe so 👍
Do you need to bake the organic soil in the oven to kill any microrganism in the organic soil?
Yeah absolutely thats a great idea especially if collecting yourself
@@BlakesAquatics How about those organic potting soil that's bought from retail, do u need to bake the soil before putting it into the aquarium?
Can we still keep in fish in these setups? Or use a filter? Thanks.
Fish can be kept in these tanks but they need to be well established and stocked lightly
@@BlakesAquatics Wow! Didn’t expect an reply so quickly. Thanks!
How long before plants and fish can added?
Plants immediately fish 4 weeks
Do dirtied tanks mess with your water parameter at all?? I've been wanting to do one but afraid I'm gonna kill all my fish
The ph will be buffered slightly lower, depending on peat content in the soil, but as long as you have a good solid cap it should be steady and slow and most fish will easily adapt
Thanks wondered my self . I’m guessing don’t over do how much soil n to heavy fert’s
@@cheveburkinshaw860 100%
Thanks for the inspiration. I have made my own video. Please let me know what you think.
I absolutely love the rainbow 🌈 clown 🤡 vomit 🤮 comment. Mate you are freaking hilarious🤣. You got a cool 😎 personality man. I will be going back from the very beginning of however many posts you have made & watching everything you have put out because you inspire me to be fully engaged in this Hobby rather than running 🏃♂️ away from it due to your extremely helpful & extremely smart money💵💰saving advice.
Thank you 😁
can i use aquasoil as a cap instead?
Its a bit too porous in my opinion to properly cap it
@@BlakesAquatics ok, thanks!
what if my soil contain chicken dung? can i still use them?
It might contain high phosphates that could lead to algae
@@BlakesAquatics thanks for replying!
Terimakasih
Blake! What dirt did you use?
And where did you get it from?
@@gafam8500 hey mate just the cheapest organice potting mix from bunnings
I have 2 dirted tanks. They are doing great.
fantastıc
Thanks
Also- don't use garden dirt..even if its soft and seems like a good idea. Its not. What will happen is that soft part eventually leeches away with water changes and soon what you have under the gravel topping is clay..heavy and roots of most aquarium plants can't deal with. Sure,cattails outdoors love muck..but our aquarium plants are not heavy duty rooters.
The minimal potting soil is a good idea as it goes a long ways and eventually it makes kind of a soft substrate even if after a few weeks you are right back to dosing ferts and iron.
How is the tank going? 😊
Yeah going well mate ill have to do an update on it
Many dirted tank videos show wetting the potting soil first before capping it with sand. Is that really necessary? I noticed you put your soil in dry. 😲
I never do, it makes it all swollen
Thanks Blake. 👍
I also used dried soil & capped it with sand ....so just wondered if I did it wrong.
Hahah actually use this tank as a tank for my betta got my own filter and i its a planted tank too
I didn't see the black layer in your tank. Why?
Under the sand? I did that on purpose so I dont see it
@@BlakesAquatics did u put the soil under the sand? I couldn't see any black layer
@@ricwhk yes I did, i said in the video I put sand around the edge so that you dont see the soil though. Its everywhere except the edges
@@BlakesAquatics I see. Can you then put water ditectly from the tap with chlorine? No fish of course. Will the chlorine destroy nutrient in the soil?
@@ricwhk the chlorine wont destroy any nutrients it will just stop bacteria from growing
That’s a cool sweater are they for sale???
Hey mate yeah there should be a banner under the video screen linking to the site
@@BlakesAquatics nope didn’t come out on the banner only the shrimp 🦐 one came out
@Aquatic_Amigo i had a look and its not on the store anymore Ill have to get it back on there
I'm in the US and I'm quite upset that this is an inexpensive tank where you are 😭 ours are way less attractive looking here
Haha yeah grass is always greener on the other side 🤣 id trade them for $1 per gallon sales in a heartbeat
@@BlakesAquatics that's fair I just really wish we had kits so nice 😂
OH MY GOT YOU GOT A RIMLESS TANK IN A CHEAP SET WHERE DID YOU GET IT I NEED THIS PLEAS TELL😁😁😁
Hey Hunter, just from Kmart, though I am in australia
@@BlakesAquatics thanks. All the tanks here in U.S. have those big black rims and the rimless ones are expensive. You can take them off, but it’s really difficult and sometimes it breaks the glass, so I usually just leave them on
@@wave._.hunter yeah its an interesting one. We only have rimless tanks
nice work. came here because Bentley Pascoe flagged it.
When was this? Thanks 🙏
@@BlakesAquatics czcams.com/video/JSLq9aczEz8/video.html
@@WhiteCloud746 thank you
How the hell do your Walmart tanks look better than my Walmart tanks. Your's are probably cheaper in price too huh? 😓
kmart? did u say kmart?
Indeed
First
Rainbow cloud vomit 😂😂😂😂
Like 69!
lol
Clown vomit gravel🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
wow... underwhelming... dont know why youtube suggested this
So nice of you to say.. have a great day