Rating: 
Summary: I couldn't put it down, took pages of notes.
Review: A few years ago, my brother and I owned pet shops, so I thought that I knew a bit about water chemistry.
This book showed me that I didn't.So much information that has practical relevance. e.g.:
If pH is quite low, nitrification stops and ammonia takes the form of non-toxic ammonium.
If you raise the pH under these conditions, the ammonium converts to toxic ammonia, and you'll be countin' the floaters! Want beautiful pictures? buy Takashi Amano.
Want beautiful plant tanks? buy Diana Walstad One warning! I found that the soil-underlay method tends to produce a lot of Hydrogen Sulphide (=rotten roots) during the first few weeks.
Don't supplement this type of tank with any Sulphate containing fertilizers! I think I'll try a tank with just a 1/4" of soil, or try soil that's not quite as rich.
Rating:
Summary: Plants will grow so quickly... you'll have a jungle!
Review: Anyone interested in creating a successful planted aquarium definitely needs this book! The author gives very scientific information in regards to the chemistry behind the beauty of a planted tank. Even though it can be bit heavy reading at times, there is plenty of simple, straightforward advice. I was especially appreciative of her advice on how to combat algae which is, not doubt, a problem for all aquarium hobbyists. Even if you don't set up your aquarium exactly as she suggestions, there is still plenty of excellent information that certainly makes this book well worth the purchase!
Rating:
Summary: certainly the best book I've ever read about aquatic plants
Review: As an experienced aquarist with a flair for biotop-aquariums I have a huge library of aquarium and ecology books at home. Most of them are printed with luxury paper and coverage including breathtaking pictures. But very few of them include key information that I exactly need. Can fish food alone cover all the nutrient needs of aquatic plants, if yes how? Do I really need additional CO2 and fertilizers? How can I maintain healthy low-tech natural aquariums free from algae with sun light? What are the most significant bio-chemical reactions that take place in the aquarium gravel & soil and how do they affect the general aquarium ecology, pH, KH, CO2, Iron-levels etc? Do plants really purify water, if yes how and which plants are better purifiers? Why are emergent plants better water purifiers? What does this heavy metal talk mean concretely? Do plants consume ammonia, nitrit and nitrate? Why do they generally prefer ammonia over nitrate? etc... etc...The author of this book apparently anticipated my unanswered questions of past and answered all of them in a step by step manner without a single logical gap. Don't let yourself negatively impressed by the modest look of the book. Its content is perfect!
Rating:
Summary: best aquarium plant book
Review: Excellent, excellent..
This is a great book, because it doesn't simply repeat "conventional wisdom", or the same stuff that
is in every other book.
Sure, it reads like a science book.. but it's great because everything that Diana claims in the book
is supported by hard evidence/other studies.. So you can see the reason for everything. Even if you don't know high school chemistry, she breaks it down to such an understandable
level, that it's easy to understand.. Plus, you can skip the chemical reaction formulas if you
wish and just take in the information. The chapter on algae prevention/control alone is worth the price of the book. There are no pictures, but you must keep in mind, the purpose of this book is to give information
on how to succeed with a "low tech" approach (no CO2 injection, expensive lights, etc).. The
high tech way works too (I've tried both approaches).. However, even high tech people can
benefit from the information in here. This is simply the best aquarium book on plants.. period.
Rating: 
Summary: I have had excellent results using this guide
Review: First off this book is not for everyone. It is full of technical information and detail, you can find the basic concepts on line, search for low-tech planted aquaria. I was first introduced to planted freshwater aquaria one day at a book store when I stumbled across one of the Amano books. The photos took my breath away and I was inspired to try to create my own underwater landscape. My first attempts were not successes and I simply couldn't get the look I wanted. I also could not afford all the equipment needed to create a hi-tech tank. I searched the web and was able to create the equipment using DIY plans I found there. It was not cheap but I got very good results. The thing that I found over time was that this type of system requires LOTS of maintained. Without constant vigilance the energy it the tank would peter out. There had to be a better way and that's when I found this book. Diana L. Walstad has made a very good book, her advice makes sense, keep the plants healthy and the aquarium will be healthy. I now have several very beautiful tanks that require hardly any maintenance, are healthy, have zero algae growth and are just enjoyable. None of my tanks has any equipment, no filters, no C02, no lights. I get incredible plant growth, flowering etc. My tanks don't look like the Amano tanks, little green carpeted landscapes, they are more like dense forests. Very good insight into what goes on in a tank and how to grow aquatic plants.
Rating:
Summary: Wow! Accessible, Technical, Wonderful!
Review: First, the downside: If you want beautiful color pictures of plants, buy Nature Aquarium World (the other MUST HAVE plant book). There are no photos in this book. But if you want detailed, accessible information on how to create thriving planted aquariums, buy this. Walstad maintains that thriving planted freshwater tanks can be created WITHOUT CO2 injectors, fertilizers, zillion-watt lighting fixtures, or many other high-tech gadgets. This book contains nothing but details on how she does so, from cover to cover. If you've ever tried adding something (Iron, Light, whatever) and gotten an unanticipated result, you will probably find the answer here. She has lots of information about how plants impact every aspect or aquarium water chemistry. This is a MUST HAVE book for plant enthusiasts.
Rating:
Summary: best aquarium plant book
Review: Great information on practical aspects of keeping a "low-tech" planted aquarium. I have both low and high tech planted aquariums, but have found the information in this book helpful for both. This is something you absolutely must read prior to getting into planted aquaria. You will also find yourself referring to it frequently as a problem-solving (and better yet!) problem-avoiding resource. Buy it. Read it. Love it.
Rating:
Summary: By far the best Aquarium book I've read
Review: I've read possibly over 100 books on keeping aquariums from all perspectives. The information in this book is real (though possibly exaggerated at times) and the results are real. The information provided by Walstad was sufficient to allow me to turn a high maintenance hobby into one where fish and plants thrive with minimal work. I have seen some authors dispute the theories that Diana puts forward, but I have seen nothing practical that supports their opinions either. The bottom line is people walk into my house and are stunned by the beauty of my tanks, and the truth is, all I do now is add water.
Rating: 
Summary: Scientifically oriented, but aesthetically a flop
Review: Not a good beginner book.
If you are thinking of buying this book with the intention of getting a Grand Pooh-bah of the Aquatic Gardener's Association's insights in how to set up a beautifully planted aquarium, don't. This is essentially a book about the author's experience with the scientific side of growing plants--and goes into technical details about "how to." Granted, it's not any more difficult a read than a high school science book, but it's not a whole lot more interesting or fun, either. There are NO, repeat, NO pictures in this book of planted/aquascaped tanks, and very little in the way of suggestions on how to plant, or which plants to pick or with which to start a tank. On the positive side, she does give some good advice, although it's buried amongst tables and charts. Just my opinion, of course, but an aquarium plant book without color photographs is like a book on how to paint without paintings.... I want to be inspired! Show me how this science works-in-practice! Unfortunately, this book does not inspire, although it does educate.
Rating:
Summary: Finally: a really great book!
Review: One of the best books I've ever read. This book is for the professional aquarist; it is certainly not for the beginner who wants book with more photos and less text. It has a very interesting and well-written chapter about the nitrogen cycle in the aquarium. The chapter includes chemical equations and tips; it includes information I've not read about in many other books. This is a serious book. Few of the subjects are: allelophaty between aquatic plants, plants as water purifiers, the bacteria in the aquarium, carbon (water alkalinity, pH, CO2, bicarbonate use, sediment CO2 uptake) and much more. As a student I found this book to be very professional, scientific, and interesting, I used this book when I had a test, and also when I had to write a work about water purifiers. As I said, it is one of the most rare kinds of books, and I recommend every person whom the hobby for him is not just 40 cm aquarium with plastic plants, to order it. It is a must have book.
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