I need a tank that I can neglect completely -- no feeding, no nothing -- for at least three weeks at a time. I am very sensitive to sound so I need it to be no-air-pump. It will be near a window so light conditions while I am absent will be low to low-medium indoor daylight. I can give it more light, whatever is necessary, when I'm present in the house.
The most important animal element will be a swarm of cherry shrimp in yellow and blue varieties, as many as the system will allow.
The other animal element with be a few yellow Endler's guppies -- as few as two or as many as six (all male)
The idea is that when I must be absent the shrimp can survive entirely on algae and biofilm and the Endlers can eat algae, biofilm, and the occasional shrimp hatchling.
In order to provide biofilm surface, and because I love plants, I want the aquarium to be heavily planted with emphasis on mossy things and something red, maybe a Rotala.
I need advice on the following questions before I can start on this.
1) Can I do this in something as small as a 12 gallon tank? 10 gallons? 8 gallons? (8 gallons would be ideal).
2) To maximize stability of good water conditions in the tank, should I go for a dirt substrate and soft-substrate plants, or should I stick to rocks and gravel with plants that grow on stone?
3) Would the tiny roots of duckweed be good food for the Endlers? Would duckweed suck so much nutrition out of the water that there wouldn't be enough algae growth to sustain the shrimp?
4) Is there something else I could add to the tank to make sure the Endlers have enough food even if the shrimp don't produce hatchlings?
5) How do snails figure in all this?
6) What potential problems and needs am I probably failing to foresee with this plan?
Thanks for all advice.
The most important animal element will be a swarm of cherry shrimp in yellow and blue varieties, as many as the system will allow.
The other animal element with be a few yellow Endler's guppies -- as few as two or as many as six (all male)
The idea is that when I must be absent the shrimp can survive entirely on algae and biofilm and the Endlers can eat algae, biofilm, and the occasional shrimp hatchling.
In order to provide biofilm surface, and because I love plants, I want the aquarium to be heavily planted with emphasis on mossy things and something red, maybe a Rotala.
I need advice on the following questions before I can start on this.
1) Can I do this in something as small as a 12 gallon tank? 10 gallons? 8 gallons? (8 gallons would be ideal).
2) To maximize stability of good water conditions in the tank, should I go for a dirt substrate and soft-substrate plants, or should I stick to rocks and gravel with plants that grow on stone?
3) Would the tiny roots of duckweed be good food for the Endlers? Would duckweed suck so much nutrition out of the water that there wouldn't be enough algae growth to sustain the shrimp?
4) Is there something else I could add to the tank to make sure the Endlers have enough food even if the shrimp don't produce hatchlings?
5) How do snails figure in all this?
6) What potential problems and needs am I probably failing to foresee with this plan?
Thanks for all advice.
