Tank where i dont need to feed shrimp

[chillaz0]

I'm looking into getting a 30 gallon planted aquarium and would like to put some shrimp in there too. If i only put a half dozen shrimp in a tank this size will it produce enough food to sustain the shrimp without me adding in food?

[Mustafa]

In principle, yes, as the shrimp could graze on microorganisms growing on decaying plant parts (and algae). In practice planted tanks that get fertilized almost never work in the long term. The fertilizers mess with the water parameters too much for the shrimp to do well for long. It may work for a while, but one day the shrimp keel over and die one by one over a period of days or weeks. And in a non-fertilized tank you need to feed....the plants and shrimp need some energy/nutrient input.

[chillaz0]

I'm planning on using a soil substrate with possibly some solid fertilizer in an attempt to keep it more 'natural'. It is my understanding that these dont mess with water quality too much?

[Mustafa]

The fertilizer will definitely affect the water parameters, and so will the "soil" substrate. Remember, almost all shrimp species in the hobby come from waters that have basically no nutrients (nitrate, phosphate etc.) at all.