Would the Walstad Method Be Possible With My Desired Aquarium?

[Shiba]

Hi there,

I'm a fresh member and this is my first post so, hi! I am not new nor an expert in fishkeeping. I'm what you can call an experienced beginner! I've kept fish since a very young age, but I haven't learned as much as I wanted to.

Now, about my current predicament.

I am completely redoing my 20-gallon aquarium due to a number of reasons. For one all the fish had died and also there was a fungus (or what I believe to be a fungus) that really made me decide once and for all to start over.

I now have a completely bare, empty 20-gallon high. I am thinking of what aquascape I could do and what livestock I could have in it. I am currently wanting some Black Skirt Tetras, some cherry shrimp (or any other shrimp) and/or small cory catfish, but I may change my mind and I may just try to get a smaller bioload.

I am thinking of using the Walstad Method. I am really liking the idea of a low-maintenance and balanced aquarium and am currently wondering about it. I am, of course, not saying I am going to do such a method if I decide later that it is not for me, but I am considering the possibility.

I know that the Walstad Method usually works with a small bioload. With a 20-gallon aquarium, exactly how small is a small bioload? Could I house a 6-7 Black Skirt Tetras in the aquarium (with perhaps shrimp or cory catfish) and have it work? Is there any possibility that it could happen and if so, how would I go about adding the fish? If the bioload is too big, what could I add? I hope this topic isn't too big. If so, I dearly apologize.

I have quite a few questions and if it is okay, I will post them here.

Thank you for your time.

[doktor zhivago]

Black skirt tetras get pretty big so I don't think you could keep them in a 20 gallon walstad. I don't recommend walstad or father fish tanks on here and I feel like I'm always ragging on them but they're very difficult to pull off and I think the promise of low maintenance sort of disguises how hard they are to get balanced. You can just create a regular planted community tank with all your tetras and cories and shrimps (tho once the black skirts start getting big after a year or two there may not be many shrimps). And it will be very enjoyable and easy to take care of.

[Tony s]

On 7/1/2024 at 9:27 PM, Sparky said:

I am thinking of using the Walstad Method. I am really liking the idea of a low-maintenance and balanced aquarium and am currently wondering about it. I am, of course, not saying I am going to do such a method if I decide later that it is not for me, but I am considering the possibility.

Could you try it. Quite possibly. Would I recommend it. Depends on how you are at maintaining a very planted aquarium. And following a specific regimen. And how interested you are in having a small number of small fish in your tank. Both father fish and the Walstad method depend on both things. With relatively strict guidelines. For me, I keep plants in to help me raise more fish. So I find both methods not as interesting.

[Shiba]

On 7/2/2024 at 4:27 AM, doktor zhivago said:

Black skirt tetras get pretty big so I don't think you could keep them in a 20 gallon walstad. 

Fair. I wondered if it would be a lot, but I recall someone else saying that it could be done the Walstad Method with a bigger bioload, but could just be something else going on.

On 7/2/2024 at 4:27 AM, doktor zhivago said:

You can just create a regular planted community tank with all your tetras and cories and shrimps (tho once the black skirts start getting big after a year or two there may not be many shrimps). And it will be very enjoyable and easy to take care of.

Okay. So, what substrate would you recommend for a normal aquarium? I tried Fluval Stratum and I've really decided not to do that again lol. It was just a mess and really caused the pH to go way down which made a lot of confusion regarding cycling and other things. I could do normal gravel, but I want to avoid constant CO2 injections. Perhaps I can try to find a better way than just buying it in the store?

On 7/2/2024 at 5:56 AM, Tony s said:

Depends on how you are at maintaining a very planted aquarium. 

Well, I can't really say how well I am at doing that. I've done it but certainly not like a pro so perhaps it's not the preferred method.

On 7/2/2024 at 5:56 AM, Tony s said:

Both father fish and the Walstad method depend on both things.

You also indirectly answered another question, lol. I also thought about the Father Fish Method, but it is pretty similar to the Walstad Method so that makes sense.

 

[Shiba]

Have either of you tried the method? If so, how was it? What did you do and exactly how difficult was it to pull off? Thanks.

[doktor zhivago]

On 7/2/2024 at 9:27 AM, Sparky said:

Okay. So, what substrate would you recommend for a normal aquarium? I tried Fluval Stratum and I've really decided not to do that again lol. It was just a mess and really caused the pH to go way down which made a lot of confusion regarding cycling and other things. I could do normal gravel, but I want to avoid constant CO2 injections. Perhaps I can try to find a better way than just buying it in the store?

I just use gravel. and I've never really messed with CO2. Pearl weed, hornwort, swords, java moss, dwarf lillies, even valisneria. They grow just fine in gravel. i add dead leaves and cones for the shrimps and snails and all the tiny micro creatures that live in-between the gravel bits and they break everything down into a nice mulm, i rarely even use root tabs anymore. I think if you had trouble with fluval stratum you will find the same problems with a dirted tank. 

Downsides: I'll never have a real carpet effect because of the gravel and it took about 6 months for the plants to really get enough fish poop to take off. It will never look as good as a properly done walstad tank or a really fancy aquascape. It just doesn't look that nice compared to some of the other substrates, especially more active soils that you could plant crypts or stem plants in.

Upsides: I just do water changes maybe twice a month and give everything a trim if it starts blocking too much light. Don't even bother to gravel vac, it would even be counter productive for the most part.


I have not personally attempted the father fish/walstad style tank but you can search the vast number of posts on this and other forums of people struggling to control their algae, nutrients, and ammonia levels in dirted tanks. The people I have seen on here, and in real life aquarium club settings, who succeed with dirted tanks tend to be very experienced aquarists.

Here's my platy tank. The other tank I have going currently is sand and Java ferns so it's not much to look at just yet.

[Tony s]

On 7/2/2024 at 9:37 AM, Sparky said:

Have either of you tried the method? If so, how was it? What did you do and exactly how difficult was it to pull off

I have thought about it. but I'd rather be a bit heavy on the livestock and a bit light on the plants. And I find the maintenance a bit soothing after work. As for substrate, I usually just use plain gravel although I've just started up a sand substrate tank. I think I might be closer to a no plant Severum or flowerhorn tank than I am to a Walstad tank. I am very intrigued by the big fish at this point.

[Pepere]

I initially was intrigued by the Walsted method.  Got the book. Got the Miracle Grow Organic Potting soil and ran it through a screen.   Found I discarded half the bag at least that didnt go through the screen…

 

the no water change thing initially appealed to me, but I have since abandoned it.  I do 50% water changes weekly now and much prefer my results now….

 

I have 2 tanks with inert gravel, and 2 tanks with Safe T Sorb in mesh bags to give height where I want it and capped with 2 inches BDBS (Black Diamond Blasting Sand) and ugf (under gravel filter plates driven by air) and I dont use root tabs.  Just water column fertilizer. 3 tanks have CO2 injection, and 1 does not.  The co2 tanks grow much, much quicker, but, easy low light plants in the non co2 are growing well and are free of visible algae.

The whole no fertilizer, no water change aspect does not appeal to me in the least.  Idont much care for the aesthetics of it…

You can easily grow lush thriving plants in inert substrate without root tabs.  Aquasoils and special substrates strike me as more bother and expense  than they are worth.  Of course other people hold different opinions….  
 

I do of course recognize that some more difficult plants do require aquasoils to do their best, but I dont grow those plants…

I would suggest that if the appeal of the Walstead is not having to do waterchanges or add fertilizers, you might well be happier with a simple all in one fert and investing equipment to make water changes easier…. In my experience weekly 50% water changes is minimal work and makes plant growing and Algae avoidance oh so much easier…

[Shiba]

On 7/2/2024 at 11:40 AM, Pepere said:

I would suggest that if the appeal of the Walstead is not having to do waterchanges or add fertilizers, you might well be happier with a simple all in one fert and investing equipment to make water changes easier…. In my experience weekly 50% water changes is minimal work and makes plant growing and Algae avoidance oh so much easier…

The water changes was part of it, but I also wanted a balanced aquarium, however, I will consider other methods as well.

Thank you for your time.

[Pepere]

On 7/2/2024 at 1:10 PM, Sparky said:

but I also wanted a balanced aquarium

My experience of trying to “balance” an aquarium without waterchanges was incredibly frustrating.  I was constantly dealing with algae outbreaks and sickly spindly plants, and dingy tinged water.   Algae consuming livestock was not terribly efficacious either, however I hear plenty of people claim success with these methods.

 

I spent the better part of 9 months seeking the holy grail of balance before opting for reset instead of balance. Removing water not only removes nitrates, it removes other metabolic waste products.  Not only animal waste products, but plant metabolic waste products that algae loves to munch on.
 

https://scapecrunch.com/threads/dissolved-organic-compounds.1301/

  I honestly find weekly waterchanges so much less work than what I was messing with before trying to “find balance”.   Without question I am much happier with my results and efforts expended to get them now compared to before…

Edited July 2 by Pepere

[Streetwise]

There is no official Walstad method. It is a fan interpretation of her book, which I love. I have saved a capture of a nice bit of the text.

Not everyone who talks about it is on the same page.

I get away with almost no water changes because I have way more plant mass than fish mass, and I am lazy about tank maintenance.

My biggest concern with organic soil tanks (my preferred term for this style), is the work required to move tanks.

[Shiba]

Oh I know that he is not in agreement with her method. However, I was stating the same general concept was, but I don't know too much to say a lot.

[Streetwise]

I have made all the mistakes: Too much soil, a suffocating sand layer, too much gravel. I grew up in the woods and thought about soil a certain way. However, tanks have a hard layer of glass that is not present in nature. I learned to keep wet houseplants to improve my aquarium balancing act.

[Shiba]

Hi there,

So I used AqAdvisor to look at my stocking for a 20-gallon tank. Instead of Black Skirts, I tried putting in Cherry Barbs instead.

I put in

3 otocinclus (I understand it's a small amount but people say you can get away with that little)

6 Cherry Barbs

2 Mystery Snails

It says that my filtration is not enough (I put in TopFin 20 which is what I currently have). I assume that it calculates it with no plants? I planned on putting in as many plants as I could that still look appealing to the eye, so wouldn't that change things?

Thank you.

[Tony s]

A couple of things. First aqadvisor calculates on bare bones. Not possible to do it with various plant loads. I’d be careful with the otos in a newer tank. They like to eat the same things as the snails. The softer surface algae. Both brown and green, as well as the clear biofilm. You can supplement them with canned green beans. Or zucchini or cucumber coins that have been softened in the microwave. Then just stick them with a clean fork and drop in the tank. You may be able to convert them to algae wafers, but it may take some time. 
 

Most otos are wild caught, so when you buy them make sure they have a bit of a pudgy belly. An oto with a shrunken belly is off feed and may not last long. And it’s hard to get them caught up at that point. 
 

and if I may, 1 honey gourami would look great with cherry barbs

[Shiba]

On 7/4/2024 at 10:49 AM, Tony s said:

A couple of things. First aqadvisor calculates on bare bones.

I figured it would be the case. Would you say it would be fine with plenty of plants?

On 7/4/2024 at 10:49 AM, Tony s said:

I’d be careful with the otos in a newer tank. They like to eat the same things as the snails.

I figure they would. I just wanted a lot of clean-up crew in-case of an algae overload (I have algae PTSD lol).

On 7/4/2024 at 10:49 AM, Tony s said:

You may be able to convert them to algae wafers, but it may take some time. 

 I did hear that they are picky, so I will keep that in mind if I do decide to keep them. I may get some small cory catfish, they always look nice

On 7/4/2024 at 10:49 AM, Tony s said:

Most otos are wild caught, so when you buy them make sure they have a bit of a pudgy belly. An oto with a shrunken belly is off feed and may not last long.  And it’s hard to get them caught up at that point. 

I did hear about that. Thank you for the reminder.

On 7/4/2024 at 10:49 AM, Tony s said:

and if I may, 1 honey gourami would look great with cherry barbs

I will have to look into that. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Tony s]

On 7/4/2024 at 12:02 PM, Sparky said:

Would you say it would be fine with plenty of plants

Plenty of plants is always great. Keeps down the nitrates and the algae. If you can keep them thriving, it makes everything easier. Unfortunately, that’s not my strong suit. Much better with terrestrial plants. 
 

and corys are awesome. So always do corys. 🤣  5 or 6 pandas would be good. 

Edited July 4 by Tony s

[Shiba]

On 7/4/2024 at 11:09 AM, Tony s said:

and corys are awesome. So always do corys. 🤣  5 or 6 pandas would be good. 

Panda Cories are pretty cool. I just thought of otos because they seem so adorable and just fun to watch, but cories can be just the same. I think they would enjoy exploring the bottom of the tank.

I'm working on what I would need as far as plants. I know you said you don't do a lot of plants, but if you've done any, what seems to work for you? My light is medium. Not fancy at all, but seems pretty bright for it being as cheap as it is. I'm beginning to work on a list of plants that I would use. I am certainly thinking of some that I could put on driftwood. I like the look of that. Maybe Anubias Petite and some others if I can find it.

Edited July 4 by Sparky

[Tony s]

Anubias is great on driftwood, as well as java fern. Both come in several different forms, big and small. And are low light glue ons. Small varieties of crypts should work. Water wisteria or hornwort for floating. With medium light you can try amazon swords. And some of the bigger crypts

 

Edited July 4 by Tony s

[Shiba]

Yeah.

I don't want to have anything too hard to care for, but I want a nice variety of plants that would go well. I am going back and forth with a carpeting plant like Dwarf Hairgrass. Apparently, it requires a low kH so I'm not sure if it would go too well. I am going loosely on an aquascape that MD Fish Tanks made. I just really like it.

 

[Tony s]

On 7/4/2024 at 12:16 PM, Sparky said:

I know you said you don't do a lot of plants

I have hornwort floating in almost everything. Except my angel tank. Then have dwarf sagittaria, red and green crypts. Tiger lotus, and a few swords. I can grow them, I just can’t get them to look as good as other people’s. 😟

I’ll have to watch that video. It looks interesting 

[Shiba]

On 7/4/2024 at 11:30 AM, Tony s said:

I can grow them, I just can’t get them to look as good as other people’s. 😟

Fair enough.

What are your thoughts about having a docile female betta? I know males are aggressive, but females tend to be less. Would the Cherry Barbs cause any problems?

[Tony s]

On 7/4/2024 at 12:53 PM, Shiba said:

What are your thoughts about having a docile female betta? I know males are aggressive, but females tend to be less

Should be no problem. And even a male is fine in most situations. They are mostly aggressive against other bettas. I have kept 6 males in 6 different community tanks before with no problems. I’m down to 3 currently. One in a platy tank. One in a completely mixed tank. One in a tank with harlequin rasboras. 

And for docile females. Depends on the female. I’ve had them be aggressive as well. All depends on the fish. 

[Shiba]

On 7/4/2024 at 4:42 PM, Tony s said:

Should be no problem. And even a male is fine in most situations. They are mostly aggressive against other bettas. I have kept 6 males in 6 different community tanks before with no problems. I’m down to 3 currently. One in a platy tank. One in a completely mixed tank. One in a tank with harlequin rasboras. 

And for docile females. Depends on the female. I’ve had them be aggressive as well. All depends on the fish. 

Thanks!

I was looking it up on the internet in articles and other forums and I saw so much conflicting advice.

One person said their female did fine with their cherry barbs. Others quite literally said there was not a single barb in existence that would ever work with a betta? I mean come on now lol. 

[Shiba]

I will say I changed my username if it seems confusing (I just found one that wasn't used).

It seemed the main concern was the cherry barbs. They say that they were fin nippers and would nip the fins of a male which is why I am considering a female. Perhaps I could find another schooler. Who knows.