Shrimp Tank Startup

[NanotankBank]

Hello all,

Ive recently found interest in keeping no filter, no water change, ecosystem tanks. I have a 3 gal Aquarium bowl sitting around that I wanted to make into a shrimp tank that requires minimal maintenance. I am new to the whole “little maintenance” world and I am asking for all pointers. Plants, substrate (how much),media that I can put underneath the soil, etc. Thank you!

[Patrick_G]

I love little no filter, invert only tanks. I’ve set up three and I currently still have two.  They’re really easy, I use aquasoil as substrate and decent low budget clip on lights. Plants seem to grow well and I don’t have any real algae issues. 

Here’s one from about 18 months ago

 

[BigJ]

 

My scrapes from scraps was basically a scaled down version of what you are describing. Here is my most recent picture,  I can't get a new one because I just tore it down to setup my new 20 long. 

It's final state was basically the same as this photo just more of everything, more peace lily, alge, anubius, and shrimp. As for maintenence I just did topoffs every several weeks and that's it. If I would have put just a little more time into maintenence it could have been pretty nice. But it was no tech super low maintenence and enough of an ecosystem for my shrimp to breed. Build details are in the linked post and somewhere there is a "reunion" thred with updates. 

[NanotankBank]

On 12/23/2022 at 8:45 PM, Patrick_G said:

I love little no filter, invert only tanks. I’ve set up three and I currently still have two.  They’re really easy, I use aquasoil as substrate and decent low budget clip on lights. Plants seem to grow well and I don’t have any real algae issues. 

Here’s one from about 18 months ago

 

I love the look of those. For shrimp did you find that you needed an air pump of any sorts? It was it strictly 0 tech whatsoever?

[Patrick_G]

On 12/23/2022 at 10:44 PM, NanotankBank said:

I love the look of those. For shrimp did you find that you needed an air pump of any sorts? It was it strictly 0 tech 

 

I’ve been stocking these little tanks with mostly just snails, but I did have a little colony of mutt shrimp and some Sparkling Gourami going in one of them with only a heater. In that tank I ran a small sponge filter with an airstone until the plants grew in, after that it was just the heater. 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

Here’s my little 6 gallon Walstad cube. 

Crazy jungle 

After a trim. 
 

Just a heater and a light. Dirted substrate capped with gravel. No filter, no fertilizer, no air pump, and a 20% water change every week. This tank pearls more than tanks I have with c02. Shrimp, snails, and a couple CPD’s. Just over a year old at this point. 

Edited December 24, 2022 by AllFishNoBrakes

[NanotankBank]

On 12/24/2022 at 2:54 AM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

Here’s my little 6 gallon Walstad cube. 

Crazy jungle 

After a trim. 
 

Just a heater and a light. Dirted substrate capped with gravel. No filter, no fertilizer, no air pump, and a 20% water change every week. This tank pearls more than tanks I have with c02. Shrimp, snails, and a couple CPD’s. Just over a year old at this point. 

Beautiful little tank there, similar to what I want! A few questions, do you find that the heater is necessary? I find that shrimp did well in water around 70-74°F, but every heater I find sets it between 78-80°F. Also, when doing water changes, do you do any form of gravel vacuuming, or just simply change the water?

[AllFishNoBrakes]

@NanotankBank Ya, I believe the heater is necessary in this one for the CPD’s and because it’s by a window. In my actual shrimp only tank there is no heater in there. If you’re doing shrimp only I would say no heater is just fine. 
 

No gravel vac, just water change. 

Edited December 24, 2022 by AllFishNoBrakes

[NanotankBank]

On 12/24/2022 at 1:55 PM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

@NanotankBank Ya, I believe the heater is necessary in this one for the CPD’s and because it’s by a window. In my actual shrimp only tank there is no heater in there. If you’re doing shrimp only I would say no heater is just fine. 
 

No gravel vac, just water change. 

Okay perfect, yes it will be shrimp only, may throw in a snail or two because they breed like crazy in my community tank. Thanks!