My new article ‘Potted Plants for Fish Breeding Tanks’ describes maximizing plant growth so that I can keep 10 fish breeding tanks without any filters. Keeping plants “mobile” (i.e., in pots) makes it doable. I measured no NH3, no NO2- and almost no nitrates in the 10 tanks over the course of several months.
Article on setting up small planted tanks for pet shrimp.
Small Planted Tanks for Pet Shrimp (9 pages) was written for people wanting to keep planted tanks. I show how to set up 1-gal bowls with small shrimp, which is an easy, inexpensive way to get started. Bowls shown at 1 month in photo were off to a good start and continued to do well. For hobbyists who want to try something a little different, I describe setting up small tanks with the Dry Start Method (DSM). With DSM, aquarium plants are grown emergent (in air) for the first 2-3 months before adding the water and the shrimp to the tank. Both methods involve using ordinary soil as a planting medium and keeping Red Cherry Shrimp, which are hardy, colorful, and cute.
Diana Walstad's Books and Articles 