Hi, I'm looking for some advice, this is my first filterless tank, (and second overall tank) I had a few questions,
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is my setup ok?
It's a 30 gal (tall), I've got bio stratum, a lot of plants, hanging pothos roots, vines, rocks, I've got a bubbler for oxygenation, floating plants, and a grow light on a 12 hour timer, I let it be for 2 weeks before adding neocaridina shrimp, there are 20 of them, I added them earlier tonight -
can I have more life in there or will the bioload be too much?
I'm already planning on getting a few nerites, but my pet store was out a the moment.
I would love some fish but I don't want them to eat the shrimp or make the tank unstable.
I wanted to get a few pygmy Corydoras if possible
3.is the amount of biofilm normal in the 3rd picture?
I was told it's biofilm but it looks moldy and I don't know what biofilm looks like so I wanted to make sure
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Feeding schedule how often do I have to feed the shrimps?
I assume since theres so much grazing surface in there not that often but I don't want them to starve -
Finally do I need to do water changes?
I heard I only had to top of the evaporation in a filterless tank and didn't need to do them but I want to be sure since I really want this tank to work
Posted by _the-one-and-only_
2 Comments
I’d still do water change every few weeks and add more shrimp and a group of Otto’s. Heavy planting allows heavy bioload. Can take months to get the balance right.
1. Yes
2. Ass snails slowly and wait awhile for tank to mature first
3. It’s good bacteria bloom eating sugars from wood. Boil wood thoroughly or just let it be. Harmless.
4. No input
5. Water changes (small ones) to replenish minerals that are used up over time