Deep substrate on aquarium

The Benefits Of Deeper Substrate Improving The Walstad Method

There are plenty of ways of making a substrate for our fish tanks. Some hobbyists have no substrate or very little some use gravel others sand even more keepers mix both.

So what’s best which substrate do we choose well Diana Walstad wrote extensively about this very subject. Diana is a science researcher and has a B.S. In Microbiology. She changed the way hobbyists think regarding substrates in our tanks In 1999.

How so? She wrote the book Ecology of the planted aquarium which gave birth to the Walstad method. We will discuss this method later.

Are There Benefits To Deeper Substrate

More nutrients for plants and organisms to feed good bacteria also capped substrates will become anaerobic allowing the tank to denitrify If done correctly there’s no need for water changes.

Wow, quite a statement no water changes. Is this the holy grail of fishkeeping? (.) Let’s first look at the Walstad method.

Walstad Method

The idea of Diana Walstad and her method was to allow the fish and plants’ needs to offset each other. Also known as a balanced system or Ecco system. The plants will filter the tank and the bacteria in the soil will take care of the fish waste. The fish will take care of decaying plant matter etc.

How Does This Work

Very Deep Substrate

First, we need a good layer of soil, not just any soil. Organic unfertilized soil without any added additives. You can add some root tabs for plant nutrition and calcium from some crushed shells.

Add 2 inches to the bottom of your tank. Then cap it yep add another inch or two of sand or gravel on top. The capped layer protects the soil and stops it from getting into the water column.

Next, we can scape our tank to our requirements. Although it’s meant to mimic nature we can still put our spin on it and make our little masterpiece.

Now we can add some rocks or wood and start to plant. Please plant heavy and choose plants that grow fast. The more plants we have and the faster they grow will determine how we eliminate algae growth.

Using floating plants for the nutrients will feed the plants that are rooted leaving none for algae growth. And the floating plants will take care of ammonia,

Next, we make sure the lighting is ok for our plant growth. We can keep adjusting if the plants are not growing but they will don’t worry.

We also need some water circulation and a bit of agitation although no water filter is necessary we can use one to get water movement. Or we could use either an airstone or a wave maker the choice is yours.

After setting up keep an eye on the water parameters you should be able to add fish almost instantly as with this method the tank should already be cycled.

That’s The Basics Of The Walstad Method. Does It Work can you add fish that fast if so how and how if any can we improve? Let’s dive in and have a look.

How The Deep Substrate Works

The soil remember that organic soil spoken of earlier. This soil has all the nutrients for the plants but also bacteria all those good bacteria live in the substrate. Other tiny creatures will start growing in the top half and start feeding on microbes turning them into nitrite. That’s bad well yes but yet more organisms in the bottom half take those and turn them into nitrate. And another creature turns that into nitrogen gas and it dissipates back out of the tank into the atmosphere.

Sorry if it sounded complex but does it remind you of something? Yep, the continual cycling of the tank. Now it’s believed the hormones and other issues phosphates are also dealt with so no need for water changes or filtration really amazing.

Can We Improve On The Walstad Method 

Yes, I believe we can. The problem with the Walstad method is you would have depleted all of your nutrients in a year or so. Now they need replacing within the substrate which is not easy. Also until they are replenished you are back to doing water changes.

How We Improve

 It’s all in the soils used we need good soils. Cow manure and peat moss are well mixed together but we need to add some stimulants to the soil. Some slow-release plant fertilizer with some Epsom salt and organic snail feed. Blood meal Iron Oxide Diatomaceous earth along with some baking soda and lime.

Supplementation

Adding these compounds will enhance the soils and the substrate feeding the plants and those little critters for many years to come. Allowing the tank to become self-sufficient all we need to do is look at the beautiful fish.

 The Substrate Lifecycle

You see the deeper the substrate the better. After around three inches and of course an inch or two of capping we get anaerobic conditions ie no oxygen at the bottom and enough oxygen on top. We need both of these for all the types of life needed to cycle our tanks. Not only cycling but feeding our tanks. 

Are There Benefits For A Deep Substrate Can Walstad Be Improved Conclusion

Yes, I believe there are many benefits. No Bad bacteria blooms no ammonia spikes Life living and dying cycling our tanks with no help needed. Pretty much self-cleaning self filtrating and has no water changes. As well as the tank feeding itself it’s amazing oh bliss. 

I hope you gleaned some good information on deep substrates and please feel free to take a look around the site.

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