soil less shrimp tank

[blim]

I set up a 45cm tank, about 18 litres.

It is a simple setup with java ferns and overhang filter, the tank has been running for a week.

I intend to add some shrimps and otos, is it alright to keep the tank soil less?

I have experience in fish aquarium water management but shrimp keeping is my first attempt, what type would you recommend?

[simbk]

Please guide me if I said anything wrong. My 60+ Malaya shrimp / tetra tank has only some Seachem Matrix laying around. The shrimps are surviving nicely though I have to admit it is a simple tank with only java moss tied to 2 lava rocks.

Personally, I think the purpose of the tank soil will be more towards keeping the pH stable and to keep rooted plants, but I could be wrong though. Probably the senior shifus can enlighten us on this matter

[Urban Aquaria]

The active soil substrates that shrimp keepers use in their tanks are mainly to buffer the pH to specific levels to cater to certain types of shrimps that they keep. Shrimps like CRS usually do better in tanks with softwater and lower pH conditions.

If you are keeping the more hardy types of shrimps like neocaridina shrimps (cherry and their other color variants), malayan shrimps, yamato shrimps etc... they can adapt to a wider range of water conditions so using active soil substrates is not necessary. Those shrimps can live in tanks with inert sand/gravel substrates or just barebottom layouts.

[blim]

Thank you.