Ecology of the Planted Aquarium: A Practical Manual and Scientific Treatise

I'm not new to plants but I'm pretty new to aquariums, and you don't know what you don't know, so I was really interested in getting this book to find out what I SHOULD know, and what I should be paying attention to. The "Carbon" chapter got too technical for me, 9EDIT: I went back and read it at the end, and after everything else, it made more sense) but most of the rest of the book had a ton of really good info that I really found useful. The actual instructions for setting up a tank come at the very end of the book, so it's reasonable to read that first, then read through the whole book to get an understanding of why. But the whole book does have a ton of relevant information, and it gets through it efficiently and explains it in a practical manner, so I found it very interesting to read even though I don't really know chemistry.

The title is *very* descriptive. This book uses science instead of relying on the conventional wisdom, which is so often wrong, or the many myths about planted aquaria. Yet it is a practical and accessible text for the home hobbyist. Many books on tropical fish and planted aquaria are little more than a concatenations of captioned postcards -- attractive color photographs with sparse, slightly informative text. Generally they follow the current trends or parrot the conventional wisdom, which has often proven to be wrong or misguided. But _Ecology of the Planted Aquarium_ is a refreshing change from the glut of "postcard" books available on aquaria. If you want pictures, this is not your book -- but there is no shortage of those to choose from. Rather than merely repeat the conventional wisdom or trumpet a new and contrary view, this author has diligently researched what happens in a planted aquarium AND explored hypotheses to explain the results. It set a new standard for books on the subject by replacing anecdotal arguments, didacticism, marketing promises, and myth with science. Many aquatic gardening experts consider this now a standard text to read (and have for reference) if you want to keep planted aquaria. Extensive references are included so that sources, scientific studies, etc. can be traced back for further research. This book reveals in a well-organized manner the complex chemical relationships in a typical hobbyist planted aquarium. As such, it can serve as a primer and key reference work for hobbyists. Hopefully, it will also stimulate discussion and serve as stalking horse for further research into this complex subject. Although necessarily technical, it is not unduly so nor does it demand of the reader any specialized education. While the author does have a stated personal preference for simple, "low-tech," inexpensive methods, she lays out the basic science that underlays all methods, including "high-tech." Thus, this book, more than any other I have seen on the subject, provides a foundation for explaining why divergent and even contrary methods of setting up and maintaining planted aquaria can be equally successful. If you plan of having a planted aquarium, you owe it to yourself to get this book.

If it's a Natural Aquarium you plan ... then, this book provides useful information. Much of it is technical ... though I've found it very helpful in approach and things to avoid.

I don't write reviews usually because I have better things to do and most products accomplish their purpose simply to par, but after reading this I feel like Diana Walstad should be heading the EPA. This book is irritatingly long yet succinct, annoyingly thorough, with meticulous references for every piece of information presented. If you own a fish or fishes, there should be a law forcing you to read this book. Now if only a book existed for dog owners we would be in business. There is too much to even paraphrase but if you have a pond, a fish tank, a planted tank, or if you fish actively (I hold IGFA all tackle-world records and this book gave me some incredible trout insights), this book is a must. Don't be cheap about its price, I paid $30, had I known what I was getting I would have gladly paid $100+. Anyone who wrote a negative review on this book was in special education classes during their schooling and currently works at the Post Office.

So far this is a good read. I do enjoy the detail the book goes into to justify something I am currently doing a live experiment on, but I do question the actual engineering standpoint of the book. Ms. Walstad has gone to college level chemistry and biology lengths to explain processes that previously were basically explained by 'magic' and from the view of a technical proofing she makes awesome claims then backs them up with tried and true science. While the book from this level is as rock solid (or should I say water tight?) it does leave the average reader with little more than a gentle (ish.. brush up on some of those college books you got in your first 2 years!) tour through reactions between plants, fish, soil, minerals, and bacteria. It is up to you the reader to graduate and use this in applied understanding. TL:DR Read the book to understand what is going on in your tank, and what can go wrong (or right!) in your micro-ecosystem, but do not expect a step by step instruction with pictures and cute pop ups and coloring areas for what to do when setting up and growing it. You're getting graphs and annotated studies there were like 4 color pictures in mine and no coloring areas.

This volume contains a wealth of information; it covers its topic thoroughly and in great detail, if also with a good deal of repetition. Reading the book straight through I was annoyed by its repetitiveness, though this makes it more, not less, useful as a reference work, which, like most readers, is how I will most use it in the future. The author knows what she is talking about; her conclusions seem scientifically sound and, for the most part, are based on experimental data, many of which are included. Her presentation of anecdotal evidence is helpful as well. Her writing, in addition to its redundancy, was also replete with errors in both grammar and syntax, which I found quite annoying; these would have benefitted greatly from more vigorous proofreading. To those who wish to read this book front to back, as I did, I recommend doing so with paper and pencil in hand; summarizing its most salient points as one goes will greatly help one navigate the otherwise relatively dense text. This book is probably best appreciated by readers who have a firm grasp of at least undergraduate level biology and chemistry, but its conclusions should be useful to almost anyone interested in aquarium keeping. With that caveat, I strongly recommend this book for the deeper insight it offers to all, even the most experienced, aquarists. It's a flawed gem, but a gem nonetheless; I know of no other publication like it.

I bought this book when I set up my first two planted tanks a few years back. That was in Japan. I kept those tanks going and had incredible results, especially considering that they were my first two tanks ever, and that I eventually ran them on almost nothing but fish food and heaters (i.e., no water changes, no mechanical filtration). This book got me thinking about why tanks work rather than trying to convince me to buy the newest pH or water hardness adjusting kit. There is a lot of reading here, and as a beginner I really didn't understand a lot of it. In fact, there are still many parts that are either beyond me or not directly useful to me. But Ms. Walstad takes pains to make her book and the science behind it accessible, and even absolute beginners will find important information here, and they will begin to sort out more difficult sections the more experience they get. I am now back in the US and finally setting up a couple of tanks here at home, plus planning to do a tank with my students as an interdisciplinary project at school. This book will continue to be a reference to me, and I hope to share even just some of the information it contains with my 7th- and 8th-grade students. Good luck with your tanks, and if you are at all interested in planted tanks, buy this book.

This book may be too detailed to please those looking for light general knowledge and a lot of pictures. I wasn't! I wanted details about why my plants never grew the way pictures suggested they should. LFS's rarely could suggest other than to try to sell another product. Dissussion groups, although useful, miss the mark often. This book doesn't, in my opinion. It's like talking to a college prof. who can explain on your level. This is not a picture book! There are a few detailed picture drawings, but no color pictures. If you want pictures, buy another book. If you want understanding and knowledge, buy this one. Some parts are dry and more than I was interested in, but the overall majority was very helpful in allowing me to understand how plants function, what they need to grow, how they use nutrients and most important, what the plants want, not what the aquarium, or the fish, or I want. This is a PLANT book, and a very good explanation of them......my planted 55 has never looked so good, nor have I understood so well. My suggestion is to read it all, and use what makes sense to you for your tank. This is a book for your library.

Un libro “diverso” rispetto ai soliti che trattano piante d’acquario, praticamente privo di foto, ma pieno di nozioni tecniche riportate in maniera molto rigorosa e scientifica con tanto di bibliografia di riferimento. Secondo me un utile approfondimento.

If you have or want a planted aquarium and don't want to spend too much money or time on maintaining it, this book outlines how to have a beautiful aquarium using natural principles to keep the tank healthy. I have had aquariums for 5 years, have spent alot of money on high tech gadgets and chemical additives, and spent alot of time cleaning and rebuilding aquariums, only to have these same tanks fail. Some tanks, however, were splendid, and I couldn't figure out why they worked and the others didn't. (In fact, all the trouble put me off having aquariums, and I went from having 6 tanks to only having 2. Now I know what I was doing wrong . Walstad's careful explanation of natural systems is brilliant. Don't be put off by the science, once you see how the systems (substrate, bacteria, plants and chemicals, light, etc.) interact, you will know how to keep your tank, plants and fish healthy with minimum cost and effort. Before you spend a ton of money (or if you want to reduce how much you spend), buy this book. I can't recommend it enough. I've already seen wonderful results and my electric bills have dropped! This book is worth every single cent. Honestly, I wish I had found it years ago.

Enfin un livre qui a de la matière sur Amazon ! Technique complet bien expliqué ! On regrettera juste qu'il ne soit Pas traduit en français.

I've kept aquariums for 50 years, freshwater and marine both. Decided to set up my first tank designed primarily as a planted garden with fish as the after thought. After writing a couple of scathing reviews on the Kindle books offered on freshwater shrimp just now, I needed to clense myself and write something positive. I'm nowhere near finishd reading it but so far I'm devouring it and learning a lot of practical info and different slants on the old I've learned. This book is well laid out and will be one of my primary guides as a start a new aspect of my hobby. If you're looking for a coffee table book with lots of pretty pictures this is not your book. If you want to learn how to do planted aquariums right this seems like it is a great place to start the learning process.

Muy instructivo para el acuario plantado. Aunque prefieras la tecnología de un high, es de obligada lectura