Opinions on no substrate

[Derek]

I have a nice piece of soaked drift wood and lots of moss. I'm about to start up a 55g and want to do soft water shrimp with just some leaves and no substrate with drift wood with moss on it. Will my ph be low enough with sl blue wizard alone and di water?

[Aquarium Creation]

The soil helps maintain that low pH. If you want to go no soil and low pH you can do add peat moss to an HOB or canister filter and that will lower your pH. That's an old school method. Soil just makes it easier.

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[Derek]

Thanks I'll try the peat method. 

[MinusInfinity]

I'd add a very thin layer of sand, when i say thin, it should look as if the tank was dusted with it. Just enough so that the shrimps can pick on something and have an easier time walking on the surface. 

[Derek]

2 minutes ago, MinusInfinity said:

I'd add a very thin layer of sand, when i say thin, it should look as if the tank was dusted with it. Just enough so that the shrimps can pick on something and have an easier time walking on the surface. 

I know what your saying but I've got a nice big piece of driftwood and tons of moss to put on it. Should be enough for them to pick, also throwing in leaves. I just want no sand to suck out detritus easily. 

[Revaria]

I'm currently doing bare bottom with just a almond leaf and maybe a piece of cholla wood with some moss depending on the tank and the shrimp don't seem to mind once they get used to it.