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Walstad Dry Start Method

Fabio Perini

Fabio Perini

Member
Joined
8 Dec 2017
Messages
36
Location
Addlestone, Surrey
Good Afternoon Everyone,

I was wondering if someone could share what kind of soil would be best (available in the UK) to start a low tech tank with the Dry Start Method advocated by Diana Walstad.

Many thanks in advance for your kind attention.

Cheers,
Fabio
 
Surprised no one has chimed in here. I haven't had any experience in dry start but can't you use organic potting mix to get the same result. I am a Walstead fan myself and use the system in my tanks. Just avoid added wetting agents and additional added fertalizers. I actually use an orchid organic mix. Can't imgine anything more delicate than orchids.

I am in AU so can't recommend a brand.

Dirk
 
People commonly suggest John Innes no 3. I added in some clay, a little peat, some zeolite, for "flavour". Mine was topped off with sand, but I'm unsure how that would work with a dry start.
 
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dw1305 said:
Hi all,
Welcome back @Fabio Perini. I still often refer to your <"Corydoras in hard water"> thread

Personally I'd go for something with <"fewer nutrients in it">. Is <"pyo soil"> a possibility? <"I like molehills">.

cheers Darrel
Click to expand...
I grew up with gardener parents who hated moles but knew the value of molehills. You are always good at making tings simple Darrel, and reminding us that an aquarium is just a bowl of nature. I liked being a chef adding lots of special ingredients, but the idea of simply using molehill earth is genius.
 
Hi all,
AlecF said:
You are always good at making tings simple Darrel, and reminding us that an aquarium is just a bowl of nature.
Click to expand...
No, I'm just lazy, <"tight with my money"> and I always follow the <"path of least resistance"> if I can.

I am lucky in that I've got (probably had these days) a really good memory, so I tend to remember when things went <"horribly wrong in the past"> and I make sure that I don't revisit that particular disaster.

<"A KISS solution"> or <"if it ain't broke don't fix it"> are always my starting points.

cheers Darrel
 
Last edited:
dw1305 said:
Hi all,
Welcome back @Fabio Perini. I still often refer to your <"Corydoras in hard water"> thread

Personally I'd go for something with <"fewer nutrients in it">. Is <"pyo soil"> a possibility? <"I like molehills">.

cheers Darrel
Click to expand...
Hello Darrel,
Apologies for the delay in answering.
It’s a great pleasure to hear from you again and a great honour to hear you refer to the Corydoras’ thread, I’m glad people might find it useful.

Thanks very much for your suggestions which are always remarkable!
Cheers,
Fa
 
I used John Innes No 3 in tanks I started recently. All have had crazy growth. Didn’t bother with DSM.

I have a standard daylight bulb in a desk lamp over one of the small tanks and the hairgrass carpet filled in in less than a month. I had no budget for these tanks and used plants rescued from my old low tech deep tank so hadn’t been in optimal growing condition before replanting
 
Wookii said:
I saw this stuff the other day. I'm not sure if its more 'ecologically sound' than peat from peat bogs - it's descriptions suggests it might be, and it sounds like it could be a good nutrient base layer.

www.internetreptile.com

ProRep Sedge Peat, 10 Litre

ProRep Sedge Peat, 10 Litre
www.internetreptile.com
Click to expand...
Hi
I use it in my Tarantula enclosures.
It seems good enough. Its not too fine all arround and has some clay like bits and small stones in it.It comes moist in the bag.
You always give me ideas on here and I have empty tanks in storage. 😆
Regards Konstantin
 
Konsa said:
Hi
I use it in my Tarantula enclosures.
It seems good enough. Its not too fine all arround and has some clay like bits and small stones in it.It comes moist in the bag.
You always give me ideas on here and I have empty tanks in storage. 😆
Regards Konstantin
Click to expand...
I'd be interested to see how it goes. They cut sedge peat near to where my parents live and it's very cheap.
 
dw1305 said:
Hi all,
Welcome back @Fabio Perini. I still often refer to your <"Corydoras in hard water"> thread

Personally I'd go for something with <"fewer nutrients in it">. Is <"pyo soil"> a possibility? <"I like molehills">.

cheers Darrel
Click to expand...
Hi Darrel,

Finally managed to get some molehills from Holmwood Common in the Surrey Hills… it took a while…😀

I’m in two minds about what to use to separate the dirt from the sand cap. I’ve seen Tim Harrison’s article and he uses greenhouse shading cover, however that’s pretty expensive for a big roll of which I will ever only use half a metre…

At the local garden centre they sell a couple of products which might work and you can get just what you need. One is this:

CDACE8A1-EA26-44DC-BFDE-A5FE3B3783F2.jpeg

And the other is a white fleece cover which the guys at Maidenhead Aquatics in the same garden centre say they’ve used successfully in a lovely tank they have had setup for many years.

Any thoughts?

Thanks very much!

Cheers,
Fabio
 
I use the reusable drawstring fruit bags you can get at supermarkets. I got mine from Lidl, I think they were 49p for two. While they hold soil very well, I've not had any make it to the surface even when uprooting plants. I have found that one crypt has struggled to root through the fine mesh. The same crypt has struggled in general though so might not be related to the mesh size and all the others have been fine.

Next time I'll probably use something like these filter media bags if I can find some with smaller mesh size. 1.6mm seems a bit too coarse and would probably allow the soil through.
 
I would think using a mesh would be a problem when removing older deep rooted plants. It must pull the mesh up and disturb the top levels of substrate. Deep roots make a mess normally when pulled.

Dirk
 
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