I SAVED My Aquarium & Fish From MELTDOWN!! (Turbo Walstad Tank)

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So the original rendition of this tank did not go to plan...but you live and learn and I've switched back to the previous dirted tank method and wow...what a difference. Really pleased with how it's progressed and giving me great ideas for future tanks.
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[@MDFishTanks]

👇👇MD MERCH CLICK HERE👇👇: FULL SHOP: md-fish-tanks.creator-spring.com So the original rendition of this tank did not go to plan...but you live and learn and I've switched back to the previous dirted tank method and wow...what a difference. Really pleased with how it's progressed and giving me great ideas for future tanks. Equipment (all links affiliate): LED FLOODLIGHTS: US amzn.to/3m3cEz9 UK amzn.to/3orIdRv GOOD BUDGET LIGHT:: US amzn.to/2MDfjk1 UK amzn.to/3iYlfQQ SMALL HANG ON BACK FILTER: US amzn.to/2Mw63OO UK amzn.to/39rx3b5 NANO INTERNAL FILTER: US amzn.to/3oxGBWm UK CANISTER FILTER: US amzn.to/3iNeVtW UK amzn.to/2Fo774a GOOSENECK CLIP ON LAMP: (similar as product is now discontinued) US amzn.to/2IlwLVA UK amzn.to/2LNat13 MINI WATER PUMP: US amzn.to/2oAmf5y UK amzn.to/2mjHDez TANKS: US amzn.to/2SOocHG UK amzn.to/2SPA24i STRIP LED LIGHT: US (similar) amzn.to/2SNgbm7 UK amzn.to/2Fn9aW1 ASTA LED LIGHT: US amzn.to/3k9EmpY UK amzn.to/3p5XUPY AQUARIUM RACKING: Shelving: US amzn.to/2SrYZ5k UK amzn.to/2GFWKJ2 AIRPUMP (FILTER SYSTEM): US amzn.to/31z8FA9 UK amzn.to/37GIoUa FILTER SPONGES: US amzn.to/3dQLUfM UK amzn.to/3dS2k7K MEDIA BAGS: US amzn.to/34Kaf2N UK amzn.to/3lAj3z1 STAINLESS LILY PIPES: US amzn.to/2FqHpvR UK amzn.to/2RlfrnC BOWL AQUARIUMS: US amzn.to/2M4FwFO UK: amzn.to/2Vx73CL API® products Subscribe to API on KZbin: kzbin.info USA consumers purchase API products on Amazon: www.amazon.com/stores/page/2193F555-CE5F-4A6B-BDC4-F315CB7F175D?channel=MDTanks UK consumers purchase API products on Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/25663644-6C8C-432C-9E6A-0A85082C3E3C AQUARIAN® products Follow AQUARIAN on KZbin: kzbin.info/door/NxaNWKoWr_ztSgXgPj9r8A Purchase AQUARIAN products here: aquarian.co.uk/where-to-buy/ AWESOME MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITY kzbin.info/door/3uQXzXSPspf2LoGdtYGiHwjoin FOLLOW MY INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/md_fishtanks/ FOR BUSINESS ENQUIRIES: [e-mail] #plantedtank #aquascape #mdfishtanks

[@stefangouws2623]

Hi MD, column tank scape next maybe?

[@James_Hande]

Good luck with your black root plants, hope they bounce back. I'd like to share just a bit of my 57 years of experience in the hobby... I've found that using top soil and aqua soil to be a booster of fertilizers for especially root feeder plants. Yes some ferts make it into the water column to help other plants. Depending on the fert needs of the plants and water changes the nutrition can be leeched from the soil in a year or two. At which point you'll need to start using root tabs. So I just start off with coarse sand or very fine gravel using root tabs and liquid ferts. That way I avoid the possible mess associated with moving plants and the high cost of aqua soils. I normally strive for an 1" (2.54cm) to 1 1/2" (3.81cm) in front and 2" (5.08cm) to 2 1/2" (6.35cm) in the back with sand. With gravel it's 1 1/2" front to 3" (7.62cm) back. I've even had success using an UGF but that's another story LOL.

[@remipoyntz7657]

i think the problem with organic compost is it’s supposed to have a small amount mixed into soil that’s lacking in nutrients or just needs a boost. a layer like you had in the tank as just soil would have a LOT of excess nutrients, and even terrestrial plants would have a nutrient overload in a pot of just compost. new tank looks beautiful, i love your videos so much!

[@teddeonarine6281]

When I saw that video with you using the topsoil I had my doubts, but was hoping it worked for you. Trust me, I know that smell you experienced when cleaning the tank, like a decomposing bog/mangrove kind of smell. The new setup looks great.

[@hasknight9749]

Im not sure if you remember me. But we used to talk when you began the channel. I just wanted to tell you i went into depression and stopped caring about everything including my aquariums. Now youre giving me hope again to start them back up. Thankyou for everything ❤️

[@-EJ00]

if you were someone he used to talk to when he first started out and you get no response from him I think that's messed up...he might not remember you, but to know that he's helped you through a hard time deserves a response

[@sahindemirer]

Are you OK? Hope you’re doing well. Take vitamin D with K combined.

[@LordChumbley]

Love the work and the positive attitude you bring to hobby. Keep it up. Can’t wait for more collaborations with Matt.

[@Batmancontingencyplans]

You should always cap with sand not gravel !! 0:48

[@lorraineoldford8339]

So glad you got the tank sorted out...... well steer clear of compost for tanks

[@DeadStarNova1]

i have the same endlers. bought mine labeled as "sky blue endlers livebearer"

[@Steensen1981]

The issue with compost vs top soil is microbes. The micro biology turning dead plant parts etc. To soil in the compost is still alive, where it is fairly dead in the top soil. Thus when planting in compost, the micro biology continues thriving, eating and converting living and dead plant parts/roots to soil again, witch is why the roots of the living plants turn black: they are killed/konvertet by the micro biology.

[@M3r-5b7k]

Great video as always! I'd like to see you try mixing the compost with top soil with like 30/70 ratio and cap it with sand (the one you used in the fix here) rather than gravel, and no additional root tabs to mitigate excess nutrients for your next experiment. much love from the Philippines!

[@cichlidsid]

I can't see why Sand or gravel alone wouldn't work. It does for pond plants in baskets. Love your work.

[@UKBrighty]

Everytime i watch you i find myself looking at new tanks, Great vid as usual.

[@BGN_Aquariums]

Thanks MD. Another informative video. Il be steering clear of that compost. ❤🐠🌱🦐🐌

[@yixuansun6707]

Great save! I will try out the topsoil bed for the next tank. One question: I've never seen any leached tannins from the wood (not even a bit of yellow tint) in any of your tanks. How!?!?

[@sui-generis]

Those black roots are more than likely caused by anaerobic conditions within the substrate which allow anaerobic bacteria to flourish that produce hydrogen sulfide as waste which builds up and kills the roots.. A lot of dirted substrates benefit from malaysian trumpet snails to aerate the substrate. Well oxygenated water can also help. Using a substrate above the dirt that does not compact like sand does ie a crushed lava rock or similar that allow the oxygenated water to get through to the roots. I've always used a much deeper substrate cap (about 4" minimum) above the dirt layer too with a colony of malaysian trumpet snails. Most of my substrate caps are a mixture of molar clay and crushed lava rock. Using a cap over the dirt that is high cec (like volcanic or molar clay based gravel) will suck in any excess nutrients released from the compost/dirt until the plant roots need them. After watching your video I see you used a mixture of sand and gravel as the soil substrate cap. This is definitely a much better route than just sand to avoid the cap from getting too compacted. Using a mixture of sand and gravel also looks more natural imho.

[@Remas70]

Hello, you should leave a space of 2 cm between the ground and the front and side windows of the aquarium so that the ground does not get light.Regards

[@bjrnjohanhumblen525]

Top soil can be found outside i guess for free. I sprinkle top soil in my aquariums, and wash my habds in them after gardening. There will form something like the top soil anyway on the bottom because of breaken down fish poo and plant matter. I read soil, not just top but any is like medicine for fish and good for plants too. My aquarium plants grow better in my garden pond that doesnt have a plastic sheet under it and almost drains in the summer but always gets much soil from the garden after rain. Temperate zone may be ok for many tropical fishtank aqariums plants. And im thinking about just letting nature take care of my plants and harvest them for my fishtank. Because nature makes them much bigger and healthier if they can stand the climate

[@kr0nic666]

Much safer for people to give this method a miss :)

[@siennamarcks2929]

What is this pipe equipment you use to fill the tank up with water again?

[@Loryster]

What's the name of the fish at 11:50? I heard lamb pies? I can't find them online.

[@lanalovesjesus6133]

It’s possible the compost is too “hot” and rich in nitrogen where topsoil has very little.

[@ethandcruz-mitchell168]

But the substrate , I don’t like it , I don’t like it at all now 😂😂😂

[@lpoolck17]

Why don't you do 3 tanks: 1 with topsoil, 1 with aquasoil and 1 with pond soil in. Then plant each tank identically to one another and see which one thrives the most over a 6 month period.

[@Raphael.P.]

Hello any German speakers here? What is topsoil called in German? Would help me out very much 😅

[@patrickwingard1927]

definitely dont use compost

[@andyh4747]

Compost is literally shit so you've just made a very wet compost bin.

[@gidge6260]

As if tease us by ending on an empty tank!

[@Only1Sosa.]

Typical man, blaming farts on everything and anyone around them 😅

[@briankito1655]

I think with a substrate as nutrient rich as the full on compost, you'd need a THICK sand cap. Gravel will allow too much exchange with the water column. That has been my experience anyway.

[@dugangant]

100% I was just getting ready to write the same thing. When using nutrient rich soil you need at least a good 2 1/2-3 inches of sand to lock the soil in and out of the water column. I usually try for about 3-4inches. I've used compost even mixed in cow manure and never had problems with gas with a thick sand cap.

[@dugangant]

I also sprinkle a bunch of osmocote on top of the soil before adding the soil for added nutrients.

[@andreashessler838]

@@dugangant I've done exactly the same. 2-3" of sand is a must if you are going to use potting compost. Also added osmocote for longevity. You will always get some H2S from the substrate. It is completely harmless. These tanks tend to get better with age and need a settling in period.

[@TheCuggsmeister]

Just my thoughts on the compost/top soil issue. You can imagine top soil as being a much more aged version of compost and is therefore more biologically stable. Compost, depending on its type is more of a planting medium often composed of shredded wood, dead plant matter, coconut fibres etc with added nutrients. When you put compost in the aquarium it's continuing to break down hence all the nasty byproducts that were produced like the gases. Normally all this stuff would wash down into the lower soil levels of your garden or rinse out during watering but when in the ecosystem of a tank they've nowhere to go hence the polution of your tank and the bad smells.

[@James_Hande]

Pretty much spot on! That's why using older compost is better for gardens. It had longer time for all the biological processes to break down the organics. 👍

[@sui-generis]

Using a cap over the dirt that is high cec (like volcanic or molar clay based gravel) will suck in any excess nutrients released from the compost/dirt until the plant roots need them.

[@leefi1]

This is what I came to say!

[@aidandalton7404]

Garden compost is simply not suitable for an aquarium, its decomposing material (compost) and will foul the water column. There is a reason why the aqua soils were developed, it's baked clay and not compost. Pottery clay from an art supply shop is brilliant for growing aquatic plants too. Never use organic based soils in any aquarium.

[@TheCuggsmeister]

@@sui-generis I'm not saying this isn't true, I'd just say for the majority of aquarists it's just probably not worth the risk when more stable alternatives are readily available.

[@vladimirkudra4251]

Four moths ago, after spending 6 months watching your videos, I was able to set up a 15 gallon long community tank - my first ever fish tank. I used potting soil and gravel for the substrate and the tank was heavily planted, no CO2, no ferts, and I did fish-in cycle, just like you. The tank looks amazing and it's all thanks to what I've learned from your videos. You're awesome MD, keep it up!!!

[@shiftyshrimp5930]

Have you actually read "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium" by Diana Walstad? So much of what you do suggests you misunderstand the basic principles behind her method.

[@jjmariani_]

Hey MD, loving this series of content around the soil concept. Might I suggest trying ‘Potting Soil’ for a future set-up? It will have much less nutrients than the compost, but more than the topsoil. Think it could be a great middle ground! Thanks as always for the inspiration, my first 9 gallon just got started a few days ago 🫡

[@michellebrown1843]

Love all your videos, and have tried dirted tanks too, and by far the best source of info on this for me has been the KZbinr "Father Fish" and who points out that you CAN use compost or very strong fert combo if you use a 2-inch layer of fine sand over the top to cap it off, and only plants the roots 1 inch deep. Really check out his videos though; he's been doing these tanks for like 50 years...

[@nicholassatrya19]

how about worm casting, they seems to be low on nutrient but more than the top soil. i think its going to be a good experiment

[@tinchytarantula]

I wouldn't be to harsh on yourself MD its a learning curve and you will learn from it and bounce back

[@BoguZzNL]

I know you show most plants in the videos but it would be awesome if you could put a list in the description. Cool video as always!

[@amx1820]

Pond compost + top soil + sand + proper aquascape + mascara barbs!! Let's go MD

[@HandyMarcus]

Hey MD, wondering if you could do a red plant set up please. You typically just dot red plants in your sets, hoping you'd do the opposite, if possible. Red plants mostly, a few greens. Thanks.

[@DonAquascaping]

He has. A beta fish tank with dark stones and only reds! He has a video of this on his channel👊🏼

[@HandyMarcus]

@@DonAquascaping and I've seen so many of his vids, missed that one. Right on.

[@1Kent]

You should use compost the way you use salt in food. You wouldn't sit down to a bowl/plate of salt would you?

[@ImHavingaCoronary]

MD, compost still has to decompose whereas the topsoil is stable in that regard. Figure that's it, especially with the smell.

[@felipeabreusabino9911]

hey MD! You should check Father Fish channel, he does his version of Walstad tank and turbo charge it? but instead of gravel he does a deep sand bed to prevent the nutrients in the soil to reach the water collumn. cheers!

[@gordongrier2172]

I been waiting all week for this upy

[@pfizz8347]

Love your work as always MD! Wish you had looked into rescuing the tank without a complete redo though, I'm going through this myself right now with two tanks set up identically - one thriving and one gone anerobic

[@MDFishTanks]

I get you, but was much easier and less risky to switch to this method.

[@stoneysscapes7544]

@@MDFishTanks no need to look when you can't take the horrible smell of defeat and MD can't be bothered with that in his fish tanks ....that is a good way to lose his deposit!!! 😂

[@MDFishTanks]

@@stoneysscapes7544 I've no idea what this means but thanks for commenting 😀

[@TheMillimonster]

Do you run CO2 in those tanks?

[@MRleocasper]

The pond compost by itself could've worked out, the root tabs were excesive

[@user-em8fq2ev4b]

The problem wasn't the compost, the issue is the gravel, they are way too large. It needs to be smaller, like sand.

[@GBLecci]

"I saved my aquarium", I wasn't expecting a completely rebuild to be honest 😆but glad you did, that was looking quite bad haha

[@IndoorEcosystem]

I'd be guessing the issue with this soil is that it hasn't fully broken down to become mostly inert. It's still in a primiary state of decay. There's probably still a lot of ogranic components breaking down into base elemetns among other things. When this process is submerged it changes dramaticaly as the organisms that usually break things down die off and things stall. Then there is the lack of oxygen etc. Top soil is quite different so it works well.

[@billbush1270]

IME, gardening with ordinary garden soil means the soil will look the same six months from date of planting, whereas compost will change markedly in six months, breaking down significantly. So there is much more going on chemically in compost than in ordinary soil. This is strictly from a veggie gardening perspective, as I haven't had an aquarium for over 40 years.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

​@@billbush1270 Yep! That’s exactly it. If you looked closely at compost, topsoil and standard dirt you will see a huge difference in organisms and lifeforms as well. Compost is loaded with springtails isopods and tons of other things all working to break things down into useful components for plants to use. I’ve been setting up Paludariums and Terrariums for a while now and spend a fair bit of time harvesting certain creatures from compost and soil to get bioactive enclosures up and running it’s really interesting seeing compost break down like you say.

[@dannyeccles1894]

How many neon tetra, and other tetra the same size, would you or in a 3'x1'x1' planted tank? Looking online I keep seeing mixed info. Any help from this community?

[@dannyeccles1894]

Watching your videos has rekindled my love of fish tanks MD. And my misses hates you..... 😁

[@carlosguerra283]

Some if my fish spawned eggs (most likely corys) in my community tank what should i do?? It’s happened before but i didn’t really know what to do. Any help would be much appreciated ty

[@adnanmukaddam1]

You’re probably gonna ruin the Aqua soil companies with the following that you got

[@cartilagehead]

worth pointing out that a lot of garden topsoils/composts have added fertilizers and stabilizers, even if they don’t explicitly say “fertilizers added” on the bag. Oftentimes if it’s a brand known for their fertilizers (Scott’s/Miracle Gro/etc) you can pretty much assume from the jump that the soil has added chemicals. Fertilizer-free materials will often advertise that fact.

[@ElvianEmpire]

yea, and it's really annoying. I needed bog standard (heh) peat moss for carnivorous plants, which absolutely do not like fertilizer in the soil. was really annoying as most of the stuff sold is with added fertilizers.

[@cartilagehead]

@@ElvianEmpire I hear you. What plants? Sarracenia? Flytraps? Sundews?

[@noobguy57]

what do you use for floating plants? i have a very small 3 gallon tank just meant for me to try to grow some plants and maybe some shrimp in a few months but i want some floater plants but don't know where to start

[@desiertoscacti5388]

I would be so cautious to use high nutrient soils in an aquarium, but experimenting is always the road to learning!

[@green_heart_epics]

Compost 🤪😝 MD, that's like you put a complete layer of root tabs in the tank.

[@LifeWithAutism]

I had a similar problem! Only mine was with ré using ada amazonia substrate. I had to move houses and I figured I could keep the beneficial bacteria and my substrate still had good nutrients in it. Bad idea. It is a good idea to ré use substrate if you top it off with a fresh layer. But I did not. Plants started to melt. My water had bad smells for days. All went wrong. It did take me a while to figure out where my problems began. But you live and learn and take this knowledge into your future tanks. While I did not enjoy this experience, I did learn from it and it's what's making this hobby so interesting :)

[@allegra100]

I love that you show the projects that don’t work out and how you move on from them. I had some issues with sulfide and had to start over as well. It’s really nice to see that it’s not just me 😊

[@Stephen-jw8ci]

for future reference i’ve seen some plant youtubers spray a hydrogen peroxide and water mixture on blackened root to kill off the rot

[@Grace-er9ep]

Thank you for experimenting and sharing the experience! As someone who wants to do aquascaping but is on a microscopic budget alternatives to the most expensive products help so so much in making the hobby more affordable

[@ericmogielnicki3101]

I like that you show your failures and how you fixed them. No hobby is perfect all the time; people should see that more often.

[@stonedpanda6903]

hey MD can 1 blood parrot cichlid live by itself in a 10 gallon?

[@debojyotidas5913]

actually that's pond soil... for backyard

[@tolgagurcimen2957]

The problem is the gravel. It must be sand to trap the soil under.

[@mailuse1243]

Why my fishes keep dying in my walstad tank?

[@benbedford8270]

I think it was the root tabs not the soil..just the soil would have e been fine

[@grenwood6551]

i think this was a situation of less is more. the compost is likely fine mixed with other things for your nutrient layer. all the same i'm sorry it didn't work out and glad you caught it fair quick.

[@thegreenthing7603]

Is it okay if i over put red worms then worms got into the soil substrate?

[@VictoriaLeeCreates]

HELLO FROM CHICAGO ILLINOIS 💚💚💛💛💙💙

[@sjcaquatics5584]

Could it b the gravel letting it leach into the water column

[@aquajunction3727]

Please name that ludwigia you said 🙏🏻

[@rolfwelsch8570]

don't use Kompost in a Aquarium!

[@aydnyesildal4145]

Please keep on experimenting👍👍🍂☘️

[@carolebraswell982]

Another MD cliffhanger!

[@gyin2337]

get a filter to save it, the walstad tabk isnt working

[@laurag1076]

Compost. Yeah nah U can't use compost

[@quarlow1215]

Sorry for the dumb question, newbie here. Is this special topsoil for fish tanks or is this your typical gardening kind?

[@helloaldrian]

Typical gardening kind, but there's also pondsoil.

[@rogueape8091]

I love your setups man saw a couple in person at the shop they are awesome even saw Matt keep up the vids mans 😂👍

[@stoneysscapes7544]

The Dark Knight " If you're good at something , never do it for free " ~ 🃏 love Fish Shop Matt & MD

[@chjazandcharlie6190]

Can you PLEASE do a video on planaria

[@Kyddoemiko13]

No compost, simole top soil 👌🏼😊

[@CrazyAquariumGuy]

Nice Work Bro!

[@acasidelove4728]

Endler Guppies! 😍😍😍

[@NK1948]

What happened to Timmy ?

[@ledwards7171]

This is only the 2nd time I've seen you spray the base level down with water. Is this because of the type of substrate you use or is this going to be your norm now?

[@helloaldrian]

Bcus the type of base substrate layer

[@daniellemarshall-apsey8368]

MD - my aquarium soil is riddled with planaria worms 🪱 I don’t have any shrimps luckily, only endlers, but I just don’t like the idea they’re there and they’re finishing off my baby snails. Any advice on how to get rid of them? Thx ☺️

[@davemiller9133]

I can see Blake watching

[@pammyandpete]

Can you use coal in aquarium ?

[@agungagjagoldfish2007]

The arrangement and decoration of the aquarium is really beautiful and inspires me, greetings from friends of goldfish cultivators in Indonesia

[@TheDon8923]

12:19 my boy hit that high note! 😂

[@bookmouse2719]

I like the idea of a "fish hotel".

[@Anp8]

Yayy! it looks soo good md ☺☺😍

[@laurag1076]

Waiting for Timmy!!!!!

[@benjobling6861]

Can I use building sand ?

[@comment.highlighted]

Come on MD, don’t blame that Farts on the compose 🤨 Own it man!!! 👍 Yeah, compose and mulch smell horrible 🙂

[@shonhatley541]

A full on dirted tank. Ya gotta do it. I'm already super excited. Thanks for the video MD. Keep'em coming and "fish up".

[@OviWanKeno9i]

My whole tank is Fluorite Black and I have great lights and filter and plants just melt away every time, even really easy to keep plants. It's beyond frustrating. I'm at the point where I will probably switch it out. It was like $400 to fill it up with that too. Supposed to be great for plants..

[@maverickstclare3756]

I guess you won't, because why risk it, but microwaving your compost sterilises it.

[@GlassSurfing]

Awesome vid as always. Thanks for delivering as usual. Cant wait to see the combo. Fiddle away!