[Noclu]

I am new to creating planted tanks but i just recently set up a 20g tank i have 3 anubias and some dwarf grass in there. It has no filter heater or ( water movment). It was setting for about 2 days then i added 3 cherry shrimp and 2 ghost shrimps and 1 snail. I let the acclimate to the water for a good time the after putting them in i noticed the snail and 1 of the ghost shrimps were dead, proably purchased like that. I have not tested the water yet but the other shrimps seem to be doing fine. well i have to add some sort of water movement or heater? Or would it be fine if i keep on building the eco system. Any ideas?

 

[Savetheplants]

Since you seem willing to go either way, I would put a box filter on the tank. Some circulation would be good for the plants. I don't know if a box filter would be bad for the shrimp though.

 

[Plinkploop]

If you're settled on ntp then a small powerhead to improve circulation would help. If you're up to doing hybrid/ low tech a filter will help you by giving you more surface area for bb to cultivate AND add flow.

When you say setting does that mean you just set it up and filled it 3 days ago? Do you know your parameters?

 

[Griznatch]

If it's a new set up, it needs to cycle. You risk an ammonia, nitrite spikes which could kill your critters. Ghost shrimp are notoriously kept in poor conditions so it's hard to tell what killed yours. Without knowing your water parameters I'm guessing stress and/or ammonia?

 

[JTMoney76]

It's definitely your Nitrogen Cycle that hasn't taken place which can take weeks. I highly recommend that you Google search "how to cycle your aquarium with fish" to become familiar. Grab either a sponge filter big enough (cheapest way) or a HOB filter with Biomedia ASAP along with water stability for freshwater. Seachem makes a trusted one. Make sure you also get Prime to remove the chlorine from your tap water prior to putting it in your tank & do 25 - 50% water changes depending on how high your Ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrates are until you get your tank stable. Ammonia & Nitrite should be at zero or close enough to zero, if not do an immediate water change. Once your tank is fully cycled they will remain at zero and it's ok to have Nitrates up to 20-40 ppm depending on your stock of fish. Buy the test kit for those readings & maybe even buy a small bottle of Fritz Zyme 7 to add ASAP.

Good luck!!

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Savetheplants]

Dr. Tom Barr says to do your cycling in a bucket not the tank. Do weekly 50% water changes on the tank. Don't add more stock for a while. Do more frequent 50% water changes if you do add more stock. Start cycling some biomedia or a sponge filter in a bucket. I've been cycling in a bucket for five weeks now. The sooner you get going the sooner it'll get done.