Editing Talk:Walstad method

Don't try this unless you are a very experienced fish keeper (5 yrs or more)
It's only my opinion but its very hard!
[[User:Adam2307|Adam2307]] 12:47, 15 May 2008 (CDT)

"potting soil (or "top soil")" - potting soil =/= top soil.  Potting soil is usually a peaty mix with some vermiculite or perlite, perhaps with some (nitrogen heavy) fertilizer.  Top soil = loam, mineral fines plus organic material. [[User:Huw Powell|Huw Powell]] 21:30, 15 February 2011 (EST)

This whole thing reads as loony to me, but that's just me.  In places it says no water changes required to provide trace elements for fish (huh?) in others, it refers to water changes.  I suspect some more of a "review of idea" tone might be useful here - as Adam said above. [[User:Huw Powell|Huw Powell]] 21:35, 15 February 2011 (EST)
::No one has answered the "potting soil vs. top soil" question.  Which is it? [[User:Huw Powell|Huw Powell]] 22:43, 27 February 2011 (EST)
:::A quick peruse over the links show the same nomenclature issue. You are correct in that potting soil with vermiculite or fertlizer should NOT but used. I think it would be best to recommend only top soil with a low amount of organics (wood chips etc.). --[[User:PsiPro|Brian]] 08:47, 28 February 2011 (EST)
== Not hard ==

Can't imagine why he thinks it's hard.
I've been making up Walstad tanks for years now and the difference it makes is incredible and so easy to set up.
I set up a 500L tank for a mate in an afternoon and had fish in it that same evening.

In an ideal Walstad you don't need to do water changes for a very long time. Typically 6 months. This is because there is no build up of toxins that you get with a traditional aquarium. 
But there are times when you may wish to reduce the level of tannins in the water or the water is becoming too hard as you top up the tank as water evaporates. All valid reasons for a WC. But these are still rare events. I've got several tanks on the go right now that I've not performed a WC for over 6 months. I top up with de-ionised water.

Regarding trace elements, it has long been established that fish, like all animals, need trace elements in their food to stay healthy. But it is still a 'recent' discovery that fish also pick up elements from the water. In a traditional tank they don't get these. Which is why Tetra and others sell additional minerals in bottle form as a supplement. But in a Walstad tank as the bogwood or peat in the soil dissolves, it releases these trace elements and so the fish tend to grow better.
People are always commenting on the size of my fish and how healthy they look. My mollies for example are over 5 years old.
When I raised a goldfish in a walstad tank, it grew to 10" within 2 years.

Works for me. :-)
--[[User:Quatermass|Quatermass]] 13:10, 17 February 2011 (EST)

I think I'm going to give it a try when I set-up a tank in my cube here, wanted to put [[RCS]] in it. --[[User:PsiPro|Brian]] 14:15, 17 February 2011 (EST)
:Neither 5 year old mollies or a 10" 2 year old goldfish are difficult, in fact they are almost trivial, if you will forgive my wording, accomplishments.  No one has yet even addressed the issue of potting soil versus topsoil.  6 months without a water change is also no big deal - unless you try to add new fish.  Deionised water is not an "easy" product to find, at least where I live.  Why don't fish get trace elements from the water in a "traditional" tank? [[User:Huw Powell|Huw Powell]] 22:01, 17 February 2011 (EST)

So much is wrong I almost don't know where to start. First of all,you will need to add iron to any plant tank if you like your plants to be green. If your tap water is loaded with it, that's very lucky.Mine has almost none.
Also..Nobody puts a Goldfish in a tank with dirt under sand..they would churn that up in no time while eating the plants. THAT had to have been a pure lie.
Soils on the bottom...well,I tell you- plants mostly use substrate as an anchor..most of what they suck up is out of the water column. Not that I think sterile gravel is better...but in time aquarium gravel develops plenty of mulm.
If you want to try her method but not 100%..put those plants that do root deeply in soils into pots in the Aquarium with soil below and some gravel on top. Sword plants and Crypts do especially well.
Her methods could work for those ( like me!) who know what to expect. Even then I will tell you that you have to be VERY knowledgeable to plant into that dirt and never feel as if you want to move it left later..you see my point?
Like all methods..try what you think will work...or better know.

== Dead link ==

During several automated bot runs the following external link was found to be unavailable. Please check if the link is in fact down and fix or remove it in that case!

* http://www.lovethegarden.com/products/composts/mgocgardensoil.html
** In [[Walstad method]] on 2011-03-22 04:05:36, 404 Not Found
** In [[Walstad method]] on 2011-03-23 01:29:35, 404 Not Found
** In [[Walstad method]] on 2011-03-25 02:12:47, 404 Not Found
** In [[Walstad method]] on 2011-08-13 12:34:12, 404 Not Found

--[[User:PsiPro bot|PsiPro bot]] 07:34, 13 August 2011 (CDT)

== Dead link 2 ==

During several automated bot runs the following external link was found to be unavailable. Please check if the link is in fact down and fix or remove it in that case!

* http://www.miraclegro.eu/
** In [[Walstad method]] on 2011-03-22 04:05:35, Socket Error: 'Name or service not known'
** In [[Walstad method]] on 2011-03-23 01:29:35, Socket Error: 'Name or service not known'
** In [[Walstad method]] on 2011-03-25 02:12:47, Socket Error: 'Name or service not known'
** In [[Walstad method]] on 2011-08-13 12:34:15, Socket Error: 'Temporary failure in name resolution'

--[[User:PsiPro bot|PsiPro bot]] 07:34, 13 August 2011 (CDT)

== Dead link 3 ==

During several automated bot runs the following external link was found to be unavailable. Please check if the link is in fact down and fix or remove it in that case!

* http://www.aquabotanic.com/diana_walstad_gallery.htm
** In [[Walstad method]] on 2011-03-22 04:05:39, 404 Not Found
** In [[Walstad method]] on 2011-03-23 01:29:38, 404 Not Found
** In [[Walstad method]] on 2011-03-25 02:12:51, 404 Not Found
** In [[Walstad method]] on 2011-08-13 12:34:27, 404 Not Found

--[[User:PsiPro bot|PsiPro bot]] 07:34, 13 August 2011 (CDT)

== Familiarity ==

Please, use the name Diana Walstad, or Walstad, or anything that looks serious, but not «Diana» (in Diana's book), as it sound very familiar, and not very serious for a person who would read this article. She may be very nice, but she's an important scientific before being our friend or whatever. I've never read a serious article saying Charles for Charles Baudelaire for instance. It makes it look not serious and profesional.

== Recommended Soils ==

Is it possible to provide any updates for recommended Soil types in the US?

It seems that Scott's Lawn Care has updated/changed/renamed all 3 of the suggestions listed.  

Many Miracle Gro and Scott's Lawn Care products are available in the local home centers, but none of them have the same names or bags as those listed/linked in the article as of February 2019.

Also, following the links provided to the Scott's page, I'm unable to find the names of any of the listed US products.