#This Walstad fad annoys the hell out of me

[whywolfprincess]

It is absolutely baffling that every time, without fail, people will recommend newbies in aquaria to set up a Walstad tank as their first project 👀💦

It's upsetting to look at, especially since people are willing to do proper heated cycled tanks for their tropical fish, and then they get something suggested that's not far from Betta in a Vase with some kind of plant as a "filter".

The book of Diana Walstad is interesting, especially regarding plant communication and the ability to fend off algae, but the whole thing is not easy to balance and stock.

There is no true closed system in those tiny piss pots in which we do our feeble attempts to mimic ecosystems.

Please, teach newbies how to heat and cycle their tanks, and not to have rotting plants and dead fish because they did not understand the bare minimum water chemistry.