Can a bare bottom tank still get critters?

[Herefishie]

I have an extra tank that I was thinking about setting up as a bare bottom. I have experienced some critters in my shrimp tank which drive me crazy and they are unsightly. I wondered if worms, seed shrimp, etc. need substrate to survive?

[nabokovfan87]

I would think they can grow on any sort of hardscape if need be.  If you're having issues, specifically with shrimp tanks, I would try to find some way to siphon the substrate thoroughly more often to keep it clean. 

[Pepere]

I found a bare bottom tank to be quite unsightly in its own respect… substrate helps to cover up a lot of stuff that settles to the bottom.  Bare bottom leaves it all on display.  I was constantly siphoning to clean up the bottom…

In a new tank with clean substrate, detritus worms, ostracods etc would need to be introduced.  The most likely means of introduction would likely be plants.  An overnight soak in seltzer water would likely be effective for most organisms, though ostracods are amazingly resilient….

[Guppysnail]

Yes. Every critter that can exist in a substrate tank can exist in a bare bottom. They do not get as plentiful in bare bottom because almost all mulm gets siphoned out. However there will not be as much of the yummy yucky stuff growing for your shrimp without substrate.